External USB Drive on XP in AD domain

jmoon · 07-31-2007, 11:15 AM

I have an external USB drive I brought from home to work. I attached it to my XP system that is part of an Active Directory domain. I shared the drive with a coworker so they could have access to the same files. Now when I take the drive home I cannot access it on my home XP system. I am thinking that some of the domain attributes are lingering on the USB and it does not see me as being a logged in authorized user. The USB shows up in hardware devices and the properties say that is is RAW format. When I bring it back to work and reconnect it to my system there are no issues and the drive and data are accessible. Know of any way to strip the domain influence so I can take the USB home and back?
TY

kinbard · 07-31-2007, 11:53 AM

I can't see that being so. I use mine both at home and on a domain with AD. Is it just one pc you have this problem with at home? Can you try it on another pc that isn't connect to you work domain?

jmoon · 07-31-2007, 12:16 PM

Yes, when I brought it to work this morning and saw that is was fine on my work PC I attached it to another PC I have here that is off the domain. It is a 2003 server. That system showed it in the device manager but not at all in explorer. At least my home system had a drive show up in explorer but would not give access. I did this so I would not need to carry it back and forth for troubleshooting. I am positive that this is not a virus or other nasty code causing this problem. I have another box here but I think it has Linux on it now, need to check. If not it will be XP and I can try it there as well. Just have not booted that system in a while and don't remember the last OS.
-Joe

kinbard · 07-31-2007, 12:22 PM

Sorry, I've got no ideas

I've never heard of this happening before

jmoon · 07-31-2007, 12:24 PM

OK, I booted the system up and it was SuSe 10. I plugged the USB into that box and it worked just fine. It has to be something that the USB is retaining in permissions as it is moved from the AD to my home.
-Joe

kinbard · 07-31-2007, 12:26 PM

Neither I nor any of those I work with have see this before, so I am going to be learning right there with you...

jmoon · 07-31-2007, 12:53 PM

I will figure it out and let you know what I find.
-Joe

kinbard · 07-31-2007, 01:04 PM

Good luck. Hopefully someone will be along who has had this happen and knows the solution.

auntiej · 07-31-2007, 01:30 PM

you say you "shared" the drive with a co-worker, did you go through any particular procedure to set this up? Or do you just mean you shared it as in you lent it to him?

jmoon · 07-31-2007, 08:01 PM

I went to properties and shared the folder on the drive by giving permissions to that user in the domain. When they searched for my IP/Computer name they could call up the shared folder and access the files as if they had a local drive. Same thing as creating a sharepoint on a server and mapping a drive.
-Joe

auntiej · 08-01-2007, 08:46 AM

would you be able to "reverse" this procedure - I wonder if the ownership of your drive has been taken over, and you would need to "inherit" again.

jmoon · 08-01-2007, 09:52 AM

I think that may be what happened. I have already tried to take the permissions out but no luck. I need to find a way to take back ownership on my system not on the domain. I forgot to take the drive home with me yesterday so I was not able to try.
-Joe

auntiej · 08-02-2007, 12:53 PM

If you go to Properties (where you went to share the folder) is there any button/tab that says Security?

jmoon · 08-03-2007, 06:42 AM

Yes there is a security and a sharing tab in the properties window. I see that my domain login is the only entry. I have full control.
-Joe

stevebon · 08-03-2007, 07:39 AM

Do you need to re-assign a drive letter through computer management >> Disk management ???

auntiej · 08-03-2007, 08:54 AM

I don't suppose there's an Advanced button on the Security and Sharing tab? I ask because IIRC (in a long previous job!) when I had to take ownership of someone's profile I right clicked their profile folder, clicked on the security tab which appeared, and there was an advanced button there, it's difficult to remember all the detail now but there was something about inheriting parent folders etc etc.

jmoon · 08-03-2007, 12:07 PM

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the feedback.
I looked in the properties and at the advanced button like you said and I do have ownership of the drive/files and folders. One thing I did notice was that I have the drive itself shared. I think it would have been better if I had created a folder, moved the files into that folder and then share the newly created folder. I think that maybe creating the drive as the share itself is what has caused this problem. Will test that and let you know. One thing I just did was remove myself from the security tab as a user. I got the following warning.
You have denied everyone access to the WD USB 2. No one will be able to access the WD USB 2 and only the owner will be able to change the permissions. Do you wish to continue?
I think that taking this out will remove the domain security settings from the device.

