Ximeta NDAS external drive via Ethernet

[WGSGNUAYHTTE]

I would welcome advice on getting my Vista Home Premium PC to talk to
my Ximeta NDAS external drive via Ethernet. I have come to a dead end
with Ximeta support.

Both my Win2K PC and WinXP laptop can access the drive via Ethernet
and USB, but the Vista PC can access it only via USB.

Thanks,
Teffy

http://www.ximeta.com

 

[Gunrunnerjohn]

You'll have to be more specific. I have XP, 2K and Vista machines here. My two
Vista machines talk to the my three Ximeta NDAS drives just fine. I'm using
3.20.1521 for my NDAS client software on Vista. I see no difference in
operation between Vista and XP in that regard.

What SPECIFIC problem do you have when you try to access the drive from Vista?

I would welcome advice on getting my Vista Home Premium PC to talk to
my Ximeta NDAS external drive via Ethernet. I have come to a dead end
with Ximeta support.

Both my Win2K PC and WinXP laptop can access the drive via Ethernet
and USB, but the Vista PC can access it only via USB.

Thanks,
Teffy

http://www.ximeta.com

John Will
Microsoft MVP - Networking

 

[WGSGNUAYHTTE]

I connected the NetDisk via Ethernet directly to my Vista PC and
booted. The NDAS Device Management icon says the device is
"Offline". I deregistered the device and then registered again, it
searched for the
device, and said "You have successfully registered the device.
However,
the device is not found and cannot be connected at this time. Please
check
the connection." I got the same result when connecting to the Vista
PC
with Ethernet via the router.

 

[WGSGNUAYHTTE]

I connected the NetDisk via Ethernet directly to my Vista PC and
booted. The NDAS Device Management icon says the device is
"Offline". I deregistered the device and then registered again, it
searched for the device, and said "You have successfully registered
the device. However, the device is not found and cannot be connected
at this time. Please check the connection." I got the same result when
connecting to the Vista PC with Ethernet via the router. I am using
NDAS Software version 3.20.1523

In case there are clues within, here is what I did with the other OS/
connection combinations:

On my WinXP laptop, where no NetDisk software had been installed, I
plugged in the NetDisk via USB. A message popped up with a sound
indicating a new device. Under "Computer Management, Disk Management,"
it said "ST350063 0A USB Device Not Initialized 465.75 GB Unallocated"
I followed the instructions here http://www.ximeta.com/files/nd_winmanual_us.pdf
in the User Manual For Windows 2000/XP to format, initiallize, and
partition the disk. I created a small text file on the disk.

I connected the NetDisk via Ethernet directly to my Win2K PC and
booted. I used the NDAS Device Management icon to mount it, and read
the small text file. Then I tried going through the router, and was
able to read the small text file again.

I plugged the NetDisk into my Vista PC via USB, and was able to read
the small text file I had created.

 

[Gunrunnerjohn]

Hmm... I never did anything special, I formatted all three of my Ximeta NDAS
drives using XP, and was using them actively when Vista came along. All I did
with Vista is load the drivers onto the Vista machines, enter the keys for the
drives, and connect to them.

I'm not even sure where to begin. Have you considered dropping back to the
version of the drivers I'm using, since I know for sure they work on at least
one Vista installation.

If you can't find the previous version and want it, I could email it to you...

I connected the NetDisk via Ethernet directly to my Vista PC and
booted. The NDAS Device Management icon says the device is
"Offline". I deregistered the device and then registered again, it
searched for the device, and said "You have successfully registered
the device. However, the device is not found and cannot be connected
at this time. Please check the connection." I got the same result when
connecting to the Vista PC with Ethernet via the router. I am using
NDAS Software version 3.20.1523

In case there are clues within, here is what I did with the other OS/
connection combinations:

On my WinXP laptop, where no NetDisk software had been installed, I
plugged in the NetDisk via USB. A message popped up with a sound
indicating a new device. Under "Computer Management, Disk Management,"
it said "ST350063 0A USB Device Not Initialized 465.75 GB Unallocated"
I followed the instructions here http://www.ximeta.com/files/nd_winmanual_us.pdf
in the User Manual For Windows 2000/XP to format, initiallize, and
partition the disk. I created a small text file on the disk.

