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Thread ID: 70856	2006-07-18 19:00:00	** Sharing external HDD problem **	Cheddar (10415)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
471806	2006-07-18 19:00:00	I have a Maxtor Personal Storage 300GB external hard drive hooked up to my PC. If my hard drive is plugged in when my PC boots, it freezes when detecting Mass USB drives, so I frequently unplug it when the PC is turned off. Sadly, as this drive does not have an on/off button, I have to pull the power lead out, but that’s another story! Anyway, besides the above freezing problem, I have another more annoying thing which I’d like your advice on… I have the external HDD attached directly to my desktop PC’s USB port. The PC is then in turn linked via Ethernet to my router. I connect to this router wirelessly via my laptop upstairs, and frequently need to access the Maxtor external HDD. However, if I share the drive on my PC, and subsequently unplug it from the USB port, when it is re-connected, I have to manually re-share the drive every time. As I shut down my PC at the end of each day, and boot it every morning, I have to reconnect the Maxtor external drive and then also manually share the drive via ‘My Computer’. Is there any way to set the external drive to automatically share with other users on the network every time I connect the drive? Hope this makes sense! :D Cheddar	Cheddar (10415)
471807	2006-07-18 21:57:00	Hi, as the Maxtor is a removeable drive, to dont think you can have an automatic share. My suggestion would be to find a drive enclosure with NIC, that way you can plug the drive directly into the router and have permantent share that way with no need for the desktop to be turned on. I have come accross the PC freezing issue before with USB devices at boot, though not sure of the resolution. Does it lock on all of the USB connections?	SolMiester (139)
471808	2006-07-18 22:39:00	My suggestion would be to find a drive enclosure with NIC Sounds like an interesting idea... but what exactly is that? Did a search on Google here in the UK and I can't seem to locate the item you are mentioning :( I have come accross the PC freezing issue before with USB devices at boot, though not sure of the resolution. Does it lock on all of the USB connections? I have not tried, to be honest. I will swap ports tonight and see what happens. The thing is, the whole setup is in my bedroom and the external HDD is a little noisy anyway, so I like unplugging it. Plus, I am under the illusion that unplugging it will make it last longer... is that stupid?!	Cheddar (10415)
471809	2006-07-18 22:45:00	Sounds like an interesting idea... but what exactly is that? Did a search on Google here in the UK and I can't seem to locate the item you are mentioning :( I think SolMiester was referring to NAS (Network Attached Storage) enclosures. They do tend to be quite a bit pricier than USB enclosures though...	MushHead (10626)
471810	2006-07-18 23:11:00	Can't help with the sharing part... I'm not good at sharing :D For the freezing problem you could try the following as it worked for me with my Maxtor when Windows would not recognise the drive: Switch off comp, unplug power supply cable (that's the one that goes to the wall socket), unplug external HD and leave the whole thing unplugged for a while (maybe 30 mins will do). Start comp back up as per normal. Strange but it worked a charm for me and quite a few other people. I've had no probs since.	Shortcircuit (1666)
471811	2006-07-18 23:23:00	For the freezing problem you could try the following as it worked for me with my Maxtor when Windows would not recognise the drive Thanks for that, but it's not Windows that has problems recognising the drive. The PC freezes during the initial BIOS boot screens when the mobo is detecting attached devices. It only freezes when the drive has spun down.	Cheddar (10415)
471812	2006-07-19 00:48:00	Cheddar, this is what you need..... www.pccasegear.com You should be able to find competitive prices in the UK	SolMiester (139)
471813	2006-07-19 07:17:00	The best way to solve this problem is to create a folder on your computer which you share (eg call it, say, "C:\Shared"). Inside that folder you create another folder (eg call it, say, "Maxtor") and use that folder as a mount point for the external drive. What this means is that your removable drive does not have a drive letter, but is instead attached to the folder called "Maxtor". The share for the folder "C:\Shared" is sucessfully recreated each boot, and when you attach the external drive it will mount in the folder "Maxtor" and be accessable via the "C:\Shared" folder. You will need to be using NTFS as the filesystem as a prerequisite. To remove the drive's letter and replace it with a mount point open 'Computer Management' by right clicking 'My Computer' and clicking 'Manage' Navigate to 'Disk Management' Right click the volume for the external drive and click 'Change Drive Letter and Paths...' Remove the drive letter currently assigned to it by selecting it and pressing the 'Remove' button. Then press the 'Add...' button. Select 'Mount in the following empty NTFS folder:' Use the 'Browse' button to navigate to the desired folder, eg "Maxtor" and Press OK. Now when you go to, eg "C:\Shared\Maxtor" you will see the contents of the external drive.	BIFF (1)
471814	2006-07-19 07:45:00	Biff....I like that idea, nice 1. :thumbs: However the PC needs to be on all the time, NAS would be my call if it were me. :cool:	SolMiester (139)
471815	2006-07-21 02:41:00	hi short solution, IMHO, is BIOS settings HALT at NONE but keyb... set refresh configuration data to YES (will become NO after first reboot) set plug play OS to YES. and, "I think" one can perhaps use a shared "synchronised map" folder, if it has to be sync'd. (saw prob elsewhere..) Kind regards, Jaak	kerremelk (10770)
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