Permission problems with windows folder share

Hello Vencel,

This issue is caused by a mismatch between NTFS permissions on the HDD and the share permissions. Even if “Everyone” has full control on the share, the NTFS security on the drive must also grant access to the same user or group. When you test locally, the server account context is used, which is why it works there but fails remotely.

Check the drive’s Properties > Security tab and ensure the specific user or group has at least Read permissions. Add the account explicitly rather than relying on “Everyone,” since newer Windows Server versions don’t include authenticated users in that group. Then verify the share permissions under Advanced Sharing > Permissions match the NTFS rights. The most restrictive setting always applies.

From the client, confirm authentication with net use \\servername\sharename /user:domain\username. If login fails, the account may not exist or be disabled. Also review SMB settings and firewall rules, as Windows Server 2025 enforces SMB signing/encryption that can block older clients. Event Viewer under Security and SMBServer logs will show if policy is rejecting the connection.

Aligning NTFS and share permissions, confirming authentication, and checking SMB policies should resolve the access denied error without using the administrator account.

I hope you've found something useful here. If it helps you get more insight into the issue, it's appreciated to accept the answer. Should you have more questions, feel free to leave a message. Have a nice day!

Harry.

This worked: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/networking/cannot-logon-access-administrative-share

It sounds like you are encountering permission issues when trying to access a shared folder on your Windows Server 2025 from another PC. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve the issue:

1. Check Share Permissions: Ensure that you have set the correct share permissions for the user account you are using to access the share. You can do this by right-clicking the shared folder, selecting Properties, going to the Sharing tab, and clicking on Advanced Sharing. Make sure the user has the appropriate permissions (e.g., Full Control).
2. Check NTFS Permissions: In addition to share permissions, you also need to check the NTFS permissions. Right-click the folder, select Properties, go to the Security tab, and ensure that the user or group has the necessary permissions (e.g., Full Control, Modify, Read & execute).
3. Remove Everyone Group: If the Everyone group is present in the permissions, consider removing it and explicitly adding the user or group that needs access. This can help avoid any conflicts with permissions.
4. Network Discovery and File Sharing: Ensure that network discovery and file sharing are enabled on both the server and the client PC. This can be checked in the Network and Sharing Center.
5. Check for Firewall Issues: Sometimes, firewall settings can prevent access to shared folders. Ensure that the firewall on the server allows file and printer sharing.
6. Review Event Logs: Check the Windows security event logs for any errors related to authentication failures. This can provide insight into what might be going wrong during the login attempt.

If you've gone through these steps and are still having issues, you may want to consider checking if there are any domain-related issues or group policies that might be affecting access to the share.

References:

• Configuring Permissions
• Error when you try to access an administrative share
• Can't access shared folders from File Explorer in Windows 10