External hd: can't connect on Windows machine
Okay, here's my situation:
I'm using the Airport Extreme and my network is currently laid out like this:
Just plugged in a brand new Western Digital hd to the usb port on the back of the Airport Extreme. My Macbook recognized it (had to use my shared disk password) and it works fine.
But my Windows PC won't let me connect to the external hd or recognize it. Even when it asks me for the password, it tells me failed login or whatever. I installed the software (Bonjour/Airport Utility), but I'm confused on how to let my Windows PC find it or connect to it...
I setup/configured my Airport Extreme on my Mac... am I suppose to configure my external hd's sharing abilities on my Windows PC using the Airport Utility, also?
And when I open up the Base Station utility on my Windows PC, it continualy keeps asking for my Base Station password as it tries to scan for it. Is that normal?
Thanks
I'm using the Airport Extreme and my network is currently laid out like this:
My problem is this:1.) Macbook connected wirelessly
2.) Windows XP SP2 PC w/ wired connection (ethernet)
Just plugged in a brand new Western Digital hd to the usb port on the back of the Airport Extreme. My Macbook recognized it (had to use my shared disk password) and it works fine.
But my Windows PC won't let me connect to the external hd or recognize it. Even when it asks me for the password, it tells me failed login or whatever. I installed the software (Bonjour/Airport Utility), but I'm confused on how to let my Windows PC find it or connect to it...
I setup/configured my Airport Extreme on my Mac... am I suppose to configure my external hd's sharing abilities on my Windows PC using the Airport Utility, also?
And when I open up the Base Station utility on my Windows PC, it continualy keeps asking for my Base Station password as it tries to scan for it. Is that normal?
Thanks
Comments
2) Install MacDrive 6 (5 day free trial) on your wintel. This will allow your windows PC to see the HD if it is formatted in HFS+ for the MAC (Go tp My Computer to see if it recognized by your PC) . You didn't say what format your WD HD is.
) Yes, you need to install Airport utilities (from AEBS CD) on your wintel machine.
2) Install MacDrive 6 (5 day free trial) on your wintel. This will allow your windows PC to see the HD if it is formatted in HFS+ for the MAC (Go tp My Computer to see if it recognized by your PC) . You didn't say what format your WD HD is.
Thanks for the replies. My Western Digital external hd is formatted in FAT32, but my PC doesn't recognize it when I go to My Computer (When I plug the hd directly into my PC, it recognizes it, but not when it's connected to the AE.). However, I didn't think I'd have to do anything else besides install the Airport utilities from the AEBS software... so the MacDrive 6 is required?
Do you think its a format issue that's not allowing my PC to not see it? Right now, it seems like it's a password problem when I'm using my Airport disk utility on my PC. My password that I have set up for the shared hd works on my Macbook, but my PC gives me the failed password message.
I think I might capture some screen shots to give you a (visual) idea of what I'm experiencing.
Thanks again.
Does Airport Extreme even share drives using the Windows drive networking protocol?
It mentions something about configuring Windows File Sharing using a Workgroup and WINS Server... here's how I have it set up:
So, I'm guessing maybe I should set something up with the Windows File Sharing Workgroup and WINS Server... If I am, I have no clue as to what I'm supposed to put in those 2 fields.
It mentions something about configuring Windows File Sharing using a Workgroup and WINS Server... here's how I have it set up:
So, I'm guessing maybe I should set something up with the Windows File Sharing Workgroup and WINS Server... If I am, I have no clue as to what I'm supposed to put in those 2 fields.
Since we have the exact same situation, let me tell you what I did to setup my network successfully.
I have a Macbook 13.3 " and a Sony TX160. I purchased the AEBS (the new one with 802.1 n capability). I have a 160 GB WD HD. I have one Canon S600 (CS) printer.
1) I installed the Airport utility CD (ACD) programs on my Mac and my Sony.
2) I went thru setup wizard to configure AEBS from the Mac.I entered a Master Password. My Mac recognized the AEBS and allowed connection to the internet.
3) I went thru setup wizard on the Sony so that my AEBS was recognized (needed the Master password). I was able to connect to the internet on my Sony via the AEBS. I went thru the Bonjour Printer setup wizard on the Sony to configure the CS printer.
4) I downloaded the freeware program Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC) to my Mac.
5) Using CCC, I formatted the WD HD to HFS+ jounalized.
6) The Mac recognized the WD HD.
7) I created a clone or duplicate of my Mac HD. If I need to, I can restore my Mac using this "cloned image" on the WD HD.
8 ) I connected the WD HD to the Sony and it was NOT recognized (My Computer did not show the presence of the WD HD).
9) I downloaded the trial version of MacDrive 6 onto the Sony. Now, the WD HD was recognized by the Sony. I dragged some test folders and files from the Sony onto the WD HD. One folder was 5 GB in size.
10) I connected the WD HD to my Mac and the WD HD was still recognized and the Windows files and folders were also recognized.
11) I dragged the 5GB windows folder and other windows files onto the Mac HD. No problems. I was able to open standard format files on the Mac (pdf, jpg, doc,xls, etc.
12) I connected the CS printer to the USB port on the AEBS. Both the Mac and Sony recognized the printer. I was able to print files from each computer on the CS.
