Autimatically accessing external HD through a networked computer

spiers69spiers69
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
Ok, here's the scenario:



we've got two networked computers connected to a router. And one external HD with everyone's music on it. One computer is mine, while my mother and sister share the other.



How can i automate it so that when my computer is turned on (and the external HD is plugged in and on) so that it automatically loads on the OTHER computer's desktop? Currently both have file sharing turned on and can share everything.



I just want to know how to make this automatic so that it is easy for my mother and sister to access their mp3s... thanks



Also, the computer with the ext. HD plugged in only has 1 User Account to automatically logs in at startup.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    baranovichbaranovich Posts: 184member
    Open System Preferences and then Accounts. Click the plus sign to get more options and select the Startup tab. Then drag the HD into the list. Now, whenever you log in, the computer will mount (or at least attempt to mount) the HD. I have my fileserver setup to do this on my laptop and it works very well.
  • Reply 2 of 4
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by baranovich

    Open System Preferences and then Accounts. Click the plus sign to get more options and select the Startup tab. Then drag the HD into the list. Now, whenever you log in, the computer will mount (or at least attempt to mount) the HD. I have my fileserver setup to do this on my laptop and it works very well.



    But if I understand him correctly, he wants for the remote computer to "know" that the volume is available when the computer that the volume is connected to is turned on.



    In other words, his mom is surfing at her computer. If she has the volume listed as a startup item, it won't be able to mount it when she logs in and it will throw an error dialog.



    Then when he boots his machine, I don't think that his mom's machine will be constantly polling to see if the volume is available. She would have to go to connect to server and mount it.



    This could be done with some fancy AppleScript, where his machine executes the mount volume command on her machine as part of his machine's startup sequence....like if you shared a house with 2 roommates, the electricity had been turned off for non-payment, you went and paid the bill, and then you have to go to each roommate's room and flip the light switch.
  • Reply 3 of 4
    spiers69spiers69 Posts: 418member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by baranovich

    Open System Preferences and then Accounts. Click the plus sign to get more options and select the Startup tab. Then drag the HD into the list. Now, whenever you log in, the computer will mount (or at least attempt to mount) the HD. I have my fileserver setup to do this on my laptop and it works very well.



    This seems to be exactly what i wanted. Thank you
  • Reply 4 of 4
    baranovichbaranovich Posts: 184member
    No problem, its a very useful feature that isn't very well known.
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