A shared resource is a resource that is made available to network users, such as folders, files, printers, and named pipes. It can also refer to a resource on a server that is available to network users. When you share a resource, you use share permissions instead of NTFS permissions.

Important

Share permissions apply only to users who gain access to the resource over the network. They do not apply to users who log on locally, such as on a terminal server. To restrict access to objects for users who log on locally, set NTFS permissions on the Security tab of the object's Properties page.

There are two methods to set permissions on a shared resource, depending on the resource type.

To use the File Sharing wizard to set permissions on a file or folder

  1. Right-click the file or folder, and then click Share.

  2. Complete the File Sharing wizard to select the user and group to share the file or folder with and to set permissions on the file or folder for each user or group.

To use Windows Explorer to set permissions on a resource

  1. Open Windows Explorer.

  2. Right-click the object, and click Share or Properties.

  3. Click the Sharing tab, and then click Advanced Sharing to set permissions.

Additional considerations

  • To open Windows Explorer, click Start, point to All Programs, click Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.

  • You can use the File Sharing wizard to manage shared resources on both local and remote computers. With Windows Explorer and the command line, you can manage shared resources on your local computer only.

  • When permissions have been assigned both to the shared resource and at the file system level, the more restrictive permission always applies.

  • It is usually easier to assign permissions to groups and then add users to groups, rather than assigning identical permissions to individual users.

  • If you change permissions on special shared resources, such as ADMIN$, the default settings may be restored when the Server service is stopped and restarted or when the computer is restarted. Note that this does not apply to user-created shared resources whose share name ends in $.

Additional references

  • Set, View, Change, or Remove Special Permissions
  • Managing Object Ownership