# Sharing Subdirectories in Windows 7



## maliusmaximus (Aug 2, 2012)

Hi all,
I thought this would be simple but apparently not.
I have a directory with several subdirectories that I need to share on my homegroup network on Windows 7. The subdirectories can not be unnested.
I thought by sharing the parent directory all the subdirectories and files within would inherit the permissions, but no dice. The other computers can only see files and subdirectories in the parent directory. Going into those subdirectories they can't see anything (They can access the subdirectories immediately within the parent but no files or further subdirectories appear within them)
Have used both sharing wizard and advanced sharing to no avail. UAC is set to medium. 
I'm pretty certain this exact procedure has worked in the past, so what am I missing?

Thanks


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

what is the parent directory? an existing windows folder like your my documents? have you tried just putting these in the Public folder?


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## maliusmaximus (Aug 2, 2012)

Its a directory of teaching resources that ive compiled over several years. Its on my paid dropbox account so in a sub folder under dropbox. Cant change as i need to access this on my pc, laptop, phone, work, and web as well as now share with work colleagues on a lan. And no they cant sign up for dropbox as my directory is too big for them without paid account. Dropbox itself does not alter sharing in any way so this should still be a straight windows networking question. Thanks


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

You can't share what can't be shared. This is not a windows issue at all since it does not reside on your pc and the access is via the internet not a lan.

You would need to think of an alternate method like bring up a web page that would allow access to this content on a home server not dropbox.


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## maliusmaximus (Aug 2, 2012)

I'm sorry for confusing you wanderer. I was just mentioning dropbox to point out that I am not in a position to change directory structure. This is not a folder that's only online. This is just a regular folder in windows 7, no different from many other. The files DO physically exist on the computer in question. 
Dropbox is just an application which scans that particular folder and then uploads the changes in data and syncs it with an identical folder on other devices that are linked to the same account. It's cloud computing. For all intents and purposes for the question I am asking this is just a regular folder. 
Forget dropbox. Please understand it has nothing to do with online storage abd I was just mentioning it to point out that changing directory structure is not feasable in case you were about to suggest that.
Dropbox is just a process that can be applied to a folder, it does not change or have any bearing on the nature of my basic enquiry in any way. My basic enquiry being:
I need to know how to ensure that the subdirectories of one particular directory on one particular computer can inherit the sharing permissions of the parent directory. sharing the parent directory currently does not seem to pass the permissions down to subdirectories.


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

I am familiar with dropbox. You can make any changes you want on the local folder level and as long as you tell dropbox to replicate it it will.

if you go to the security tab and then advanced, you will see two check boxes. Only one you are concerned about and should be checked is
"replace all child object permissions with inheritable permissions from this object"

This will propulate the subfolders with the permissions of the root folder.

Again you should be using public folders....


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## maliusmaximus (Aug 2, 2012)

Awesome thanks, I can see that check box and I'll check it out.
About using public folders though, considering dropbox only syncs files physically located within the dropbox directory, how do you propose I do this? To do what you're proposing, I would have to move the files to a public fodler, then copy the public folder to the dropbox directory and set up a symbolic link to the old location. I'd be afraid that physically moving the public folder would create other issues.


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## FirstResponder (May 1, 2013)

Wanderer has no clue. 
Windows 7 is extremely buggy in so far as security is concerned. You may share a folder and find all the sub-folders automatically inheriting sharing from the parent, and on other occasions, no. 

You may establish sharing today, and find that it had disappeared tomorrow. 

There is no way to address these issues, as far as I could make out. Windows 8 does not address some of them either. 

Just a note to Wanderer: Using the Public folder is not a solution. It has the same problems, particularly between HomeGroup and WorkGroup computers.


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

Everyone has their own experiences concerning networking and OS's. I haven't run into the problems you mention at home, relatives homes or a couple of the small business's I support as a side line to my main job.

I also have not encountered security issues in the domain setting which is what I do for a living. But then having been around since 286's and in networking since 1993 as a Netware CNE perhaps I just got lucky.


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## Tomshawk (Jan 23, 2013)

Yup, your 20+ years experience was just Luck Wand3r3r

Seriously

The Public folder is as good an option as any.
While I would suggest you move the dropbox folder and all contents out to the root of the C: instead of in your my documents folder, then share your folder as needed.
I will mention one thing

Open My computer, go to Organize\Folder and Search options\ Click View
Scroll down to the bottom and uncheck Simple Sharing or Sharing Wizard and do things manually.

This will eliminate your weird disappearing security Issues FirstResponder


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