Folder not visible in shared directory but is accessible with direct UNC path

network-sharepermissionswindows 7windows-server-2008

I have a shared Users directory that I access at the following UNC path:

\\servername\Users

Inside this directory each User in my company has a folder that they are allowed to store pretty much anything they want. The UNC path for each user is similar to the following:

\\servername\Users\username$

Each user folder is shared directly as well and I can also access each folder with the following path:

\\servername\username$

The server that hosts all of these folders and shares is running on Windows Server 2003.

I have one User, lets call him Joe, who has a folder in this share. Whenever I open the share \\servername\Users from a Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 machine I am unable to see his folder listed. However I am still able to directly access his folder with \\servername\Users\Joe$ and \\servername\Joe$.

I do however see Joe's folder listed when I access the same shares from a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 machine.

I have already double checked all of the share and security permissions on his folder and they are correct and match every other users folder.

What could be causing this?

Best Answer

By default when you add the $ character to a share, it becomes a hidden share. So if you have \\SERVER\Folder and \\SERVER\Folder1$ both with the same permissions, you will NOT be able to see Folder1$ when you browse to \\SERVER.

The relevant MS knowledge base article is here but the first line of the article:

A hidden share is identified by a dollar sign ($) at the end of the share name. Hidden shares are not listed when you look through the shares on a computer or use the net view command.

Says it all.

EDIT Per our discussion below, the only solution I can think of is to delete/recreate the folder and see what happens. I'm baffled as to what would cause the behavior otherwise.

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