Cannot share files between a new Mac and older ones

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Cannot share files between a new Mac and older ones

I have a new iMac running Catalina that I can connect to for screen sharing, but it won't share any files in the normal way. The only folder it will show me when I connect to it from any other Mac is an external USB disk, that is shown as 'Sharepoint'. But I see nothing in that. It won't even show me my own Shared Folder. It is clearly properly networked and connected, as screen sharing works perfectly. But that is the only option I am offered when I connect to it, despite having enabled File Sharing. I've checked all the Sharing settings on the new machine. It is very puzzling.

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Jul 6, 2020 1:11 PM

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Answer 1

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Barney-15E

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116,680 points

Jul 6, 2020 8:47 PM in response to darditti

Screen Sharing is irrelevant, It is a completely different protocol on a different port.

Again, you cannot share the APFS drive over AFP. You can't try this and try that. Only SMB will work to share APFS drives.

If your external drive is HFS+, then you can share it over AFP, but I don't know why you'd even turn it on when the iMac must be shared over SMB.

Your screen shot shows you are sharing the iMac over AFP. Again, that won't work, ever. Stop trying. Turn off AFP altogether and just use SMB. That will at least eliminate a variable from the troubleshooting.

I thought you were trying to share an external drive. I don't see anything in your screen shot that would indicate you are sharing it out.

Are you logging into the iMac using the David2021 account?

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Answer 2

darditti Author

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Jul 6, 2020 6:47 PM in response to Barney-15E

I've tried both SMB and AFP. Also addressing the computer as the 'local' name, or the afp number. The other Mac is clearly accessing it, as 'share screen' works, but at the same time I get a 'connection failed' or 'not connected' message, and the 'connect as' button does nothing. This is how the settings on the new Mac look.

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Answer 3

darditti Author

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Jul 7, 2020 9:20 AM in response to Barney-15E

Thanks Barney, that was the answer. I don't know why it got set to AFP only in the file sharing options. Clearly the reason I was only seeing the external disk as a 'Sharepoint', and nothing on the internal HD, was that the external one is formatted to Mac OS Extended and the internal one to AFPS.

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,680 points

Jul 6, 2020 6:31 PM in response to darditti

Are you connecting via SMB? APFS drives (the startup drive in Catalina) must be shared out via SMB. HFS+ drives can be shared via AFP.

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Cannot share files between a new Mac and older ones

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