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View Full Version : Sharing folders from Mac to PC without using Parallels Shared Folders


Sharkus
Jul 31, 2006, 09:12 AM
Some people have said that they cannot get the Parallels Shared Folder feature working. If it is not working for you but you still wish to share folders from the Mac to Parallels, you could try the following method. I've been using this since the first beta of Parallels, as it did not have shared folder support built-in at that point. The other advantage is that it'll also allow "real" PC's to connect as well, so it's not just limited to Parallels. This method is predomantly for Windows XP, but it should also work for other versions of Windows. I've personally tried 2000/2003 Server, and, of course, Windows XP

1: In Mac OS X, open System Preferences, and click on the Sharing Preference Pane. Start Windows Sharing, then click the "Accounts" button below it, enable the "on" option for one of the users (user who own's the machine might be best). We now have windows sharing enabled on the Mac, thus any PC should be able to access the Mac, and this would include Parallels.

2: Whilst still in System Preferences, select the "Network" Preference Pane and note down the IP address of the primary network connection your mac is using, we'll need this later.

4: Download HornWare's SharePoints (http://www.hornware.com/sharepoints/).

5: Install SharePoints and then launch the SharePoints application.

6: Within share points, click the padlock icon and enter the name and password of a local administrator user. Click the "Browse" button to the right of the Directory field. Select the folder you wish to share. You'll then see the Directory field has been filed in. Enter the name of the share in the "Share Name" field. Select "Enabled (+)" from the "Windows (SMB) Sharing" pop-up menu, Then finally click Create New Share. You may want to use the "Show File System Properties" option to change the permissions on the share.

7: Launch Parallels and then open and run your XP VM. Once booted up and logged in, launch Windows Explorer. Enter \\IPAddressOfComputer\ where IPAddressOfComputer is the IP address we noted down in step 2. This should then display a login dialog asking for a username and password. Enter the name and password of the user who we enabled Windows sharing for in step 1. You should then see the share we created in step 6. What I then do is right click on the share and select "Map Network Drive". I then select a drive letter for the share, make sure "Reconnect at logon" is enabled, then click Finish to complete the map.

sborsch
Mar 8, 2007, 07:53 PM
Your post is quite a gift. Though fairly savvy about Windows and a power user on OS X, I was trying to solve the Parallels Shared Folder problem (still not solved) and found your solution. It's given me *complete* access to my OS X user directory!

Now when I test a web site creation or a PDF that I need to try out in Windows, I can simply navigate to the appropriate directory and open it. This is huge....thanks.

ssholloway
Mar 21, 2007, 06:00 PM
Thank you, Sharkus. This is a great tip and should be "stickied":)

gustave
Mar 29, 2007, 09:05 PM
Thank you for taking the time to lay out this solution. I am frustrated that many of the problems with Shared Folders have clearly been around for a long time and are not getting addressed.

I wonder if you have thought of a solution to this variation and if you would be willing to share it: I travel constantly with my MacBook Pro. Because I am always plugging into different networks, I am always getting different IP addresses and thus it is difficult to tell Windows XP Pro where to find the host share at all times.

Is it possible to setup a virtual adapter on the Mac that has a static IP? Is there some trick to be done with using Shared Networking? Any thoughts?

I spend way too much time fixing time and date stamps that Parallels Shared Folders has destroyed. It makes backup, synchronization, and file sharing a bit of a pain.

Feedback is much appreciated,
Gus

Holmeren
Aug 7, 2007, 05:49 AM
Hi

I have followed your instructions but when I paste "iP address of the primary network" xp cant seem to find it :(

Anybody

Cheers
Tom

Holmeren
Aug 7, 2007, 06:12 AM
Sorry it works fine my bad (used internet explorer ups)

Thanks!!!

Holmeren
Sep 13, 2007, 09:10 AM
"We have just released an update that may solve your problems. Build
number 5160, available for download here:
http://www.parallels.com/load/1"
This changed my Z: drive to a Prallels drive, I used Z: as Bridge.

leegrube
Sep 29, 2007, 10:25 AM
Although the instructions did not exactly match what was displayed in System Preferences, I didn't have too much of a problem figuring it out (I am very new to Mac).

This worked like a charm.

10,000 Thanks!

claco
Oct 16, 2007, 04:12 PM
"\\IPAddressOfComputer\"

That's what still bugs me. I have a web share (Subversion repo and some other things) that are running on OSX. Now, I can get to them within Windows/Ubuntu/FreeBSD using the computers IP address. The problem with that is, the OSX computer gets an IP from DHCP, so when the computer address changes, all of the links/address inside of the VMs are broken.

Is there any way around this, or any way to have the VM push it's IP address into the DHCP informaiton seeded to the VM guest network stacks?

claco
Oct 18, 2007, 09:17 PM
No need for the <IPADDRESS> stuff. Parallels tells the VM that it's DNS (in shared mode) is OSX using that private IP....It also answers with the machine name i DNS.

So, my OSX computer is named mbp[.local] ... so while in the guest OS, the OSX machine is \\mbp.local, or http://mbp.local/ ...or any other protocol.

TURTLESHEAD
Nov 3, 2007, 12:32 PM
I recently bought and ibook pro having been a long term (15 years) PC user so I am relatively tech savvy but not at all MAC savvy

Are there any problem likely when employing the above file sharing solution with Leopard either with Parallels or Sharepoints.

There has been much media about blue screens and incompatibility with 3rd party software

Holmeren
Nov 3, 2007, 04:44 PM
If you are a 3ds max user dont go for Parrallels............

Pure Office work back and forth mac XP its good.

Shared folsers no problem, many ways to custom to your needs.....


Tom