Windows 7 Windows 7 Network Issue

Hi Mike, It sounds like you're facing some file sharing challenges with Windows 7 networking. The issue you described with files appearing with a padlock icon and not being visible to other network users can be related to the permissions settings on the shared folder. Here are some steps you can take to address this issue and set up the network sharing as you described: 1. Check Folder Permissions: - Right-click on the shared folder and select "Properties." - Go to the "Security" tab and check the permissions for different user accounts. Make sure that all users who need access have appropriate read and write permissions. 2. Shared Folder Settings: - Right-click on the folder, go to "Properties," and then to the "Sharing" tab. - Click on the "Share" button and add the users you want to share the folder with. Assign appropriate permissions to each user. 3. Network Sharing Setup: - Ensure that network discovery is turned on in the network and sharing center. This allows your computers to see each other on the network. 4. HomeGroup (For Password-Protected Sharing): - You can set up a HomeGroup for password-protected sharing. Go to the Control Panel, then Network and Sharing Center, and choose "Choose HomeGroup and sharing options." Follow the setup wizard to create a HomeGroup and specify which folders to share. 5. Separate Folders for Password-Protected and Open Access: - To have two separate folders with different permissions, you can create one folder with restricted access and another with open access. Follow the steps mentioned above to set up permissions accordingly. By ensuring that the permissions are correctly set for each user on the shared folder, you should be able to resolve the visibility issues and maintain a more organized and secure file-sharing environment on your Windows 7 network. If you encounter any specific issues while following these steps or need further assistance, feel free to provide more details, and I'll be happy to help you troubleshoot them.