simple sharing?

[Elleric]

Hello,

I recently upgraded a few of my systems to various versions of windows vista
and I have run into an issue that is a bit hindering with regards to my media
center.

I upgraded my file server to Vista Ultimate and I upgraded my HTPC to Vista
Home Premium.

I'd like to add the media file folders from the file server to the video
list on my htpc, the problem is, after i have added the folders to be watched
on the file server they do not show up in the list after a reboot; unless i
go into the network and actively log into the file server.

There is no password required, so all i need to do is to type anything in
the username field and hit enter, then go back and refresh the videos list
and the folders appear.

The problem with this is each time i power on the htpc i need the mouse and
keyboard which clutter up the living room. Id much rather have them both
unplugged 99% of the time and as it stands now, this network login is the
only thing i have used them for since i completed the configuration. It
alsomakes it a bit confusing for my girlfriend (to the point where she just
wont bother using it unless im home)

I'm hoping there is some way to configure either the shared folders on the
file server, or the network on the htpc so that these folders are available
with out extra steps from the time of boot up.

Hope i explained that clearly, thanks for any help

-Elleric

 

[AlexB]

Hi there,

Nobody has touched your orphaned post for 2 days so I feel safe to utter a
few stupid suggestions. The come not from direct experience with exactly
this problem but out of general considerations.

I guess the problem may become much more clear if you could answer this
question: "Do you see any folders at all on the server?"

If you don't, then do you see the server's thumbnail in the client's network
GUI (window)? What happens when you click on it before you logged in to the
server? Does this icon expands or not? Do you get any error message?

My hunch is that by removing the keyboard and mouse you somehow tell Vista
server that the work has been done for today and it can go to sleep. Why
don't you try to leave both plugged in and see what is going to happen.

Also, do you have an options set up for the Server to go to sleep at all? If
you do have them set up for hibernation then what do you want? Make sure
that your server never sleeps.

Again, it is in good faith but nonetheless may prove to be useless. perhaps
the problem is deeper than I think.

 

[Elleric]

I think maybe, I did not explain my problem very well.

I have all my media stored on the server; of course i need to access this
media from my htpc in the living room. Because this htpc is in my living
room, as a part of an entertainment center, leaving the key board and mouse
hooked up to it is tacky, not an actual tech problem. Also, requiring the log
in (explained below) each time makes it cumbersome for me and confusing for
my girlfriend. so the keyboard and mouse were just part of my reasoning, not
part of the actual problem.

my problem is as follows:
If i turn on my htpc (running vista home premium) and i enter the media
center application right away, the only folders i see are those local to the
htpc. I see no folders that i have added from the media server.

If i then use the mouse and keyboard to open the network places on the htpc
i see the server's icon there. If i double click the icon, im given the
dialog to enter a user name and password. I have the password options turned
off on the server so any user name can be entered and no password is needed.
Now, after i have logged in this way, if i then go back to the media center
application and open my videos, all the folders on the local machine are
there and all the server's folders i have added are present.

What i am hoping for is a way to press the on button from my remote, have
the htpc turn on (it does this now) and have access to the server's media
folders with out needing to break out the mouse and keyboard to log in
through the network (this it DOES NOT do now)

hope this is clearer.

 

[Barb Bowman]

map the shared folder on the remote machine to a drive letter on the
HTPC, then use settings to set this up as a watched folder.

I think maybe, I did not explain my problem very well.

I have all my media stored on the server; of course i need to access this
media from my htpc in the living room. Because this htpc is in my living
room, as a part of an entertainment center, leaving the key board and mouse
hooked up to it is tacky, not an actual tech problem. Also, requiring the log
in (explained below) each time makes it cumbersome for me and confusing for
my girlfriend. so the keyboard and mouse were just part of my reasoning, not
part of the actual problem.

my problem is as follows:
If i turn on my htpc (running vista home premium) and i enter the media
center application right away, the only folders i see are those local to the
htpc. I see no folders that i have added from the media server.

If i then use the mouse and keyboard to open the network places on the htpc
i see the server's icon there. If i double click the icon, im given the
dialog to enter a user name and password. I have the password options turned
off on the server so any user name can be entered and no password is needed.
Now, after i have logged in this way, if i then go back to the media center
application and open my videos, all the folders on the local machine are
there and all the server's folders i have added are present.

What i am hoping for is a way to press the on button from my remote, have
the htpc turn on (it does this now) and have access to the server's media
folders with out needing to break out the mouse and keyboard to log in
through the network (this it DOES NOT do now)

hope this is clearer.

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

 

[AlexB]

I think I understood you more or less the way you reexplaned it but you
apparently did not notice the part on the possible sleep of the server. You
did not address it.

Also mapping the network drive offered by Barb may be a very good idea but
if the server is asleep, could it help? I do not know. I simply have no
experience and won't mind to find out. I may do some testing on my network
for this configuration out of curiosity.

 

[Elleric]

Sorry, I'll try mapping the drives and see how that works.

I dont think there is any issue with the server sleeping. I have it set so
that it never shuts down/sleeps on its own. Sometimes there is even work
being done on it while the folders problem is cropping up.