-Joe

auntiej · 08-03-2007, 01:49 PM

Hi Joe,

Glad that I could point you in the right direction. Do let us know how you get on as it could help someone else in the future to follow a thread like this to the end.

jmoon · 08-06-2007, 05:05 AM

When I took myself out the drive disappeared from my work system. Had to add me back in to get access again. I remembered to take the drive home this time. When I plugged it into the home XP system the problem was the same. A drive letter would show up but give an access denied when I tried to access. The properties showed RAW format again with used space and free space at 0. I wound up doing a quick format on the drive. After that I had complete access and was able to reload all the data.
I have the drive here at work again and will change how I re-share and see if it happens again. Instead of sharing the drive I created a folder and put all the files in it as sub folders. I will share the main folder and see if the problem happens again.
-Joe

07-31-2007, 11:15 AM	#1 (permalink)
jmoon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 17 OS: xp	External USB Drive on XP in AD domain I have an external USB drive I brought from home to work. I attached it to my XP system that is part of an Active Directory domain. I shared the drive with a coworker so they could have access to the same files. Now when I take the drive home I cannot access it on my home XP system. I am thinking that some of the domain attributes are lingering on the USB and it does not see me as being a logged in authorized user. The USB shows up in hardware devices and the properties say that is is RAW format. When I bring it back to work and reconnect it to my system there are no issues and the drive and data are accessible. Know of any way to strip the domain influence so I can take the USB home and back? TY

07-31-2007, 11:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
kinbard Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 2,365 OS: Solaris 10, XP,SuSE10, 10.3,11, Freespire,PCLinuxOS, Vista HP, and a partridge in a pear tree	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain I can't see that being so. I use mine both at home and on a domain with AD. Is it just one pc you have this problem with at home? Can you try it on another pc that isn't connect to you work domain? __________________ Half viking, half pirate, stronger than both 5 Steps XP Repair

07-31-2007, 12:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
jmoon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 17 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain Yes, when I brought it to work this morning and saw that is was fine on my work PC I attached it to another PC I have here that is off the domain. It is a 2003 server. That system showed it in the device manager but not at all in explorer. At least my home system had a drive show up in explorer but would not give access. I did this so I would not need to carry it back and forth for troubleshooting. I am positive that this is not a virus or other nasty code causing this problem. I have another box here but I think it has Linux on it now, need to check. If not it will be XP and I can try it there as well. Just have not booted that system in a while and don't remember the last OS. -Joe

07-31-2007, 12:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
kinbard Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 2,365 OS: Solaris 10, XP,SuSE10, 10.3,11, Freespire,PCLinuxOS, Vista HP, and a partridge in a pear tree	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain Sorry, I've got no ideas I've never heard of this happening before __________________ Half viking, half pirate, stronger than both 5 Steps XP Repair

07-31-2007, 12:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
jmoon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 17 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain OK, I booted the system up and it was SuSe 10. I plugged the USB into that box and it worked just fine. It has to be something that the USB is retaining in permissions as it is moved from the AD to my home. -Joe

07-31-2007, 12:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
kinbard Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 2,365 OS: Solaris 10, XP,SuSE10, 10.3,11, Freespire,PCLinuxOS, Vista HP, and a partridge in a pear tree	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain Neither I nor any of those I work with have see this before, so I am going to be learning right there with you... __________________ Half viking, half pirate, stronger than both 5 Steps XP Repair

07-31-2007, 12:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
jmoon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 17 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain I will figure it out and let you know what I find. -Joe

07-31-2007, 01:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
kinbard Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 2,365 OS: Solaris 10, XP,SuSE10, 10.3,11, Freespire,PCLinuxOS, Vista HP, and a partridge in a pear tree	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain Good luck. Hopefully someone will be along who has had this happen and knows the solution. __________________ Half viking, half pirate, stronger than both 5 Steps XP Repair

07-31-2007, 01:30 PM	#9 (permalink)
auntiej Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 193 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain you say you "shared" the drive with a co-worker, did you go through any particular procedure to set this up? Or do you just mean you shared it as in you lent it to him?

