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External Hard Drive and shared files

1K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  jdtech90 
#1 ·
I use an external drive connected to my pc for all my "shared folders", but dont always have the hard drive on or in use. When i turn the hard drive on while in windows the hard drive connects but i must restart to have folders on the network, enless i already have the hard drive on when i start the pc. My question is is there anything i can do like enable a setting so the hard drive will appear on the network without having to restart the pc? If not is there any autorun files i could create to do this? Thank you.
 
#2 ·
i must restart to have folders on the network
I'm not sure what you mean by folders on the network? Are these drives mapped on the other computers? Or are the files no longer shared when you plug the drive in? If the folders are shared, when you plug the drive in, the other computers can go to the Search or Run box and type the computer name of the computer that has the external attached to it to access the files. (ex) \\[computername] or the IP address (ex) \\192.168.1.2 and press enter and a window opens with the shared drives/folders and printers.
If this drive/folders are mapped on another computer. Then go to Disk Management and change the drive letter for the external, so that it comes up with that same drive letter every time, then it won't loose the map.
 
#3 · (Edited)
i have certain folders on my external hard drive that is connected to my pc. (music and such). These folders are shared throughout my network to all other pcs and devices. Everything works great. But i must have booted the pc with the hard drive on to have all this available. If the hard drive is switched off when the pc boots up (like it usually is) when i finally decide to use it or need to access it via network and i just simply switch it on the pc recognizes the device and i can access it via the pc it is connected to, but when i go into my network on the other pc type in credentials (if not already remembered) to gain access, the "shared folders" on my external hard drive do not appear enless i restart the pc. (Although the only shared folder on my internal hd always is) Its as if windows does not refresh the network after the hard drive has connected.

I was just thinking in this day and age windows should be smart enough to kno wen u turn on an external device with "shared files and folders" on it that it should detect that automatically and not need a full restart to get things to recognize. If there isnt something i can do within windows is there maybe an exe or command that will automate this restart of the network in order to get the network refreshed. Simply disableing and re-enabling the network adapter hasent worked and niether has ipconfig /release. Like i said all is well wen starting pc with external hd on. its just getting the network to recognize the hd if it wasnt. Just something thats always bugged me.

Also my external uses drive Z: and always has to avoid them sort of conflicts.
 
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