Mac OS X 10.2: "Error =-50" When Connecting to a Windows-Compatible Computer

You may see an "error =-50" alert message when attempting to connect to a Microsoft Windows-compatible computer (PC). This document explains what to do.
Symptom

When using the Connect to Server dialog, you see an alert box with this message:

Products affected

Solution

This may indicate that the Windows-compatible computer is not correctly sharing the disk on the network. Follow these steps to resolve the issue on the Windows computer:

Windows 95, 98, or Me

1. Right-click the disk that is to be shared, and select Properties from the contextual menu.
2. Click the Sharing tab.
3. Click "Shared as", and name the selected disk.

Windows 2000 or XP

1. Right-click the disk that is to be shared, and select Properties from the contextual menu.
2. Click the Sharing tab.
3. Click "Share this folder on the network", and name the selected disk.

You should now be able to connect as expected.
Published Date: Oct 10, 2016