You can run "wmiprvse.exe" as a process for
quick shared network access to Win98/ME machines. Stick
it in Startup or make it a service.
"On
the PC running XP, log in as you normally would, go
to users, manage network passwords.
Here is where the problem lies. In this dialog box remove
any win98 passwords or computer-assigned names for the
win98 PCs. In my case , I had two computer-assigned
win98 pc names in this box (example G4k8e6). I deleted
these names (you may have passwords instead). Then go
to My Network Places and -- there you go! -- no more
delay!
Now,
after I did this and went to My Network Places to browse
the first Win98 PC, I was presented with a password/logon
box that looked like this: logon: G4k8e6/guest (lightly
grayed out) and a place to enter a password. I entered
the password that I had previously used to share drives
on the Win98 PCs long before I installed XP. I have
the guest account enabled in XP.
This
solves the problem for Win98 & XP machines on a
LAN; I can't guarantee it will work for Win2K/ME machines
as well, but the whole secret lies in the passwords.
If this doesn't solve your slow WinXP>Win98 access
problems, then you probably have other things wrong.
Don't forget to uncheck 'simple file sharing,' turn
off your ICS firewall, enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP and
install proper protocols, services & permissions."
