Windows Vista and Windows XP machines can share folders and files by using the File Sharing feature in Windows Vista. This feature is available in the Network and Sharing Center, as well as the Control Panel. To share a folder or file between Vista and XP machines, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Network and Sharing Center by clicking on the Start button, clicking on Control Panel, clicking on Network and Internet, then clicking on Network and Sharing Center.
  2. In the left pane of the Network and Sharing Center window, click on File sharing options.
  3. In the right pane of the File sharing options window, click on Share folders or shares with other computers.
  4. In the Share folders or shares with other computers window, click on Add a computer to this list (Vista) or Add a shared folder or share (XP). Then enter the name of your Vista machine or your XP machine in the Computer name box. Click OK to add your machine to this list. The path to your shared folder or file will be displayed in the Shared path box next to your Vista machine’s name or next to your XP machine’s name if it is already listed in this box. Click OK to add this path to this list of shared folders or files between Vista and XP machines. You can now access these shared folders or files by using either computer’s default file explorer program (Windows Explorer for Vista users; Windows Explorer for XP users). ..

Share Without Password Protected Sharing

If you’re not worried about who’s accessing the files and folders, the easiest method is to disable Password Protected Sharing. So on the Vista machine open Network and Sharing Center. Under Sharing and Discovery make sure Network Discovery, File Sharing, and, Public Folder Sharing are turned on.

Also turn off Password Protected Sharing…

Now go into the Vista Public folder, located in C:\Users\Public, and add what you want to share or create a new folder. In this example we created a new folder called XP_Share and added some files to it.

On the XP machine go into My Network Places and under Network Tasks click on View Workgroup Computers.

Now you’ll see all of the computers on your network which should be part of the same Workgroup. Here we need to double-click on the Vista computer.

And there we go…no password to enter so we can access the XP_Share folder or anything else that is located in the Public folder.

Share with Password Protected Sharing

If you want to keep Password Protected Sharing turned on, then we need to do things a little different. When it’s turned on and you try to access the Vista machine from XP, you’re prompted for a password, and no matter what you think the credentials are, you can’t get access…very annoying.

So what we need to do is add the XP Machine as a user. Right-click on Computer from the Start Menu or desktop icon and select Manage from the context menu.

The Computer Management screen opens up and you want to expand Local Users and Groups, then the Users folder. Then right-click any open area an select New User.

Now create a new user name and password, you can also fill in the other fields if you want. Then make sure to uncheck User must change password at next logon and check the box next to Password never expires. Click the Create button and close out of the New User screen.

You’ll then see the new user we created in the list and you can close out of the Computer Management window.

Now back on the XP computer when you double-click on the Vista machine, your prompted to log in. Just type in the username and password you just created.

Now you’ll have access to the Public folder contents.

Set up Sharing on XP

If you want to access a shared folder from the Vista computer located on the XP machine, it’s the same process in reverse. On the XP computer in Shared Documents, right-click on the folder you want to share and select Sharing and Security.

Then select the radio button next to Share this folder and click Ok.

Go into Computer Management and create a new user…

Now from the Vista machine double click on the XP machine icon, enter the password, then access the folders and files you need.

If you have multiple versions of Windows on your home network, you’ll now be able to access files and folders from each of them.

If you want to share between Windows 7 and XP check out our article on how to share files and printers between Windows 7 and XP. You might also want to check out our article on how to share files and printers between Windows 7 and Vista.