This brief tutorial shows you how to enable file sharing between Windows 7 and Ubuntu 12.04 easily. If you want to access Ubuntu files from Windows or vice versa, you may have to enable file sharing. When file sharing is enabled, you will be able to access, modify and delete files on either machine remotely. This is one good way to make sure that both your Windows and Ubuntu machines can communicate share documents.

In order for this to work both machines must be on the same sub-network (plugged into the same switch / router). If they’re not, it probably won’t work.

 

The first thing you’ll want to do is open Windows and search for ‘Manage Advanced Sharing’ then click on it to open.

 

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Next, click the options to turn on file and printer sharing and save the changes.

 

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Next, type the commands below to find out your domain or workgroup name.

net config workstation

 

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Take note of the workgroup name shown. This is the group that both machines must be a member of in order to enable proper file sharing.

 

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Next, logon to Ubuntu and press Ctrl – Alt – T on your keyboard to open Terminal. When it opens, run the commands below to install Samba and other packages.

sudo apt-get install python-glade2 system-config-samba

 

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After installing, launch Samba from Dash

 

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Then select ‘Preferences –> Server Settings’ from the menu

 

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And type the workgroup name to match that of your Windows machine and save.

 

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Restart both machines and hopefully when you login you should be able to see each machine from either system.

 

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Windows.

 

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Double click Windows shares from Ubuntu and enter your Windows’ username and password to access its content.

 

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In order to access Ubuntu shares from Windows, you must run the commands below to add your account to Samba Database.

sudo smbpasswd -a <username>

 

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To view Ubuntu shares, you must share them in Ubuntu. Click on Samba share button, then specify the folders you wish to share.

 

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Then grant access to the user who should have access.

 

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That’s it! Logon to Windows and try to access Ubuntu shares. They should open for you.

Enjoy!