Error Browsing/Mapping a Drive on an NT System

Published: Nov 02, 1997
Updated: Nov 02, 1997
Section: Articles & Tutorials :: Network Troubleshooting :: Windows NT/95/98/ME issues
Author: Johannes Helmig
Company: WindowsNetworking.com
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Rating: 3.6/5 - 8 Votes

You see the NT system in your "Network Neighborhood", but as soon to like to access it to view the list of "Shared" resources, you get prompted for a password:

What is this "IPC$" ?

On the NT-system, the disk was properly "shared":

When you started your Windows95 system and got the Network Login-screen:

under which "User-Name" and "Password" did you login ?

Most Windows95 users are a little "sloppy" with User-Names, because in worst case, Windows95 will just prompt for a new Password, and on a Windows95 PC-to-PC network, access is anyway NOT controlled by User-Level.
And since now on the NT-system the sharing is set to "EVERYONE", you should be able to connect using ANY User-Name ?

WRONG !

NT understands "EVERYBODY" not really as anybody (using any name), but as the User-group "EVERYBODY", which contains automatically all users defined on the NT system ( as a "Secure Operating system", NT does not give away access to the disk to an unknown user without proper authorization ! )

So, if you got the above message, then you did NOT login to the Windows95 system with a User-Name and Password, as it is defined as a valid NT-user.
(for more details, see NT4 User Permissions)

About Johannes Helmig

Dr.Johannes Helmig is working as Director, Technical Knowledge Management in the Belgium office of Gerber Technology where he is involved in Customer Service and internal training, with special interest in Networking.

Click here for Johannes Helmig's section.