NFS client in Windows 7 Pro or better:

NFS aka network file system is much better in my opinion for sharing files. Windows CIFS/Samba has many security holes and you can lock down your file access with NFS.

I've been looking for a free windows nfs client for ages but only the 2k3/2k8 servers had them but no longer. Installing the NFS client in Windows 7 is a breeze. Just add the nfs client and administration service in programs and features.

You can map a network drive or you can mount it with ease in the dos prompt:
mount [options] //nfs-server-unc-name/share-name [drive letter]

Make sure you set your permissions properly on your NFS server so you don't run into access issues. To ensure you have no permissions problems edit your local security policy:

Let Everyone permissions to apply to anonymous users in Security Options

Here is how I mounted my NFS FreeNAS server:

mount \\192.168.1.2\mnt\NASData2\\ z:

I use xbmc to play my movies and with NFS compared to CIFS/Samba it is almost like playing the file on your local machine. There is no real caching that I have seen which is great. Setup your own Freenas/Openfiler box and share all your DVD's and music with little effort.

I scoured forums around the Internet for hours to solve a few issues and you benefit from it