Cannot share USB drive


  1. margrave55
    Posts : 1,680
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       New #1

    Cannot share USB drive


    I have shares set up on my internal C: and D: drives.
    But now I want to share my G: drive, which is a USB-attached WD Elements drive, 8 TB.

    I'd expect to use the Share configuration panel for that. But ...

    I can see the share configuration for the C: drive ...
    Cannot share USB drive-x1.png

    But no such configuration is available for the G: drive ...
    Cannot share USB drive-x2.png
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  3. FreeBooter
    Posts : 5,328
    Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
       New #2

    How To Share USB devices Over Network [Simple Guide]
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  4. margrave55
    Posts : 1,680
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    Thread Starter
       New #3

    Does it really require third-party software to share a drive?
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  6. FreeBooter
    Posts : 5,328
    Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
       New #4

    Try to share folder/file stored on external USB drive.

    I just found out external drive is shared but its hidden share to access a hidden share, enter the UNC path (\\computername\sharename$) of the share, and hit Enter. Alternatively, you can use the computer’s local IP address (such as 192.168.1.1) instead of the computer name.

    You can view all hidden shares by executing Net share command from Command Prompt.
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  7. Bree
    Posts : 31,630
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       New #5

    margrave55 said:
    Does it really require third-party software to share a drive?
    No, it doesn't. What I don't understand in your screenshots is why you only have six tabs in Properties. I have eight on internal drives, one of which is Sharing (ReadyBoost makes that nine tabs for external drives). Here's my USB HDD's Properties.

    Cannot share USB drive-image.png



    Edit: you should have a Sharing tab in Properties. One possible explanation for it being missing is here...

    The issue was 'self-inflicted'. I ran a .reg file to remove the 'Sharing' right-click context menu item from Explorer, the problem is it also removes the Sharing table from Drives Properties...
    Drives no longer have a 'Sharing' properties tab... Broken by update?
    Last edited by Bree; 17 Aug 2019 at 11:59.
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  8. margrave55
    Posts : 1,680
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    Thread Starter
       New #6

    FreeBooter: You were right. There is a G$ share ...
    Code:
    Share name   Resource                           Remark
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADMIN$       C:\WINDOWS                         Remote Admin
Q$           Q:\                                Default share
C$           C:\                                Default share
print$       C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers  Printer Drivers
D$           D:\                                Default share
IPC$                                            Remote IPC
G$           G:\                                Default share
C            C:\
D            D:\
F            F:\
Q            Q:\
    But when I try this command from the other computer I get Access Denied ...
    Code:
    net use J: \\192.168.1.137\g$ xx /user:xxxxx /persistent:yes
    That same command succeeds when I use c$ or d$.
    But C: and D: have the Properties > Security > Advanced > Share tab available, and I put appropriate permissions there.
    I don't know why that Share tab is absent from the G: drive properties.
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  9. Bree
    Posts : 31,630
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       New #7

    margrave55 said:
    I don't know why that Share tab is absent from the G: drive properties.
    One possible explanation for it being missing is here...

    The issue was 'self-inflicted'. I ran a .reg file to remove the 'Sharing' right-click context menu item from Explorer, the problem is it also removes the Sharing table from Drives Properties...
    ... Tutorial: Share with Context Menu - Add or Remove in Windows 10 Customization Tutorials
    Drives no longer have a 'Sharing' properties tab... Broken by update?
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  10. FreeBooter
    Posts : 5,328
    Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
       New #8

    Only administrator can access hidden administrative shares.
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  12. margrave55
    Posts : 1,680
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    Thread Starter
       New #9

    I found the answer ...

    I checked for all the recommended registry entries and they were all present ...
    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Sharing] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Sharing]
    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Sharing] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\CopyHookHandlers\Sharing] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\Sharing] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Sharing] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\Sharing] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\LibraryFolder\background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Sharing] [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\UserLibraryFolder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Sharing]

    Somewhere I found this (Brink tutorial I think?) ...
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked]
    "{f81e9010-6ea4-11ce-a7ff-00aa003ca9f6}"=-

    I assume that the "-" at the end means that this key should be deleted, right?
    Well I had this ...
    "{f81e9010-6ea4-11ce-a7ff-00aa003ca9f6}"=""
    So changed it to ...
    "nono{f81e9010-6ea4-11ce-a7ff-00aa003ca9f6}"=""
    That's easier to undo if it turned out to be unnecessary.

    I restarted explorer, and voila! The G: properties panel has a Sharing tab. And now the C: and D: drives have it, too.
    Cannot share USB drive-s.png
    I clicked the Advanced Sharing and then Permissions ... and did the usual.
    On the other computer a "net use" mounted this drive.
    Solved.

    But how did I get into this mess in the first place???
    Last edited by margrave55; 17 Aug 2019 at 13:58.
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  13. Bree
    Posts : 31,630
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       New #10

    margrave55 said:
    ...voila. The G: properties panel has a Sharing tab. And now the C: and D: drives have it, too... Solved.
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