How to Share Files in Windows Vista Securely

Windows Vista is one of the OS which had a bad market repo and no body is needed to convince about that some what every body has accepted that globally but still it has some the great features of its kind. Lets see what it has with its file sharing and the security concerns related to that one.

Many home users who have Windows Vista will want to set up a network to securely share files with other computers in the home. However, many individuals who have Vista may notice that Vista may not allow them to see other computers and the files on the computer even after the network has been established. In this tutorial, you will learn how to overcome this common issue.

The first thing that you should understand when dealing with a home network on Windows Vista is that there are many security features that are integrated in this operating system that prevent authorized access. If you want to establish permissions for other computers on the home network to see the files contained on this operating system, you must work through the steps that will be detailed in this tutorial.

You will want to turn on your Windows Vista computer and click on the start button. Once you click on this button, you will see the menu open up. You will want to locate the “Network” option. Once you have opened up the Network menu, you will want to search for the option that is named “Network and Sharing Center”.

You will run across an option in the Network and Sharing Center that allows you to turn the Public Sharing Folder on and off. If you want to share the files on your computer with other individuals that are part of your home network, simply click on the “off” button.

This will automatically turn on securely share files option. You can switch on the securely share files switch so that any person on the network can open and make alterations to the files. These individuals can also create files on the Windows Vista computer.

If you prefer that other individuals on the home network do not change the files that you have saved on your computer, you can adjust your options to reflect this choice. All you have to do is simply elect the option to allow others to copy the files from your computer, but not change those files in any way. All you have to do is allow access to the files, but not adjustment of those files.

You will notice that when you attempt to access the personal files on a home network with Windows Vista that a username and a password must be entered. This has to be the username and password that is derived from the actual Windows Vista computer, not the computer that is attempting to access the files. It is suggested that this feature remains on.

If you elect to eliminate this security measure, you must simply turn off the feature that requires a password to protect the sharing of the files on the Windows Vista computer. All you have to do is click the word “on” to remove this password. When clicking it, it will change to the word “off”. You will want to select “Turn Off Password Protection Sharing”.

The great thing about Windows Vista and securely sharing files over the home network is that it is not required to share all files on this computer. There is what is called a “Public Folder”. You can work through the system to determine which files you want moved to this folder. Once you locate the files that you want to share, all you have to do is drag and drop them into the public folder.

Even after applying the new settings to allow Windows Vista to securely share files and be seen by other computers on the home network, there are many cases in which this may still provide a lack of viewing. If you find that you cannot see other computers, and other computers cannot see you, there are a couple of steps that can be performed in order to correct this issue.

You may have to turn off all components to the home network in order to allow viewing of other computers. You may have to turn off the systems, the router, and the modem that helps to network the computers. You will then turn on all of these and walk through the home networking setup. It is important to ensure that the same workgroup named is shared among all elements of the network.

Once you perform these steps, you should be able to view all computers in a secured home networking environment. As an added security measure, you may want to implement the use of a password that will securely share files and protect your home network from outside intrusion.

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How to’s related to windows update process

How to Turn On Automatic Updates

• Click Start , click Control Panel , and then double-click System.
• Click the Automatic Updates tab, and then click one of the following options:

- Download the updates automatically and notify me when they are ready to be installed. (This is the default setting.)
- Notify me before downloading any updates and notify me again before installing them on my computer.

How to Turn Off Automatic Updates

• Click Start , click Control Panel , and then double-click System.
• Click the Automatic Updates tab, and then click Turn off automatic updating. I want to update my computer manually.

How to Update Your Files Manually by Using Windows Update

If you choose not to use automatic updating, you can still install specific updates from the Windows Update Web site. Windows Update is a catalog of items such as drivers, security fixes, critical updates, the latest Help files, and Internet products that you can download to keep your computer up-to-date.

• Click Windows Update in Help and Support Center.
• On the Windows Update home page, click Scan for updates.
• Click Yes when you are prompted to install any required software or device drivers.

How to Have Windows Remind You About Pending Updates

• Click Remind Me Later in the Automatic Updates dialog box before you download or install the update.
• In the Reminder dialog box, you can specify the amount of time Windows should wait before reminding you.
• If the reminder is for downloading, Windows reminds you only when you are connected to the Internet.
• If the reminder is for installing, Windows reminds you according to the schedule that you specify.

How to Download Available Updates
If you configured automatic updating to notify you before downloading any updates, an icon is displayed in the notification area each time new updates are found.

• Double-click the icon in the notification area.
• Do either of the following steps:

If you want Windows to download an update, make sure that the check box beside it is selected.
-or-
If you do not want Windows to download an update, click to clear the check box beside it.

Your selected updates are downloaded in the background; this behavior allows you to continue working uninterrupted. Downloading does not interfere with or slow down other network activity, such as Internet browsing. When downloading is finished, the icon is displayed in the notification area to notify you that updates are ready to be installed.
How to Pause or Resume Downloading

After the download process has started, you can pause or resume downloading at any time. If you close your Internet connection or restart your computer after pausing a download process, Windows automatically resumes the download process the next time you are connected to the Internet.

• During the download process, click the icon that is displayed in the notification area, and then click Pause.
• When you are ready for Windows to start downloading again, click the Automatic updating icon, and then click Resume.

Restore an Update that You Previously Declined

If you decide not to download a specific update, you can prompt Windows Update to offer that update again.

• Click Start , click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
• Click the Automatic Updates tab, and then click Restore Declined Updates.

Configuring the computer security setting

Over the Internet, the biggest security threats to your computer come from hackers and viruses. Most of the time, these threats occur because the security settings on your computer are not set properly or the security software is either missing or obsolete. Security settings are configured on your computer when you install the operating system. However, you can modify these security settings according to your requirements.

