Networking : Windows 95/98/ME n Window 2000/XP LAN IPC$ problem

This is for all the pals who got IPC$ Password Prompt while connecting a windows 95/98/ME machine to another windows 2000/XP/2003 machine in LAN, i.e. networking between NT & non-NT machine.

I tried making LAN between Windows 98 n Windows XP. Connection was successful and I accessed 98-files from XP machine without any problem but when it came to doin other way, got this IPC$ password prompt.

Posting here is the SIMPLEST way to solve this

Just do this on XP-machine

  1. Go to the control panel > user account and enable (turn-on) the guest account.
  2. Then go again to control panel. Open Administrative Tools, then Local Security Settings.
OR
  1. You can just click Start >> Run >> secpol.msc

In Left pane, go to security settings>> Local Polices >> User Rights Assignments.

You will get list of policies on right side. Just modify following two policies.

1. Access this computer from network

  • This is first policy. Double-click on it to open its properties.
  • You will get a list of user and groups and two buttons viz add user or group and remove.
  • Click on add user or group button.
  • A window with title Select user or group will appear.
  • In lower-left corner of this window there is advance button. Click on it.
  • Another window with same title Select user or group will appear.
  • Click on find now button on right-side of this window. A list will appear.
  • Just double-click on Guest.

(If Guest does not appear then check Find in Location of this window. It must be server or your computer name itself.)

In short you have to add Guest to the list of user n groups who can access XP-computer from network.
2. Deny access to this computer from networkThis is quite simple. Just open properties and check if Guest name is in the list. If this is present, select it and press remove.

In short you have to remove Guest from the list of user n groups who denied XP-computer from network.

Thats It!!!

Refresh your 98 machine and see if IPC$ password comes again. At the most you need to restart your both machine. But it will work for sure as I tested this on LAN of 25 PCs successfully 🙂

Post through comments if you still have problem or want me 2 add screenshot to this post!

10 Comments

Triksha July 27, 2006

Hey
thnx for the info
Its really intresting

Rahul Bansal March 18, 2007

@Triksha
Ur welcome dear! Comments like this help me keep going! 🙂

l.laporte January 16, 2008

Hi,
I agree with you, when I want to share a folder on a Vista computer you have to insert everyone for that folder on the vista machine. Then from an XP computer you can reach the shared forder (on the Vista machine). But when I want to reach the share folder from a 98 machine I still get the question for \\comp\IPC$.

Also it is possible to share a printer attached to an 98 machine with an vista machine. But after I restart the 98 machine the printer is no longer on line and it is not possible to set the printer on line. Knows anyone what to do.

LLaporte

Rahul Bansal January 17, 2008

@l.laporte
If a share on windows box is disappearing after restart you can use NET USE command with option /PERSISTENT:YES

If you have trouble using above command let me know so we can figure out something else.

For help on syntax and parameters, use command: net help use

As I am not using windows from long time I may not able to help you much but you can try this! 🙂

Ante May 26, 2008

Thanks a lot. Simple and very useful.

Rahul Bansal May 27, 2008

@Ante
Your welcome buddy… 🙂

Spunner July 2, 2008

Actually,

You don’t need to activate the guest account OR add the security policy
“1. Access this computer from network”, just remove the “2. Deny access to this computer from network”

Since you are really only adding access for the LOCAL guest account, not the generic network guest account. This makes it much simpler.

Just thought you might like to know..

Rahul Bansal July 3, 2008

@Spunner
There are many more ways to solve this problem.
Thanks for your way. Its nice… 🙂

Vivek January 24, 2009

Hi Rahul,
I have some different need here, the process that you have defined is absolutely fine but I want to add one user in Local security setting – local policy – user rights assignment – access this computer from network, using a batch file or from the command line.

Please help me out if have code for this.

Thanks,
Vivek

Rahul Bansal January 26, 2009

@Vivek
I have switched to Mac around a year ago.
Sorry to say but I am really in no position to help you on this.
Try googling. You will find an answer for sure. 🙂