I connected the NetDisk via Ethernet directly to my Win2K PC and
booted. I used the NDAS Device Management icon to mount it, and read
the small text file. Then I tried going through the router, and was
able to read the small text file again.

I plugged the NetDisk into my Vista PC via USB, and was able to read
the small text file I had created.

John Will
Microsoft MVP - Networking

 

[WGSGNUAYHTTE]

I found the older driver here
http://www.ximeta.com/web/support/d.../drivers/v3x/ximeta_ndas_3.20.1521_us_x86.zip
so I uninstalled 1523 and installed 1521. I had to repair Windows
because it wouldn't boot (I think that happened with 1523 also). The
boot after the repair generated several "found unidentified hardware"
messages and couldn't find a driver. In Device Manager, I see five
"unknown devices" under "Other Devices." Ignoring that for the moment,
I registered the NDAS drive via the NDAS Device Management icon in the
system tray. I connected the powered on drive directly via Ethernet,
but NDAS Device Management still says the drive is "offline." Fooey.
Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Teffy

 

[Gunrunnerjohn]

Sorry to say, other than contacting Ximeta and complaining, no.

I also didn't see any issues requiring repairing windows after the installation
on either my Vista Ultimate machine or my laptop with Vista Home Premium. I
just installed the drivers and configured the drives. All went as expected...

I found the older driver here
http://www.ximeta.com/web/support/d.../drivers/v3x/ximeta_ndas_3.20.1521_us_x86.zip
so I uninstalled 1523 and installed 1521. I had to repair Windows
because it wouldn't boot (I think that happened with 1523 also). The
boot after the repair generated several "found unidentified hardware"
messages and couldn't find a driver. In Device Manager, I see five
"unknown devices" under "Other Devices." Ignoring that for the moment,
I registered the NDAS drive via the NDAS Device Management icon in the
system tray. I connected the powered on drive directly via Ethernet,
but NDAS Device Management still says the drive is "offline." Fooey.
Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Teffy

John Will
Microsoft MVP - Networking

 

[jeffrosn]

I would welcome advice on getting my Vista Home Premium PC to talk to
my Ximeta NDAS external drive via Ethernet. I have come to a dead end
with Ximeta support.

Both my Win2K PC and WinXP laptop can access the drive via Ethernet
and USB, but the Vista PC can access it only via USB.

Thanks,
Teffy

http://www.ximeta.com

I had the same problem. I solved it by shutting down my Vista PC,
along with all of the other computers that had access to the drive,
and then rebooting. It worked.

 

[WGSGNUAYHTTE]

I had the same problem. I solved it by shutting down my Vista PC,
along with all of the other computers that had access to the drive,
and then rebooting. It worked.

Well, I've tried that several times. If the drive is running and
connected via Ethernet (directly or via the router), NDAS Device
Management says the drive is "offline." What a waste of time and
money!

 

[Gunrunnerjohn]

I had the same problem. I solved it by shutting down my Vista PC,
along with all of the other computers that had access to the drive,
and then rebooting. It worked.

That's my RX for having issues getting R/W access to the drives, but the
inability to access them at all isn't simply powering off and on.
John Will
Microsoft MVP - Networking

 

[Gunrunnerjohn]

Well, I've tried that several times. If the drive is running and
connected via Ethernet (directly or via the router), NDAS Device
Management says the drive is "offline." What a waste of time and
money!

There must be something else in the equation, since I know at least two people
locally, as well as myself, that have Ximeta NDAS drives running with Vista. I
just don't really know where to advise you to start looking...

