Windows XP & Simple File Sharing

When a remote machines is running Windows XP, then you must also disable "Simple File Sharing", which only exists in Windows XP. Unfortunately, if these machines are running Windows XP Home, then you cannot disable Simple File Sharing, hence you will not be able to access them via the NT Utilities software. You can access them via the Mini Remote Control program but only after you have manually installed the Mini Remote Client Agent on those machines. You will not have the ability to remotely install the Mini Remote Client Agent to machines running Windows XP Home.

Windows XP Home & Windows XP Professional installed on a machines as part of a WorkGroup has "Simple File Sharing" (not to be confused with "File & Printer Sharing") enabled by default which offers no NT Challenge/Response Authentication. "Simple File Sharing" also does not allow you to remotely install/remove/start/stop the DMRC Client Agent Service. "Simple File Sharing" cannot be turned off in Windows XP Home, therefore you must first manually install the DMRC Client Agent Service on machines running Windows XP Home. Once the DMRC Client Agent Service has been installed, then you should then be able to use the "Encrypted Windows Logon" authentication method to connect to this machine. You cannot connect to a remote machine running Windows XP Home using NT Challenge/Response Authentication.

There is also a policy setting in Windows XP that does not allow you to access a remote machine running Windows XP over the network using an account that has a blank password. Therefore, if you are using an Account with a blank password, I would suggest that you create a new account with full Administrator rights and assign it a password. Then use that account when attempting a connection via the Mini Remote Control program.

Basically, this is how you disable "Simple File Sharing" in Windows XP Professional (remember it cannot be done in XP Home):

Open My Computer.

Select Tools / Folder Options.

Click on the View Tab.

Go all the way to the bottom of the list and Disable "Use simple file sharing (Recommended)"

Please refer to the following knowledgebase article for more information on DameWare and Windows XP:

How To Manually Install or Remove the Mini Remote & NT Utilities Client Agents

http://www.dameware.com/support/kb/article.aspx?ID=100000

Information About DameWare Development Software's Compatibility with Windows XP

http://www.dameware.com/support/kb/article.aspx?ID=201036