Accessing Windows files in the Mac OS

Discussion in 'Parallels Desktop for Mac' started by kcsaqman, Sep 3, 2006.

  1. kcsaqman

    kcsaqman Bit poster

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    I am newly transitioning to the Mac from Windows. I have been able to access my Mac files within the Parallels window in which I have instralled Windows XP. I can not, however, find a way to access the files within my parallels virtual OS from my Mac. Can anyone please help me do this? Thanks so much!
     
  2. alkalifly

    alkalifly Hunter

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    OK, the first thing you need to do is make sure that you have given your windows virtual machine a name (from within Windows), given yourself a user name on that machine, and assigned it to a workgroup.

    Then, from within windows, right-click on any folder that you want to access from the Mac, and turn on windows sharing for that folder.

    So, let's pretend that your user name is "kcsaqman" the name of your virtual windows machine is "bill" and the name of the workgroup to which it has been assigned is "steve" and that you want to connect from the Mac to your windows "My Documents" folder.

    What you must then do is, while your virtual machine is running, from within the Mac OS finder, chose "Connect to Server" either from the "Go" menu or by pressing command(apple)-K, and type in:

    cifs://STEVE;KCSAQMAN@BILL/MY%20DOCUMENTS

    and the My Documents directory should be mounted on your Mac just like any other shared network volume.

    Make sure and unmount ('eject') the volume before you shut down the virtual machine, or else the Mac Finder will complain that it lost the connection (not really a problem, just a minor nuisance that can be avioded by remembering to unmount)
     
  3. kcsaqman

    kcsaqman Bit poster

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    Thanks, but I feel a bit stupid.

    Thanks with the clear suggestions, however, I could not figure out how to assign it to a workgroup. I set-up a new disk (drive letter e:) in windows virtualization and placed files in it. Now i can't figure out how to find any of the virtual hard drives from the Mac finder. I followed your advice to the best of my ability, but the link couldn't be established. Is there a way to visualize drive e: within the Mac Finder? I reformatted that drive to FAT32 rather than my original NTFS format to help, but that didn't work either. Thanks so much for your time and help on this.
     
  4. alkalifly

    alkalifly Hunter

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    The workgroup is definitely key here . . . that is how you will be able to see your Windows "E" drive in the Mac Finder.

    To set the workgroup, go to the "System" control panel (in Windows) and select the "Computer Name" tab. This will let you assign a the computer to a workgroup, as well as to make sure your computer has a name that is unique on your local network.

    Because it sounds like you want to share your "E" drive, right-click on the "E" drive icon in Windows to enable sharing.

    Then, assuming the same hypothetical computer, workgroup, aand user names, connect using
    cifs://STEVE;KCSAQMAN@BILL/E
     
  5. kcsaqman

    kcsaqman Bit poster

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    I am on a domain that overrides the windows workgroups, so when I did what you said, I couldn't log on at all and had to taek my machine to the IS department to get the domain reinstalled. Do you have any suggestions for this situation? thanks so very much!!
     
  6. alkalifly

    alkalifly Hunter

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    Yikes! I'm sorry that my suggestions ended up costing you a trip to the IS department!

    Unfortunately, I really don't know enough about Windows networking to help you here. I am afraid any other suggestion I make will be just a shot in the dark that will probably mess your system up worse.

    The one thing I might try to see if it does anything is to use the domain name (or IP address) of your office network rather than your computer name, though I'm not sure what you would use instead as the workgroup name.

    Any windows networking gurus out there with a suggestion for kcsaqman?
     
  7. kcsaqman

    kcsaqman Bit poster

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    Thanks so much for your help. Anyone else have any ideas??
     
  8. peterwor

    peterwor Hunter

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    140
    I know this may sound obvious but you are running your parallels desktop while you're trying to access it through Finder right? If PD is shutdown you won't be able to see anything on the windows VM.
    If you use Finder to browse your local network you _should_ see your windows VM machine on the network, assuming that you are still on the same subnet.
    Check your drive properties nd make sure that the drive you created is sharable. Depending on your domain policies you may not have privilages to share any windows drives.
    How is the networking setup in Parallels? Are you using "shared" networking? If you are then the machines shoudl be on the dsame subnet and visable to each other. Again some of this depends on the domain policies set up by your admin.
    I assume that you can see your OSX drives in windows correct?
    Also make sure you have windows sharinf turned on in your system preferences "sharing" applet.
    I would also try mounting the drive using smb: not cifs:
    I'd need a little more info on your windows domain and OSX setup before I could really answer anything.

    HTH,
    Peter
     

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