Are you SURE you have the right keys loaded into the configuration?
John Will
Microsoft MVP - Networking

 

[WGSGNUAYHTTE]

There must be something else in the equation, since I know at least two people
locally, as well as myself, that have Ximeta NDAS drives running with Vista. I
just don't really know where to advise you to start looking...

Are you SURE you have the right keys loaded into the configuration?
John Will
Microsoft MVP - Networking

I thought I would try to connect the drive directly via Ethernet, de-
register then register the device one more time and really check the
keys closely. That didn't work, but I decided to try turning on
"Network Discovery" in Windows, hoping that it wasn't a dangerous
thing to do. That didn't work, so I disabled the software firewalls
(Windows and PC Tools Firewall Plus) and I heard the drive spin up,
and was able to mount it!

So, now I am trying to figure out what settings to change in the
firewalls to allow me to see the drive while the firewalls are
running. I added these executables to the 'allowed' lists:
C:\Program Files\NDAS\System
The file names are: ndascmd.exe, ndasbind.exe, ndasmgmt.exe, and
ndassvc.exe.
But, that is still not sufficient. I looked at the log in PC Tools
Firewall Plus and saw stuff blocked from the Ximeta drive MAC address,
and tried to enable a rule to let them pass. But, either I didn't do
it right or that is still not sufficient. What's next?

Thanks again,
Teffy

 

[Gunrunnerjohn]

I thought I would try to connect the drive directly via Ethernet, de-
register then register the device one more time and really check the
keys closely. That didn't work, but I decided to try turning on
"Network Discovery" in Windows, hoping that it wasn't a dangerous
thing to do. That didn't work, so I disabled the software firewalls
(Windows and PC Tools Firewall Plus) and I heard the drive spin up,
and was able to mount it!

So, now I am trying to figure out what settings to change in the
firewalls to allow me to see the drive while the firewalls are
running. I added these executables to the 'allowed' lists:
C:\Program Files\NDAS\System
The file names are: ndascmd.exe, ndasbind.exe, ndasmgmt.exe, and
ndassvc.exe.
But, that is still not sufficient. I looked at the log in PC Tools
Firewall Plus and saw stuff blocked from the Ximeta drive MAC address,
and tried to enable a rule to let them pass. But, either I didn't do
it right or that is still not sufficient. What's next?

Thanks again,
Teffy

That's interesting! Is this the Vista firewall or the PC Tools one? I have the
Vista firewall running, and it hasn't stepped on the drives, so I guess it's the
PC Tools one. Since NDAS doesn't use TCP/IP, I'm surprised firewall rules are
even affecting it, I think it's some sort of other "security" function of that
PC Tools package.
John Will
Microsoft MVP - Networking

 

[WGSGNUAYHTTE]

That's interesting! Is this the Vista firewall or the PC Tools one? I have the
Vista firewall running, and it hasn't stepped on the drives, so I guess it's the
PC Tools one. Since NDAS doesn't use TCP/IP, I'm surprised firewall rules are
even affecting it, I think it's some sort of other "security" function of that
PC Tools package.
John Will
Microsoft MVP - Networking

I posed my problem to Ximeta disk support, and this was their reply:

Thanks for your reply, however you will have to contact PC
Tools and ask
them how to let the Netdisk LPX protocol pass through there software
so
you can use the Netdisk on this system. Please let us know your
results.

Thank you,



Brian Rose

Tech Support Engineer

XIMETA, Inc.
http://www.ximeta.com/web/support/

I have gotten no response yet on the PC Tools Firewall forum.
Any ideas on how to let Netdisk LPX protocol pass through the
firewall?

Also, I have been running both Windows and PCTools firewalls mainly
because I don't know how to specify that PC tools should run, but not
Windows. If I stop one, they both seem to stop...

 

[Gunrunnerjohn]

I posed my problem to Ximeta disk support, and this was their reply:



I have gotten no response yet on the PC Tools Firewall forum.
Any ideas on how to let Netdisk LPX protocol pass through the
firewall?

