Share Files and Printers between Windows 7 and XP

If you have a home network and are running Windows 7 and have XP on other PC(s) you might
want to share files between them. Today we will look at the stes to share files and hardware
devi!es like a rinter.
Sharing Files In Windows 7 and XP
"haring folders between two Windows 7 ma!hines with the new #ome$rou feature is an easy
ro!ess% but the #ome$rou feature is not !omatible with &ista or XP. 'or this tutorial we are
using Windows 7 ()* +C, and XP Professional "P- !onne!ted through a basi! .inksys home
wireless router.
'irst make sure both ma!hines are members of the same Workgrou whi!h by default is named
Workgrou.
/n the Windows 7 ma!hine go into Control Panel 0 1ll Control Panel Items 0 2etwork and
"haring Center then !li!k on Change advan!ed sharing settings.
3ou will want to verify the following settings under 1dvan!ed "haring "ettings for the #ome or
Work and Publi! rofile.
If you want any user to have a!!ess the ubli! shares turn off assword rote!tion. This is
lo!ated in 1dvan!ed "haring "ettings toward the bottom of the list.
If you want to kee it enabled make sure there is a log in a!!ount for the other XP ma!hines and
they have a assword.
2ow if you go into 2etwork in Windows 7 you should see your XP ma!hine and the Windows 7
as well whi!h in this !ase is 4ysti!geek5PC.
To share the rinter on the Windows 7 ma!hine go into 6evi!es and Printers from the "tart menu
and double !li!k on the rinter i!on.
2e(t double !li!k on Customize your printer.
In the Proerties s!reen !li!k on the "haring Tab and !he!k the bo( to share the rinter and tye
in its share name.
If your XP ma!hine is an (7) /" you !an install 1dditional 6rivers before setting u the XP
ma!hine.
To find the shared folders and devi!es double !li!k on the Windows 7 ma!hine i!on under
2etwork. #ere you !an see the rinter !onne!ted to my Windows 7 ma!hine is shared and also
the 8sers 'older.
Continue into the 8sers folder and Publi! to see the shared folders% here I also !reated a folder
!alled XP "hare 9ust to kee everything in !entral lo!ation.
/ver on your XP ma!hine oen u 4y 2etwork Pla!es to find the Windows 7 (mysticgeek-pc)
shared folder.
6ouble !li!k on the "hare folder to find a list of shared folders in the Publi! folder on Windows
7. If you have assword rote!tion enabled you will need to tye in the username and assword
of the user a!!ount on the Windows 7 ma!hine first.
Setup XP With Shared Printer
To set u the shared rinter in XP you will need to go into Printers and 'a(es from the "tart
menu and ki!k off the 1dd Printer Wi:ard.
2ow sele!t A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer then hit 2e(t.
2e(t sele!t Connect to this printer and tye in the ath for the rinter !onne!ted to the
Windows 7 ma!hine and !li!k ne(t.
2ow !li!k 3es to the !onfirmation message.
Then !li!k 'inish the rinter to install and !omlete the Wi:ard.
In some !ases you will need to install the (7) XP drivers for the shared rinter be!ause the
Windows 7 drivers are not !omatible with XP. When everything is installed oen u Printers
and 'a(es to find the shared rinter.
This should hel you get started with sharing your files and other devi!es with your Windows 7
ma!hine. When I first started I was able to see the rinter on XP right away be!ause I had a
#ome$rou set u% but on!e I deleted it I needed to share the rinter like you would for a
workgrou. 3ou might also have to do a !oule restarts of the XP ma!hine for it to see the
shared resour!es on Windows 7. If you have had any e(erien!es with sharing between
Windows 7 and XP leave us a !omment;