Trying to connect to a Win XP machine via Ethernet

[Jackflash]

I am asking this question in this area because it may be where I should be have been asking questions all along but as I am new I really do not know where to post what.
This is a link to another thread in newbie questions about this subject so people can see what I have been trying to do with no success;
viewtopic.php?f=90&t=280776

If it is the wrong place please let me know and delete it as necessary, I apologise in advance if this is the wrong place.

What I want to do is just connect a computer running Linux Mint 19 Cinnamon with one running Windows XP professional.
I have read tutorials about this but just cannot seem to find the answers that will work for my situation and most are just way over my head.
I have no knowledge of Linux at all.

[deepakdeshp]

Does this help?
viewtopic.php?t=224391

[Jackflash]

Does this help?
viewtopic.php?t=224391

That is one of the tutorials that I have tried to follow and I found it a bit deep for me unfortunately.

[Jackflash]

I am now part way through achieving what I set out to do.

After looking at a 2013 thread I edited "wired Connection" to Address 198.162.1.1 Netmask 255.255.255.0 (it changed to 24) left Gateway blank

I can now successfully 'ping' both computers linux-Xp, XP-linux also I can see 'mint' in 'my network places' under 'workgroup'.

I right clicked on 'Documents and Desktop' folders on mint to set the 'share options and they appeared in 'Workgroup' on XP and I can open them and see the test docs in both folders.

To overcome a mint user name/ password request (don't know user name or password) on XP I allowed guest access for now.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to do the same with a HDD connected to both computers so i can share files between them.

I also need to figure out how to access mint docs from XP thoughts on that one?.