Comments on: How to Share Files between Mac and PC — Leopard and Vista

By: wayne

wayne — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:51:20 +0000

I used this on XP to get my PC to see my mac files (not other way around)

1. On Pc open internet browser (eg I use firefox)
2. In the address bar in firefox type \\192.168.1.111 (where \\192.168.1.111 is the macs IP address (you will get the IP address from “network” “advanced” “TCP/IP”)

Dont forget the the 2 slashes \\ at the front

By: Rakesh

Rakesh — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 03:46:17 +0000

Hey, I just wanted to say how perfect your explaination was. I think this had to be the easiest network sharing help I have ever seen. Thanks so much. Awesome!

By: Monica

Monica — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:50:52 +0000

WOW, you are my hero… This was so easy and worked the first time…
My deepest gratitude.

By: Dipak

Dipak — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:59:19 +0000

Thank you so much for thing informations. It was easy to understand.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:09:31 +0000

Thank you. Your site helped me immensely. I have one problem though. After completing your instructions, I am unable to see my PC on my Mac. I can see and use my Mac files perfectly on my PC.

On the Mac, in the Finder window, I see my PC. But when I try to connect it says “Connection Failed” and when I try the Cmd-K and input the address as indicated in your post, I get a message that says “Server Unavailable.’

I am using Snow Leopard and Vista.

Thanks again.

By: wayne

wayne — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:36:26 +0000

I had some success by using the method below on an XP machine

Went to -
My Network Places > Add a Network Place > Browse > Entire Network > Microsoft Windows Network > Workgroup > (my iMac’s name) >

You should then be able to access the file or disk (yes you can share cd/dvd drive with a pc that hasnt got one) /file from Windows using a username (or guest and no password as you would when accessing normal network share)

By: Sharmin

Sharmin — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:10:04 +0000

I followed the instructions (10 times to make sure) and I can see my mac share file on my PC but not my PC shared files on my Mac – what am I doing wrong?

By: wayne

wayne — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:52:16 +0000

Hello

The problem is that my Pc is windows XP and i get stuck straight away as the control panel has NO “Network and sharing centre”

can you point me anywhere
thank you

By: Kirk

Kirk — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:57:07 +0000

This helped me get me to see my files from my MAC on my PC. Thank you! IS there a way on the MAC to go into the Network area and it automotically show you everythign on the network that is shared? This is on my home network…

On my PC I can go into the network and it automatically sees everything even my shared files on my MAC. I don’t like having to connect to a serber each time from the MAC unless I have to.

Thoughts?

By: maclover

maclover — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:47:20 +0000

this is great!

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:49:00 +0000

First, thanks for publishing these instructions. Second, just moved to a MAC and I found 1 additional thing via Apple Support that needed to be done to get the files to share between Vista PC and Snow Leopard OS X (10.6.2). I still haven’t been able to get onto my PC from my MAC but I now am able share files in the designated MAC folders using my iMac Hard drive, which is perfect.

TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN ACCESS THE FILES ON YOUR MAC FROM YOUR PC PERMISSION MUST BE SET AT THE FILE LEVEL ALSO.

What this means is: once you have set up your sharing settings in your MAC for files and have chosen for the folders you want so it is all Read & Write etc, the files you are sharing must have the PERMISSIONS set right so it is also Read & Write, as well as those files and all sub-files you want to be sharing.

To do this open Finder, right click or control click on the folders you are sharing and go to Get Info. At the bottom of this is Sharing & Permissions. If the privilege for the users you want is not set to Read & Write, or the setting you want, you must click the unlock and change it under privilege. Then, if you chose a folder that has sub-folders in it you should click on the ‘Gear’ shaped box next to the + /- boxes below that, left of the lock, and choose ‘Apply to enclosed items’. This way everything will be all set.

I hope this helps as I was ready to throw my new iMac through the wall before I realized i could contact support for the first 90 days of having my Mac and got this solved.

By: Floris

Floris — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:24:12 +0000

It turns out that even the more restrictive security setting “use network trust” in Norton 360 is good enough to get the PC to see the Mac. Might be a safer alternative in case aliens take over your Mac. Not that that is likely.

By: Floris

Floris — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:21:17 +0000

Tried your suggestions and got nowhere – I had set up the Mac to run SMB per the above instructions (PC claims it has no idea what the afp:// protocol is – nice move, Microsoft!).
In my configuration I was trying to connect a PC running Windows 7 with a Mac running 10.5

I found a post somewhere else that suggested my security settings might be the problem.

Sure enough – when I opened Norton 360, I could add my Mac as follows:
Norton 360 Settings -> Trust Control -> Configure
Click on the [+] to add a new machine; give it a name (myMac) and the IP address (if it’s static; or the MAC address if it’s dynamic). I gave it “full trust” since both devices are behind a router/firewall.

Then I went to Explorer, typed in \\192.168.1.105 (happens to be the IP address of the Mac on my home network) and a window opening showing all the shared folders on the Mac.

Networking is magical when it works…

By: David

David — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:50:56 +0000

I really appreciate this walkthrough. It worked like a charm after I had been searching the Interweb high and low for some help. I could easily connect to shared folders on my new iMac from the PC but seeing my Vista folders from the Mac was a challenge. Next up is connecting to my XP machine. Not quite the same but you’ve givin me enough to go on that I’m sure I’ll get it. Thanks again!!!

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:20:37 +0000

When I tried to access a folder from my mac it said “this drive could not be mounted”. Any suggestions? Joe.

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:56:49 +0000

Thanks! Your walk-through worked for PC to Mac when nothing else did. For some reason Mac to PC is still not working, but PC to Mac is great. Thanks! (P.S. The PC isn’t seen on the network… I believe it is a larger issue than poor typing skills)

By: Jim Waldron

Jim Waldron — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:12:00 +0000

U DA MAN DUDE!!!!!!

By: Joe Cotton

Joe Cotton — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:28:13 +0000

Thanks for posting this. The instructions were clear and on-point.

Joe

By: Aditya

Aditya — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 05:17:41 +0000

Thanks this was pretty helpful.

Initially after setting up the mac share i was not able to access it from windows. Windows was saying i dont have permission contact my network my network administrator (I am the one :)).

While doing the connect to server on my mac to connect to my windows share it asked for my windows logged in user cred. after i provided i was able to access files both ways.

Its pretty easy and smooth. By the way I am using Windows 7.

By: Habu

Habu — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:46:58 +0000

You’re da man. I’ve spent weeks trying to connect my wife’s new iMac to my Vista network without success. I follow your instructions and …bingo. Success! It even put nice little icons on the macs screen for the wife to simply instant connect to music and photo files on my PC. All hail Eric.

Now to see if I can get the mac to print to my printer.