I just bought a new computer running Windows 8.1 Pro to house all of my media files. I got Storage Spaces up and running and transferred all of my videos to the 12TB of shared Windows storage space. I think that everything is shared properly as the Network Share is available on my main PC and laptop (both running Windows 7). I have full control of the networked storage from both of my computers, but I can’t get the shared folder to load in Network Shares on any of my WD boxes (two WDTV Hubs and two WDLive boxes). After reading through the forums and trying all of the suggested fixes, I still cannot see my shared folder of video files. I CAN - however - see the computer on the WDHub Network Share but the actual folder that contains the media is not there. There’s only a file called “User” that doesn’t have anything important in it. Recognizing the PC at all makes all of this even more frustrating.
I’ve double checked all of the advanced settings in Windows 8, and I’ve done the complete system power down to see if that changes anything. I’ve restarted and rebooted everything dozens of times. The Firewall is turned completely off AND disabled from Windows services. I’ve set all of the permissions to “Everyone” with full control and I’ve added the media to my “Library.” I’ve run Scottie’s utility and have verified that my main PC is the Master Browser…at least for now.
I’ve been successfully running my WD Live boxes for years with an HP-LX195 home server, and this new Windows 8.1 machine was intended to replace my old server, but since I cannot access Network Shares from my WD boxes, I’m feeling crazy and defeated. Also, I don’t want to have to run media streaming or rely on Twonky…I just want the Network Shares that I’m so used to to be accessible from my WDLive Hub.
Here are some setup details:
Windows 8.1 Pro on the new “server.” Storage Spaces set up and shared; three WD 4TB HDs connected via powered USB3 Hub to USB3 port on computer. System is hardwired directly to Zoom 5350 cable modem/router which is also attached to a Netgear ethernet switch. The WDLive TV Hub is connected directly to the Zoom modem/router - the same machine that the “server” is plugged into.
Any ideas? I’ve spent WAY too much time trying to get this thing up and running and really need some help.
@Techflaws - there are not white spaces in the server name, but there is a hyphen in it. The server name comes up in WD Network Shares but the actual shared folder of videos does not. And that folder doesn’t have any white space or special characters. Could the hyphen in the server name be keeping the Live Hub from seeing the share?
I changed the server name to something that doesn’t have a hyphen in it and I still only get the “Users” folder…None of my actual videos are accessible from the media player. Has anyone been able to solve this problem with Windows 8.1 and the WD streaming devices?
If you can see the Users folder then the share is working. You need to “share” the folder with your media in it.
From windows explorer, right click on the folder, select properties, select the sharing tab, click the share Button, click the other share button. Done.
Hi Ronmaz - the folder with the media in it is shared…that’s what is so perplexing about all of this. Here’s a picture of the share from the Windows 8.1 server:
Is the folder shared with everyone though? When you click on the share button you will see a list of who it is shared with. Does it show “Everyone” with a read/write permission level?
Well then, I’m at a loss. I just noticed you said you have a live hub. This forum is for the SMP not the hub, but the shares procedure should be the same anyway. Try an experiment. Share the users folder again, and copy one of your media files into your c:\users folder. Can you open that folder on the hub and see that media file you copied?
Hi Ronmaz - I’ve got two of the SMPs on my network too and neither of them recognize the Network Share either. I just did as you suggested and created a new shared folder and copied a single file into it; the WD players do not recognize the new shared file, so I can’t even access the single video that I put in the folder. They still see the computer, but now it doesn’t recognize any shared folders on the server at all.
My next plan is to borrow another brand of SMP and see if it can recognize the network shares. Hopefully that will at least help show me where the problem is. Thanks for your help!
Hi Techflaws - 100% positive. For the last few years, I’ve only used Network Share on the WD boxes…never the Media Server. Network Share always seemed more stable and I liked that I didn’t have to sift through all of the extra files that come up with the Media Server. Tonight, though, I made one final tweak to my Windows settings: I turned off the 128-bit encryption (the recommended setting) and for the first time since getting the new server, I was able to access the Media Server. So, I can finally see my files but it’s still not through my preferred Network Shares. I guess I can live with it for now, but I still have no idea why I can’t just get the Network Share up and running again.