07-31-2007, 08:01 PM	#10 (permalink)
jmoon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 17 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain I went to properties and shared the folder on the drive by giving permissions to that user in the domain. When they searched for my IP/Computer name they could call up the shared folder and access the files as if they had a local drive. Same thing as creating a sharepoint on a server and mapping a drive. -Joe

08-01-2007, 08:46 AM	#11 (permalink)
auntiej Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 193 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain would you be able to "reverse" this procedure - I wonder if the ownership of your drive has been taken over, and you would need to "inherit" again.

08-01-2007, 09:52 AM	#12 (permalink)
jmoon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 17 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain I think that may be what happened. I have already tried to take the permissions out but no luck. I need to find a way to take back ownership on my system not on the domain. I forgot to take the drive home with me yesterday so I was not able to try. -Joe

08-02-2007, 12:53 PM	#13 (permalink)
auntiej Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 193 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain If you go to Properties (where you went to share the folder) is there any button/tab that says Security?

08-03-2007, 06:42 AM	#14 (permalink)
jmoon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 17 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain Yes there is a security and a sharing tab in the properties window. I see that my domain login is the only entry. I have full control. -Joe

08-03-2007, 07:39 AM	#15 (permalink)
stevebon Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 19 OS: XP/2K Dual Boot	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain Do you need to re-assign a drive letter through computer management >> Disk management ???

08-07-2007, 09:30 AM	#20 (permalink)

08-03-2007, 08:54 AM	#16 (permalink)
auntiej Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 193 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain I don't suppose there's an Advanced button on the Security and Sharing tab? I ask because IIRC (in a long previous job!) when I had to take ownership of someone's profile I right clicked their profile folder, clicked on the security tab which appeared, and there was an advanced button there, it's difficult to remember all the detail now but there was something about inheriting parent folders etc etc.

08-03-2007, 12:07 PM	#17 (permalink)
jmoon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 17 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain Hi Guys, Thanks for the feedback. I looked in the properties and at the advanced button like you said and I do have ownership of the drive/files and folders. One thing I did notice was that I have the drive itself shared. I think it would have been better if I had created a folder, moved the files into that folder and then share the newly created folder. I think that maybe creating the drive as the share itself is what has caused this problem. Will test that and let you know. One thing I just did was remove myself from the security tab as a user. I got the following warning. You have denied everyone access to the WD USB 2. No one will be able to access the WD USB 2 and only the owner will be able to change the permissions. Do you wish to continue? I think that taking this out will remove the domain security settings from the device. -Joe

08-03-2007, 01:49 PM	#18 (permalink)
auntiej Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 193 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain Hi Joe, Glad that I could point you in the right direction. Do let us know how you get on as it could help someone else in the future to follow a thread like this to the end.

08-06-2007, 05:05 AM	#19 (permalink)
jmoon Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 17 OS: xp	Re: External USB Drive on XP in AD domain When I took myself out the drive disappeared from my work system. Had to add me back in to get access again. I remembered to take the drive home this time. When I plugged it into the home XP system the problem was the same. A drive letter would show up but give an access denied when I tried to access. The properties showed RAW format again with used space and free space at 0. I wound up doing a quick format on the drive. After that I had complete access and was able to reload all the data. I have the drive here at work again and will change how I re-share and see if it happens again. Instead of sharing the drive I created a folder and put all the files in it as sub folders. I will share the main folder and see if the problem happens again. -Joe