Also, I have been running both Windows and PCTools firewalls mainly
because I don't know how to specify that PC tools should run, but not
Windows. If I stop one, they both seem to stop...

That makes sense, since I know the Windows firewall doesn't even notice that the
Ximeta disks exist.

John Will
Microsoft MVP - Networking

 

[WGSGNUAYHTTE]

Letter to Ximeta and PC Tools

Dear Ximeta and PC Tools,
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.pctools.com/contact/support/

I am unable to access my Ximeta Netdisk while running PC Tools
Firewall Plus. Because Netdisk uses a custom network protocol, I
think that a solution will need to come from both Ximeta and PC Tools
working together.(This is after
many conversations with tech and/or forum support from Ximeta, PC
Tools Firewall Plus, and Scot's newsletter.) I am willing to test any
beta/interim versions of software from each company intended to fix
the problem.

I hope that Ximeta and PC Tools will work together to find a solution,
and let me know if I can help.

Past discussions on the point:

http://www.pctools.com/forum/showth.../index.php? showtopic=19420&st=0&#entry235144

http://forums.scotsnewsletter.com/index.php? showtopic=19420&st=0&#entry235144

Plus many emails between myself and Ximeta Technical Support \(BR\)
(e-mail address removed)

Thank you,
Stephanie

 

[WGSGNUAYHTTE]

I just got the message below from Ximeta, and it did the trick! Yes!

Dear Stephanie,

We installed and tested PC Tools Firewall Plus on our test machines
and have found that the NDAS software does indeed work with the
firewall program. The only thing is you have to add a setting to the
program to allow the NDAS software to pass thru.

To do this: -open up the PC Tools Firewall program (double-click on
the system tray icon on the bottom right of your screen) -on the left
side you should have "Advanced Rules", go into there and at the top
you should have an "Add" button to click on. -in the first window
check off "where the ethernet type is". -in the bottom window click on
the underlined "Undefined" and select "Other" and ok out of that
window. -click on "Next" and check off "Allow" in the top window" and
click "Next" again. -Now you can name the rule and add a description
if you wish such as "NDAS Software" or whatever you wish. -make sure
the box that says "This rule is active" is checked and then click
"Finish"

Now you may have to wait a couple seconds for the program to refresh
(you can also click on the "Apply" and "Refresh" button as well). You
should then be able to mount the drives (the black squares should be
white now). If you have any other questions please feel free to ask.


Thank you,

Peter Chow Technical Support Engineer Ximeta Inc.

 

[Gunrunnerjohn]

That's great, it's so rare a solution comes like that from the manufacturer!

I just got the message below from Ximeta, and it did the trick! Yes!

Dear Stephanie,

We installed and tested PC Tools Firewall Plus on our test machines
and have found that the NDAS software does indeed work with the
firewall program. The only thing is you have to add a setting to the
program to allow the NDAS software to pass thru.

To do this: -open up the PC Tools Firewall program (double-click on
the system tray icon on the bottom right of your screen) -on the left
side you should have "Advanced Rules", go into there and at the top
you should have an "Add" button to click on. -in the first window
check off "where the ethernet type is". -in the bottom window click on
the underlined "Undefined" and select "Other" and ok out of that
window. -click on "Next" and check off "Allow" in the top window" and
click "Next" again. -Now you can name the rule and add a description
if you wish such as "NDAS Software" or whatever you wish. -make sure
the box that says "This rule is active" is checked and then click
"Finish"

Now you may have to wait a couple seconds for the program to refresh
(you can also click on the "Apply" and "Refresh" button as well). You
should then be able to mount the drives (the black squares should be
white now). If you have any other questions please feel free to ask.


Thank you,

Peter Chow Technical Support Engineer Ximeta Inc.

John Will
Microsoft MVP - Networking