How To Install File Server On Windows Server

This step-by-step article describes how to configure your Windows Server 2003 as a file and print server.

Install File and Printer Sharing

By default, a Windows Server 2003-based computer is installed with Client for Microsoft Networks, File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks, and TCP/IP.

 

NOTE: You can view these services in the properties for the local area connection.

 

You can create a Windows Server 2003 file server and print server manually, or you can use the wizards that are provided in the Configure Your Server Wizard administrative tool.

How to Install a File Server on Windows Server 2003 by Using the Configure Your Server Wizard

1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Configure Your Server Wizard.
2. Click Next.
3. Click Next.
4. Click File server in the Server role box, and then click Next.
5. On the "File Server Disk Quotas" page, configure any quotas you need to control disk-space usage on the server, and then click Next.
6. On the "File Server Indexing Service" page, click the indexing configuration that is appropriate for your server, and then click Next.
7. Click Next.
8. Click Finish.
9. The Share a Folder Wizard starts. Click Next.
10. Click Browse, locate the folder that you want to share, and then click OK.
11. Click Next.
12. Type a share name for the folder, and then click Next.
13. Click one of the basic permissions for the folder, or click Customize to set custom permissions on the folder. Click Finish.
14. Click Close.

How to Manually Install a File Server on Windows Server 2003

1. Click Start, and then click Windows Explorer.
2. Locate the folder that you want to share.
3. Right-click the folder, and then click Sharing and Security.
4. Click Share this folder, and then accept the default name or type a different name for the share.
5. Optionally, configure the number of users who can connect, configure permissions for this folder, and then configure the caching options.
6. Click OK.
7. A little hand is displayed in the Windows Explorer window to indicate that the folder is being shared.
8. Quit Windows Explorer.