Search for Administrative(Hidden) Shares

[willBen]

Hi All,

I am really new to programming and I have decided to teach myself VB.NET. My first project to get things going is a Network search app. Basically, type in your search criteria and click on "go". The app will return all shared files with your criteria. The app works just fine, but i have noticed that there are certain shares here at the office that it doesn't pick up.

EG: \\ServerName\Movies$.

In a round about way I use Command Prompt to return the shares, but I am unable to return the hidden shares. Is there a command I am missing out on? Or am I doing this incorrectly? Google, my best friend, seems to only want to sell me software when I search on the subject.

Any and all assistance will be appreciated.

BTW. Have to say that VB is a very user friendly language and I really enjoy programming with it!

 

[grmbl]

I think you'll have to google something with "WMI VB.net"

 

[grmbl]

This does the trick BUT only when your administrator!!!!
Google impersonating vb.net wmi and you'll find a solution for non-admin users.

' also import these through project - add reference...
Imports System.Management
Imports System.IO

Public Function GetShares(ByVal Machine As String) As DataSet
        On Error Resume Next

        Dim ds_shares As New DataSet
        Dim scope As New ManagementScope("\\" + Machine + "\root\cimv2")
        scope.Connect()

        Dim objectQuery As New ObjectQuery("select * from Win32_Share")
        Dim searcher As New ManagementObjectSearcher(scope, objectQuery)
        Dim os As ManagementObject
        Dim sXML As String
        Dim sep As String = vbCrLf
        sXML = "<ServerInfo>"
        Dim moColl As ManagementObjectCollection = searcher.Get()

        For Each os In moColl
            sXML = sXML & sep & "<Information Field='Share' Value='" & os("name") & " (" & os("path") & ")'/>"
        Next os

        sXML += "</ServerInfo>"
        Dim SR As New StringReader(sXML)
        ds_shares.ReadXml(SR)

        Return ds_shares
End Function

'usage
Dim ds As DataSet = GetShares("servername")

For Each r As DataRow In ds.Tables(0).Rows
   MsgBox(r.Item("Value"))
Next

If you put a breakpoint on the line where the dataset is declared and you debug, you can select the word "ds" and a tooltip will
come up with everything about this dataset. There's also a magnifier, if you click on it you can SEE the dataset!

Hope that helps you on your way!

 

[willBen]

Thanks for the response grmbl. I'll Google WMI Impersonation and try out the code!