Multiple XP Problems - Mainly Dealing with File Sharing

We have a brand new Dell w/RAID, Windows XP Pro. This computer is supposed
to replace our old Win2000 file server at work (we only store shared files
there - Word, Excel, Access and also our Outlook PST files - and they are
backed up to a tape drive).

This is what we did (everything was done logged in as Administrator):

1. XP Computer out the box - set up and immediately installed antivirus
(McAfee).
2. Installed all Microsoft updates and patches available at the time.

First problem was IE8 would not install. Due to heavy workload, had to put
the XP computer on the backburner for a few weeks so nothing else was
attempted at that point (it was unplugged - not connected to internet).

Went back to the XP computer, the update notification appeared in the system
tray but then disappeared. Went to Microsoft Update website, would not allow
me to download the file needed to even access what updates were available.
Finally figured out that I had to disable McAfee to get the file to
download. Updates then worked properly. But, IE8 still will not install
(even when disabling McAfee - strange thing is, we also have a new laptop
with XP and had no problems downloading updates and IE8 with McAfee enabled
on the laptop).

Ran a full scan with McAfee more than once and nothing came up.

Because it's used only as a file server (no one works directly from the
computer) we decided having IE8 didn't matter. So, next step was to set up
"C:\FolderA" and "C:\FolderB" for our shared files on the XP computer. Then
we wanted to disable Simple File Sharing - but that wouldn't work. Every
time we clicked to disable it wouldn't work. Since we didn't have anything
important installed yet, we thought we'd just try System Restore to go back
to 'out of box' state and start over - but it won't restore (not even in
Safe Mode). Multiple times it hung at the screen after selecting the date to
go back to, then, when it would start the restore process, on restart it
said it couldn't restore back to the time and date we chose (we tried more
than one time, never worked).

For unknown reasons, after the failed system restore, we were able to
uncheck the Simple File Sharing. So we created users and group using Admin
Tools - Computer Management. Shared the newly created folders giving
permission only to computer Administrator and the group we just created. All
went well, we could see the shared folder from the workstations.

Installed Retrospect backup software for tape drive and transferred our
files to XP computer. But, after loading all of our documents from the tape
drive, found that they were Read Only (found out when we tried opening a
Word document). OK, figured that has happened before when transferring from
another device, so right clicked the folder, unchecked Read Only and said to
include all subfolders. It went through the process but afterwards it was
right back to Read Only. Tried creating a brand new folder under C:\ but it
was also Read Only.

I've searched all over the internet and in Microsoft's KB. I've seen many
posts of the same problem with Read Only. None of the steps I've found have
worked to get the Read Only off of the folder. Tried the attrib command -
nothing. Doesn't help to do it in Safe Mode, goes right back to Read Only.

With all of the problems we have experienced is there something we are
missing here that is preventing all of these things - updating without
shutting down virus software, inability to system restore, inability to get
Read Only off of folders? It's getting VERY frustrating because this
involves thousands of files and we thought it would be a fairly easy
transition to the new computer. Any help will be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks in advance for any help provided.

DG wrote:
We have a brand new Dell w/RAID, Windows XP Pro. This computer is
supposed to replace our old Win2000 file server at work (we only
store shared files there - Word, Excel, Access and also our Outlook
PST files - and they are backed up to a tape drive).

This is what we did (everything was done logged in as
Administrator):
1. XP Computer out the box - set up and immediately installed
antivirus (McAfee).
2. Installed all Microsoft updates and patches available at the
time.
First problem was IE8 would not install. Due to heavy workload, had
to put the XP computer on the backburner for a few weeks so nothing
else was attempted at that point (it was unplugged - not connected
to internet).
Went back to the XP computer, the update notification appeared in
the system tray but then disappeared. Went to Microsoft Update
website, would not allow me to download the file needed to even
access what updates were available. Finally figured out that I had
to disable McAfee to get the file to download. Updates then worked
properly. But, IE8 still will not install (even when disabling
McAfee - strange thing is, we also have a new laptop with XP and
had no problems downloading updates and IE8 with McAfee enabled on
the laptop).
Ran a full scan with McAfee more than once and nothing came up.

Because it's used only as a file server (no one works directly from
the computer) we decided having IE8 didn't matter. So, next step
was to set up "C:\FolderA" and "C:\FolderB" for our shared files on
the XP computer. Then we wanted to disable Simple File Sharing -
but that wouldn't work. Every time we clicked to disable it
wouldn't work. Since we didn't have anything important installed
yet, we thought we'd just try System Restore to go back to 'out of
box' state and start over - but it won't restore (not even in Safe
Mode). Multiple times it hung at the screen after selecting the
date to go back to, then, when it would start the restore process,
on restart it said it couldn't restore back to the time and date we
chose (we tried more than one time, never worked).
For unknown reasons, after the failed system restore, we were able
to uncheck the Simple File Sharing. So we created users and group
using Admin Tools - Computer Management. Shared the newly created
folders giving permission only to computer Administrator and the
group we just created. All went well, we could see the shared
folder from the workstations.
Installed Retrospect backup software for tape drive and transferred
our files to XP computer. But, after loading all of our documents
from the tape drive, found that they were Read Only (found out when
we tried opening a Word document). OK, figured that has happened
before when transferring from another device, so right clicked the
folder, unchecked Read Only and said to include all subfolders. It
went through the process but afterwards it was right back to Read
Only. Tried creating a brand new folder under C:\ but it was also
Read Only.
I've searched all over the internet and in Microsoft's KB. I've
seen many posts of the same problem with Read Only. None of the
steps I've found have worked to get the Read Only off of the
folder. Tried the attrib command - nothing. Doesn't help to do it
in Safe Mode, goes right back to Read Only.
With all of the problems we have experienced is there something we
are missing here that is preventing all of these things - updating
without shutting down virus software, inability to system restore,
inability to get Read Only off of folders? It's getting VERY
frustrating because this involves thousands of files and we thought
it would be a fairly easy transition to the new computer. Any help
will be greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance for any help
provided.

You're replacing a "server" with Windows XP? Get a server OS. ;-)

If you insist on using a non-server OS for a file server (would be better if
this is only going to be a file server to buy a couple of NAS devices like
Seagate BlackArmor devices or something, IMO - one to backup the other or
some will even schedule the backups for you) I would say you should format
this system from scratch, install all critical/high priority patches (if you
are not using it for anything but to store files - don't install things like
Internet Explorer 7/8, SilverLight, Internet plugins, etc) and start with
something you understand.

Folders, being read-only, is not unusual.

You cannot view or change the Read-only or the System attributes of folders
in Windows Server 2003, in Windows XP, in Windows Vista or in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326549

I still say "get a NAS" or "get a true server OS - *nix works great as a
file server".

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html