HowTo: Connect to Windows 2000 Server from Mac

At one of my contract jobs, they do not support Mac, they have no need to. So I found myself feeling somewhat of an outcast which I am sure is not a new feeling for many of Mac users. I the beginning I found a quick method to being able to perform my work at the office by using VMWare Virtual Machine. But the downside is then I am sacrificing the intuitive GUI that is MAC OS X. So I hit Google for an answer, and I learned how to connect with my Mac to Windows based computers wthout using VMWare.

The main server that I needed to connect to is a Windows 2000 Server. Now in order to connect a Mac to Windows without installing any 3rd party software, there are a few pre-requisites.

1. Logon the server directly or using Microsoft's RDP for Mac.

2. Click Start, Run, type 'appwiz.cpl' and hit ok or press enter.

3. Click add/remove windows components.

4. Click Other Network File and Print Services.

5. Click Details.

6. Check File Services for Mac and press ok, then finish.

7. Create a user account if one is not already created, that is to be used when accessing the share. **Note: Make sure password is not blank.

8. Right click My Computer and select Manage.

9. Click Shared Folders, then Shares.

10. In the nav bar click the New Share icon.

11. Click Apple Mac, uncheck Windows if desired. Select the folder to share. Fill in desired information and select next.

12. Select the appropriate permissions. Make sure to give access to the user mentioned in step 7.

After that, its time to connect.

1. With finder selected, click go, click connect to server.

2. Type the server name in the bar with a / then the share name.
I.E. 192.168.1.100/macShare

3. Type in username and password setup in step 7 above.

4. Hit ok. Make sure if desired you save the server as a favorite as well as save user login info in keychain.

Hope this helps.

Chris