Share USB memory keys on a network

The workaround involves ‘mapping’ the USB memory key to a folder on your PC, which acts as a shortcut and works whenever the memory key has been plugged in, regardless of what letter has been allocated to it. This requires a hard disk using the NTFS file system as opposed to Fat 32. Vista users can jump to Step Four as it only supports NTFS, but XP users must open My Computer, right-click your hard disk and choose Properties. If the File System is reported as NTFS click OK and go to Step Four; if it’s Fat 32, read on.

Fat 32-formatted disks can be converted to NTFS without data loss, but you should always back up your data first – just in case something goes wrong. Once ready, right-click the disk and choose Properties again. Make a note of the disk’s label on the General tab next to the disk icon (it may be blank). Now switch to the Tools tab and click Check Now. Tick both boxes and click Start, followed by Yes to schedule the check for the next time you start Windows. Restart your PC. Once the check is complete you’re ready to convert the disk.

Click Start, select Run and type cmd into the Run box. Click OK. When the command prompt window appears, type convert c: /fs:ntfs and press Enter. Make sure there’s a space between c: and /fs:ntfs. If prompted for the volume label, type in the label noted down in Step Two and press Enter (if it was blank, just press Enter). If asked to force a dismount on this volume, press N followed by Enter. When asked to schedule the conversion for the next time Windows starts, press Y followed by Enter. Close the command box and restart your PC. The conversion process will take place.

Plug the USB memory key into a spare USB port, taking no action if the Autoplay prompt pops up. Click Start, right-click Computer (My Computer in XP) and choose Manage, clicking Continue if prompted. Select Disk Management under Storage. When the list of disks appears, right-click your USB memory key and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths. Click Add and select ‘Mount in the following empty NTFS Folder’, then click Browse. Navigate to a suitable location on your disk and click New Folder. Create a suitably named folder like ‘Shared Flash Drive’ then click OK twice to finish. Close the Management Console.

Locate the folder you created in Step Four – double-click this to access the memory key’s contents. Right-click the folder you wish to share and – if you’re running XP – choose Sharing and Security. If file sharing isn’t currently set up, click the option to set it up without the wizard (choose ‘Just enable file sharing’ and click OK when prompted). Tick ‘Share this folder on the network’ to give people read-only access to the folder; to allow them to write files to your flash disk, tick ‘Allow network users to change my files’ before clicking OK.

In Windows Vista, right-click the folder and choose Share. Click the Network and Sharing Center link, then expand the Password protected sharing option to switch it on or off depending on how you want to restrict access to the disk. Return to the File Sharing dialogue when you’re done. To allow all users to access the disk, type ‘everyone’ into the box and click Add. Whenever the memory key is plugged in it will now be shared on the network. Click Share followed by Continue to make the change.