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Connect to a Windows 10 (version 1803) shared folder from Windows XP via mapped drive #

These steps dumb down security advances made in later Windows versions in order to accommodate XP. Do not use them unless absolutely necessary; even then, do so at your own risk (and joy).

On Windows 10 PC:

  1. Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Network and Sharing Center → Change advanced sharing settings:
    1. Private (current profile) → check "Turn on network discovery" and "Turn on file and printer sharing"
    2. All Networks → check "Turn off Public folder sharing", "Enable file sharing for devices that use 40- or 56-bit encryption" and "Turn off password protected sharing"
  2. If necessary, create a new local user account (e.g., "xpuser") and folder share (e.g., "shared")
  3. In HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters, create a new DWORD value name of AllowInsecureGuestAuth and set its value data to 1.
  4. C:\Windows\System32\OptionalFeatures.exe → check "SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support" → OK → reboot when prompted

On Windows XP PC:

You should now be able to map a network drive normally.

If you have trouble with "Reconnect at login" or "Connect using a different user name", consider a batch script in the Startup folder, e.g.,

    ping 127.0.0.1 -n 11 >NUL & REM delay execution for 10 seconds
    net use * /delete /yes & REM clear any existing mapped drives
    net use x: \\WIN10PC\shared

If the Windows 10 and XP usernames and passwords match, you're done!

If they differ, you can simply store the Windows 10 username and password in Windows XP's Stored User Names and Passwords (aka Credential Manager); access via rundll32.exe keymgr.dll, KRShowKeyMgr.

Otherwise, you could specify the username in the script, prompting the user for the password each time (e.g., net use x: \\WIN10PC\shared /user:xpuser *), or you could store both the username and the password in the script (security-wise, not a great idea, but hey, you're still running Windows XP, so... net use x: \\WIN10PC\shared /user:xpuser password).

Sources and more information:

/windows | May 17, 2018

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