13) I connected the WD HD to the USB port on the AEBS. The Mac and Sony both recognized the drive. On the Sony, the WHD HD shows up as a network drive when you click my computer. On the Mac, the WD HD shows up as a drive icon on the desktop.
14). I connected a 4 port USB hub to the USB port on the AEBS. I connected the CS and the WD HD to the hub and both devices are recognized on both computers. I can print to the CS from both printers. I can access files on the WD HD from both computers.
That's it. Hope this helps.
BTW, MacDrive 6 costs $50 but I think it will be worth it.
Since we have the exact same situation, let me tell you what I did to setup my network successfully.
I have a Macbook 13.3 " and a Sony TX160. I purchased the AEBS (the new one with 802.1 n capability). I have a 160 GB WD HD. I have one Canon S600 (CS) printer.
1) I installed the Airport utility CD (ACD) programs on my Mac and my Sony.
2) I went thru setup wizard to configure AEBS from the Mac.I entered a Master Password. My Mac recognized the AEBS and allowed connection to the internet.
3) I went thru setup wizard on the Sony so that my AEBS was recognized (needed the Master password). I was able to connect to the internet on my Sony via the AEBS. I went thru the Bonjour Printer setup wizard on the Sony to configure the CS printer.
4) I downloaded the freeware program Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC) to my Mac.
5) Using CCC, I formatted the WD HD to HFS+ jounalized.
6) The Mac recognized the WD HD.
7) I created a clone or duplicate of my Mac HD. If I need to, I can restore my Mac using this "cloned image" on the WD HD.
8 ) I connected the WD HD to the Sony and it was NOT recognized (My Computer did not show the presence of the WD HD).
9) I downloaded the trial version of MacDrive 6 onto the Sony. Now, the WD HD was recognized by the Sony. I dragged some test folders and files from the Sony onto the WD HD. One folder was 5 GB in size.
10) I connected the WD HD to my Mac and the WD HD was still recognized and the Windows files and folders were also recognized.
11) I dragged the 5GB windows folder and other windows files onto the Mac HD. No problems. I was able to open standard format files on the Mac (pdf, jpg, doc,xls, etc.
12) I connected the CS printer to the USB port on the AEBS. Both the Mac and Sony recognized the printer. I was able to print files from each computer on the CS.
13) I connected the WD HD to the USB port on the AEBS. The Mac and Sony both recognized the drive. On the Sony, the WHD HD shows up as a network drive when you click my computer. On the Mac, the WD HD shows up as a drive icon on the desktop.
14). I connected a 4 port USB hub to the USB port on the AEBS. I connected the CS and the WD HD to the hub and both devices are recognized on both computers. I can print to the CS from both printers. I can access files on the WD HD from both computers.
That's it. Hope this helps.
BTW, MacDrive 6 costs $50 but I think it will be worth it.
Thank you very much for listing all those steps. I will give it a go and let you know if it works.
I've got AEBS setup and working fine for couple of mac minis.
Lacie drive connected to the AEBS. Is seen by the macs and connects just fine (using disk access password set to admin). However when I try to connect from a sony laptop.. the agent picks up the drive and the password dialog is displayed, however as soon as I click OK... I get the dreaded "unknown user, incorrect password".
I've also tried changing the AEBS disk settings to Account users only, setting up guest enabled and disabled. Disabling the windows onecall firewall does not help either.
I followed lfe2211's directions and got MacdriveV7 installed. Both the Sony and the macs recognize the drive when directly connected via USB. But when connected to the AEBS... nothing doing on the Sony.
One point to mention I guess is that the AEBS is setup as master in a WDS with a couple of Airport Express units setup as remotes... maybe the WDS is causing an issue?!
Hope somebody out there brighter than me has figured this out!
Good luck.
I had exactly the same problem. In my case the problem turned out to be with Norton Internet Security, which was blocking the Airport Disk Agent. The easiest way to check whether this is happening is just to disable Norton IS and try again. For me at least, it worked like magic, and then the only issue was configuring Norton.
Good luck.
Good suggestion. I avoid Norton like the plague. I use AVG free edtion for anti-virus protection. Small footprint & doesn't slow down system like Norton. AVG Database is just as good as Norton.
Delighted
Thanks Guys for replies. The problem was not Norton for me and indeed would have been my first suspect. But I got rid of it a month ago... I use onecall now and that seems to work very nicely. The answer has come from the guys at Apple...They've come through with an auto-update that has done the job for me.
Delighted
Sparky7123,
Can you elaborate on the auto-update? Thanks.
This is a version update to airport utility ver. 5.1.0.14 that also makes updates to disk agent software. Not sure what the changes were, but this fix has worked for me.
The Apple automatic update utility suggested just today downloading and installing this update.
This is a version update to airport utility ver. 5.1.0.14 that also makes updates to disk agent software. Not sure what the changes were, but this fix has worked for me.
Thanks Sparky.
[IMG]
Just checking photobucket as my image upload service. Pretty cool pic.eh?
The Apple automatic update utility suggested just today downloading and installing this update.
This is a version update to airport utility ver. 5.1.0.14 that also makes updates to disk agent software. Not sure what the changes were, but this fix has worked for me.
Wow, it's been a while, lol. But this is what worked for me as well. I don't even need to use a password to connect via the AirPort Disk Agent. It just automatically recognizes the external hd.