Chuck wrote:
Michael,

Windows XP includes Internet Connection Firewall (ICF - pre-SP2), or Windows
Firewall (WF - SP2). Both firewalls will block file sharing if not properly
configured.

I have turned off ICF on both desktops and WF on the laptop.

I have to ask my previous question again. Do you have any cases where some
files (in one folder) are readable, but others (in the same folder) are not?
Does this condition apply to folders (files) in both desktops? Do all files
(that you've tried opening / writing to) with this problem have the same problem
(or not), when accessed from both of the other computers, equally?

For files created before the addition of the new laptop:
Using Word Perfect on either desktop, I can open a file located on
the Laptop (or visa versa), edit and save it to the laptop.
I can copy files to and from any machine using Windows Explorer.

For files created after the addition of the new laptop:
Using Word Perfect on either Desktop, (or visa versa) I receiving
the following message when I try to open a file: "This document
(document name) is in use or is specified as read only. You may edit
the document, but you must save it with a new name. Continue?" which is
followed by: "Access denied: you do not have rights to do this". On
either Desktop when I try to copy a file in Windows Explorer from the
Laptop I receive the error message: "Cannot copy Lap1 Access Denied".
However from the Laptop, I can copy files from either Desktop

Have you always been running Simple File Sharing on all 3 computers? If you had
Advanced File Sharing enabled (SFS disabled) on either desktop at one time, did
you change to SFS on both at the same time? Did you change to SFS at the same
time as you added the laptop? If you ever used AFS, was it Guest only, or
non-Guest, authentication?

I've always run simple file sharing on all 3 computers - never had
advanced file sharing enabled.

Please re enable Advanced File Sharing on one of the desktops temporarily, then
examine Properties - Sharing and Security, for one of the shares. Note that
under AFS, you can set access to specific folders (and even specific files if
desired), and limit access to each to specific users (or Guest). Do you see any
differences for the problem folders (files?)?

Enabled AFS on the Laptop, checked one of the problematic files which
had one group called users, set permissions to full control, disabled
AFS and was able to read, write and copy the file from either Desktop.
Older files had more users and there permissions were already set to
full control.

Note that, under AFS, you have to set access under both Sharing - Permission,
and under Security, for network access to be permitted (you can cause denial of
access by the wrong setting in either list).

While under AFS (on the Laptop), I viewed Local Users and Groups and
didn't see anything I thought was out of the ordinary. However Local
Securities Settings gave me the error message: "The group security
settings that apply to this machine could not be determined. The error
returned when trying to retrieve these settings from the local security
database (%windir%\security\database\secedit.sdb) was: The Parameter is
Incorrect" when I viewed Account Policy, Local Policy User Right
Assignment and Security Options. This error did not occur on either
Desktop.

Michael, the more detailed you can analyse this situation, the more likely you
will be able to determine a) what the problem is, and b) which computer(s) the
problem originates on. I can only ask the questions - and you can ask other
questions, but only you can supply the answers.

And Michael, please don't contribute to the spread and success of email address
mining viruses. Posting your email address openly will get you more unwanted
email, than wanted email. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep
yourself a bit safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest
of the internet - read this article.
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm

Cheers,
Chuck

It seems to me that the problem originates on the new Laptop. If I add
my old Laptop, running 98SE to the network all three machines work fine
with the new laptop creating the problem. What does the secedit.sdb
file do? Will a corrupt file cause the problem I'm having?

Michael