Is file sharing needed for backup operators to see hidden shares?

[Shrum]

Me and a fellow co-worked bet a coke on this...

? = Does 'File and Printer sharing" need to be enabled on the client Win2K PC for backup operators to see the default system hidden shares?

His take on the issue is that "File and Printer Sharing" must be enabled (minimumally) on the Win2K workstation in order for a backup operators on other machines to see the default hidden shares : C$, D$, etc...

My thought on this is that "File and Printer Sharing" was for users to create other shares like: c:\my data, or to define shared printer resources. I'm of the mindset that the system created hidden shares are always available...regardless of whether or not "File and Printer Sharing" is enabled.

I googled around for a while but have come up with nothing so anyone that knows *for sure*, please let us know.

TIA

=============================
Sean Shrum
Shrum Consulting
C.A.T.S.:

http://cats.shrum.net

Consulting:

http://consulting.shrum.net

Programming:

http://programming.shrum.net

R/C Soaring:

http://soaring.shrum.net

 

[Serbtastic]

You won yourself a Coke. I just tested this on a W2K Pro machine by turning off File and Printer sharing, and was able to map to the admin C$ share without a problem.

 

[Shrum]

Woot!

Thanks!

=============================
Sean Shrum
Shrum Consulting
C.A.T.S.:

http://cats.shrum.net

Consulting:

http://consulting.shrum.net

Programming:

http://programming.shrum.net

R/C Soaring:

http://soaring.shrum.net

 

[mlichstein]

How exactly did you turn off file and printer sharing?

If you uninstall it, it removes the server service and turns of the computer browser service. Nobody is going to connecting that machine, and that machine will not be able to connect to anyone else.

If you just uncheck F and P sharing, you'll be able to access resources on the machine until you reboot it or restart the server service. Then the shares will still exist on the server, but nobody will be able to access them across the network.

 

[Serbtastic]

Start - Settings - Control Panel - Network & Dialup Connections - Local Area Connection - Properties, uncheck file and printer sharing. It makes other shares unavailable, but the default admin shares are still accessible.

 

[mlichstein]

Try rebooting, or restarting the server service.

 

[Serbtastic]

What are you trying to accomplish by rebooting or restarting the server service?

 

[hamzajosh]

I am also under the impression that uninstalling the file and share properties, NONE (user or admin) of the shares will be available across the network. Please verify and let us know rebooting the computer after disabling the feature. thanks

Learn everything but implement only what is needed.

 

[BuckWeet]

I saw your CO-Worker should get the coke..

Because if you disable the file and printer sharing from the NIC, then it technically disables it from the interface, but not disable it totally for the system..

If you disable it from that interface than NO ONE accessing that system via the network would be able to use any kind of share..

the hidden shares are technically just a normal share, but just with admin access and the '$' to make them hidden..


BuckWeet

 

[mlichstein]

What are you trying to accomplish by rebooting or restarting the server service?"

I'm trying to show you that disabling file and printer sharing will not allow you to continue accessing administrative shares.

So the co-worker is correct.