Creating Paths To Other Computer’s Attached Drives

[hlewton]

Is it possible for me to create paths to external drives on another computer on my network? For instance, if I have a computer named A-PC and it has 3 external drives attached to it named F:Drive, G:Drive, and H:Drive can I copy files to those external drives from a computer named B-PC? If so what would the path be? I know the path to B-PC would be \\B-PC but that’s as far as I can get.

[StuartR]

You first need to 'share' the drives you want to access. You could then access the drives as \\computername\sharename

This will only work if you have valid credentials. The easiest way to do that is to log on to both computers using the same username and password, but there are other ways too.

[hlewton]

You first need to 'share' the drives you want to access. You could then access the drives as \\computername\sharename

This will only work if you have valid credentials. The easiest way to do that is to log on to both computers using the same username and password, but there are other ways too.

Thank you. Please let me ask this. I do not use passwords to log onto any computer. I have an administrator account on each machine and that is the only account on every machine. Please see the attachment below. It is not yet shared, as can be seen. It has a name, Elements, I believe. So if I set up sharing, using advanced sharing like all my other paths to folders or drives have, would Elements be the shared name without including the F: for the drive letter as is used by the computer it is attached to?

Not Shared.jpg

[StuartR]

You specify the sharename when you enable sharing.

I have no idea how to make this work if you have no passwords

[hlewton]

OK, thank you.

[hlewton]

You specify the sharename when you enable sharing.

I have no idea how to make this work if you have no passwords

Thanks again Stuart. I did what you said by sharing that drive, I set full control to it, and applied those changes. I can now navigate to any folder on all three of my external drives. I appreciate your help. BTW, I just let the sharename be the drive letter assigned to the drive from the computer it is connect to. It works as I wanted I to work.

[StuartR]

Brilliant!

[hlewton]

Brilliant!

I really don't understand all that using passwords to access my computers does for one, but I have never used any. My wife is the only person who has access to any of my computers and I'd trust her with my life. Over the years it has been mentioned many times to use passwords but so far everything I have needed to do has been accomplished one way or another without them. I really do appreciate all the help I get here in this lounge.

[StuartR]

I keep confidential information on my computers. If someone steals the computers from my house they would need to break the encryption on my hard drives to get access to my data.

[hlewton]

Never thought of that. However, the only thing I have with confidential information is a password protected Excel spreadsheet.

[PJ_in_FL]

Never thought of that. However, the only thing I have with confidential information is a password protected Excel spreadsheet.

If only the sheet is protected and not the entire file, then Excel spreadsheets are not protected by passwords, only slightly inconvenienced. There was a form our departments was using that needed updating and the sheet had a password, but no one knew the password. Excel passwords are used to generate a hash, but there are many combinations of characters that will generate the same hash and unlock the sheet. Macros are easy to locate that will run through combinations until a sheet is unlocked. I think it took 4 minutes to unlock the sheet I was working with.

Your mileage may vary.

I haven't researched how to unlock PW protected Excel files. That might be more difficult.

My suggestion is to create a VeraCrypt container to put sensitive files into. Much stronger encryption and file I/O from/to the container works just like another drive.

[hlewton]

Never thought of that. However, the only thing I have with confidential information is a password protected Excel spreadsheet.

If only the sheet is protected and not the entire file, then Excel spreadsheets are not protected by passwords, only slightly inconvenienced. There was a form our departments was using that needed updating and the sheet had a password, but no one knew the password. Excel passwords are used to generate a hash, but there are many combinations of characters that will generate the same hash and unlock the sheet. Macros are easy to locate that will run through combinations until a sheet is unlocked. I think it took 4 minutes to unlock the sheet I was working with.

Your mileage may vary.

I haven't researched how to unlock PW protected Excel files. That might be more difficult.

My suggestion is to create a VeraCrypt container to put sensitive files into. Much stronger encryption and file I/O from/to the container works just like another drive.

It is a password protected file, it can't be opened without the password. Long ago when I worked, I would use just password protected sheets or even portions of a sheet, if I remember correctly.

I did work a bit with Chris Greaves on using VeraCrypt but I have not put it into practice.

Thanks for your reply.

[stuck]

It is a password protected file, it can't be opened without the password...

That's too simplistic a view. Password protected files can be hacked. I've done it, legitimately because the password was lost but we needed access to the file. PJ said he's done it too.

Ken

[hlewton]

It is a password protected file, it can't be opened without the password...

That's too simplistic a view. Password protected files can be hacked. I've done it, legitimately because the password was lost but we needed access to the file. PJ said he's done it too.

Ken

I'll remember that the next time I can't access a file. In the past, and I'm not saying it was in this forum because I don't think it was, I could not access an Excel file because I forgot the password. When I asked for help to access it, I was told that an Excel password protected file was very secure and would take an expert to break it. Seems we have at least two here now.

I even remember what the file I lost was. It calculate either the weight or length of steel bars or seamless tubing. I created it at work and didn't want others to screw it up. I did have to recreate it, but I never lost the password to anything after that.

[stuck]

...When I asked for help to access it...

I suspect, but can't say for sure that the reason nobody offered help is because that even on a friendly forum like The Lounge where you are 'known', no one can be certain that the file you are asking to be hacked is genuinely your file and thus you have a legitimate reason to want to break the password.

Ken
PS I think Excel password protection has improved from the day when I hacked the lost password on the file we needed at work, i.e. I won't be able to help you if you ever lose the password on an Excel file

[hlewton]

...When I asked for help to access it...

I suspect, but can't say for sure that the reason nobody offered help is because that even on a friendly forum like The Lounge where you are 'known', no one can be certain that the file you are asking to be hacked is genuinely your file and thus you have a legitimate reason to want to break the password.

Ken
PS I think Excel password protection has improved from the day when I hacked the lost password on the file we needed at work, i.e. I won't be able to help you if you ever lose the password on an Excel file

Yep, I can understand that. I wouldn't trust anyone either if I were asked to do something rather shady. It was a lot of extra work for me, but I did learn a good lesson. I now have a password protected Excel file with all my passwords listed in it. I hope I never forget that password because I wouldn't trust anyone to break it.