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"Access this computer from the network" key is auto-cleared


Guest kombucha

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Guest kombucha

I'm trying to network my Ubuntu Edgy PC with my Windows XP Pro machine, and things aren't going too well. First off, I've had them networked successfully at times, so it is certainly possible. I am also having precisely the same problems trying to network any computer to this XP rig, so it is the XP machine at fault.

Here's what it's doing.

For some reason, it is automatically blanking the "Access this computer from the network" setting in the Local Security Policy. With every restart, that key is completely erased. Thus, when I try to access a shared file or printer, I am denied permission. I can go downstairs and add users back in (although I just learned "Everyone" should work) but that is incredibly tedious for a machine that is shut down and restarted so frequently.

I have no idea what could be doing this. I've set every other security setting as lenient as possible, because I'm not at all concerned about security on that computer. I believe there are some McAfee products on it, but unless those would clear it by default, I doubt they are responsible. The XP install was done only a few months ago, and I'm not sure when this problem started.

Any ideas as to who the culprit might be or how I can prevent this setting from changing?

And will "Everyone" work for literally everyone?

Thanks, and let me know if there is any other information I can provide.

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First off...using Everyone is a Bad Idea . You should just set it to either Administrators; Users or Administrators; Authenticated Users.

If the setting is clearing at every reboot then you either have some sort of malware doing so, some security software doing so, or someone has jacked around with applying a custom security template to the PC.

Would there happen to be a domain controller in the mix? Actually...disregard that. If it was an AD Group Policy setting you wouldn't be able to change the option within the local security policies...

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Guest kombucha

Well sometimes, especially when I try to add the name of my computer from the workgroup to the list, it says it failed to save... but I don't think I need to do that for it to work.

So what should I set it to if I am trying to access it from a linux computer? Do I need to set a username on the linux computer that is the same as the one and only user account on the XP computer?

And is there no way to test or log specifically what might be clearing the key? Any ideas, or anything I can upload (like a HijackThis log or similar log) that could give you a clue?

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I believe there are some McAfee products on it, but unless those would clear it by default, I doubt they are responsible.

Norton Internet Security is known to prevent networks from being made (files and printer being shared) until you either Disable it or make exceptions.

McAfee may be the same, check the settings.

And have you used the Make a Home Network wizard to make the network because on my computer, if i remember correctly, i kept trying to share files and this dialog kept poping up saying

Blah, Blah, Blah, Security Risk, Use the Wizard?

and one day i think i ticked 'Don't remind me' and then clicked no and was in a spot of trouble.

Edited by atyndall
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Guest kombucha

Well the network works fine as soon as I add "Everyone" to that key (although I know I'm not supposed to :P I'm still not sure what else I should be adding instead). But I believe I did use XP's wizard originally... you think that might be wiping the key? That doesn't make too much sense to me, because XP is supposed to default to a number of groups and users in that key... not blank.

I checked McAfee, and I only have AntiVirus installed, not any firewalling or anything, but maybe I'll disable it for a restart and see what happens.

Is there any other way to access the Local Security Policy? Through DOS, specifically, so that I could make a batch file run at startup to correct it every time?

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