For example, in Windows XP Service Pack 2, you can view and modify the security setting by using Windows Security Center. In the Security Center, you can:
• Use the Internet security options to specify the privacy and security levels for the Web sites that you visit.
• Modify the firewall settings to help protect your computer from unauthorized access through the Internet.
• Configure your computer to automatically download and install updated security software to provide better protection from new viruses.

Configuring the Computer Security Settings

When you install Windows XP Service Pack 2, it automatically configures the security settings on your computer. You can view and modify these security settings by using the Windows Security Center, which you can open from Control Panel.

Control Panel contains items that you can use to modify your computer settings. For example, in Control Panel, you can add new hardware devices, add or remove software, and change the system time and date. Control Panel also contains items for configuring the security settings on your computer in the Windows Security Center.

The Windows Security Center provides you with three options: Internet Options, Windows Firewall, and Automatic Updates, to configure the privacy and security settings on your computer. When you open the Windows Security Center, it indicates whether these options are activated.

The first option available in the Windows Security Center is the Internet Option link. When you click this link, the Internet Properties dialog box opens. You can specify the Internet settings in this dialog box.

The Internet Properties dialog box contains seven tabs that contain options for modifying your computer’s security settings. The tabs are General, Security, Privacy, Content, Connections, Programs, and Advanced.

The first tab in the Internet Properties dialog box is the General tab. You can use these options to specify the Web page you want to appear first when you open a Web browser. You can specify if you want to keep track of the Web pages that you visit. You can also specify to delete the temporary Internet files that are stored in your computer when you visit Web sites.

The second tab is the Security tab. You can use this tab to categorize Web sites according to the security risks associated with the sites. Using this tab, you can specify whether a Web site is reliable or unreliable. You can set a higher security level for unreliable Web sites to ensure better protection of your computer.

The third tab in the Internet Properties dialog box is the Privacy tab. This tab contains settings for blocking Web sites from saving temporary Internet files on your computer. You can also prevent pop-up windows from appearing while you browse the Internet.

The fourth tab is the Content tab. Using the settings on this tab, you can control the types of content that can be accessed from your computer. For example, you can restrict children from visiting adult Web sites.

The fifth tab in the Internet Properties dialog box is the Connections tab. On this tab, you can set up an Internet Connection. You can also specify the local area network or LAN settings for your computer.

The sixth tab is the Programs tab. You use this tab to specify the programs that Windows automatically uses for Internet services such as e-mail, newsgroups, calendar, and Internet calls. You can use this tab also to restore the original Web browser settings.

The last tab in the Internet Properties dialog box is the Advanced tab. This tab contains advanced features that you can use to fine tune your Web browser, such as Internet Explorer. For example, you can configure the Web browser to make it more accessible for people with disabilities. You can also turn off graphics, so that Web pages can load faster.

After configuring the settings in the Internet Properties dialog box, you must save the changed settings by clicking OK.

The second option available in the Windows Security Center is the Windows Firewall link. After you click this link, the Windows Firewall dialog box opens. Note that this option may not be available in the earlier versions of Windows XP.

The Windows Firewall dialog box contains three tabs that contain options for protecting your computer from unauthorized access through the Internet and blocking information from unreliable sources.

The first tab in the Windows Firewall dialog box is the General tab. Use this tab to turn on or off the Windows Firewall. However, it is recommended that you do not turn off Windows Firewall to avoid exposing your computer to virus and spyware attacks. You can also use the settings on this tab to block all unwanted requests to connect to your computer.

The second tab in the Windows Firewall dialog box is the Exceptions tab. Use this tab to allow a program to communicate through Windows Firewall. For example, to allow someone to send you a file through a chat program, you need to specify the program in the Exceptions tab. Only then the firewall allows the chat program to send the file. Remember that these exceptions make your computer vulnerable to security attacks. So, make an exception for a program only if you really need it, and remove the exception as soon as the need is over.

The last tab in the Windows Firewall dialog box is the Advanced tab. Use this tab to specify the security settings for an individual network connection. This tab also enables you to restore the original firewall settings.

After configuring the settings in the Windows Firewall dialog box, you must save them by clicking OK.

The third option in the Windows Security Center is the Automatic Updates link. Use the settings on the Automatic Updates dialog box to automatically download and install security updates on your computer. You can specify the time and frequency for the automatic download and installation of updates.

After configuring the settings in the Automatic Update dialog box, you must save the changes by clicking OK. In this demonstration, you learned about the various privacy and security settings that you can use to protect your computer from viruses, unauthorized access, and other security threats.

Demonstrated procedure
1. Demonstration: Configuring the Computer Security Settings.
2. To display Control Panel, click Start and then click Control Panel.
3. To open Windows Security Center, in Control Panel, double-click Security Center.
4. Notice the three links in the Windows Security Center.
5. To view the Internet options, click the Internet Options link.
6. Notice that the Internet Properties dialog box contains seven tabs.
7. Click the General tab to view the options.
8. Click the Security tab to view the options.
9. Click the Privacy tab to view the options.
10. Click the Content tab to view the options.
11. Click the Connections tab to view the options.
12. Click the Programs tab to view the options.
13. Click the Advanced tab to view the options.
14. Click OK to close the Internet Properties dialog box.
15. To view the firewall settings on your computer, click the Windows Firewall link.
16. Notice that the Windows Firewall dialog box contains three tabs.
17. Notice the options in the General tab.
18. Click the Exceptions tab to view the options.
19. Click the Advanced tab to view the options.
20. Click OK to close the Windows Firewall dialog box.
21. To automatically download and install security updates on your computer, click the Automatic Updates link.
22. Click OK to close the Automatic Updates dialog box.