networking question

[z06vette]

Hi,
I want to setup a two computer non-internet network with a laptop running Win2k using the FAT file system, and a desktop with WinXp Pro using the NTFS file system. Once I get the network connection established will I be able to work with the files on the laptop's FAT formatted drive or will I have to convert that drive to NTFS before I can do anything the files on it?

[RichS]

The filesystems on the individual computers don't matter. I think being a "Member of a Microsoft Network" gives you the access you need (either through the old NETBEUI access or some other mechanism). The important thing is network visability for the computers. This is established (for a local LAN) by making the computers members of the same Workgroup. This is established in the network properties of the two computers. Two issues to consider:

1) When establishing the workgroup on a computer, it does take some time to propagate to other computers on the network; one way to force this is to force a mapping or other refernce to the other computer by using the Universal naming convention \\<server-name>\<directory>\<directory>\....

2) MS Windows 2000 seems to be particularly sensitive regarding access rights of files across a network; I've had some issues with it-but I'm not a network administrator

Good luck

Rich

[z06vette]

okay, as long as the filesystems aren't going to be a problem, then I think everything will be okay.

Thanx for the advice.