Symptoms
This can affect clients using Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional which are not a member of a domain, that is to say are not on a corporate network. When navigating to the WorkgroupShare Client Setup share on the server an access denied error message may be reported.
Cause
For clients running Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional, that are not upgraded from Windows 2000 Professional and are not part of a domain, Windows will use simple file sharing. This provides a simpler interface for managing shares. By default all users connecting to shares over this kind of network are forced to use the Guest account; this is a process called ForceGuest. However, the guest account is disabled by default meaning shares can be seen but not accessed.
Resolution
Disable Simple File Sharing and reshare the ClientSetup folder as WorkgroupShare Client Setup, giving everybody access
Detail
Disable simple sharing by opening My Computer and then selecting Tools, Folder Options. In the Folder Options dialogue, click on the View tab and scroll down to the bottom. Uncheck use simple file sharing and then click OK.
Browse to the WorkgroupShare installation folder (%ProgramFiles%WorkgroupShare by default) and select the “ClientSetup” folder. By right clicking with the mouse, un-share, save the settings and then re-share the “ClientSetup” folder, giving Everyone Read permissions.
Note, If available, click on the security tab and then click Add… type everyone and press OK. Grant everyone read permission (Allow these ACLs to
Propagate) and then click OK.
Browse to SERVERWorkgroupShare Client Setup, where SERVER is the name of the WorkgroupShare server computer, and run ClientSetup.exe.