My Book - file sharing with Windows XP question

I recently got a western digital my book 320gb usb drive, i installed it and backed up all my files and for some reason it wont show on the other computers on my home file sharing windows xp network. I can see the other computers on my pc that are sharing files, but it does not see my book, i turned on file sharing for the folders i wanted to share on the usb drive, any advice plz??

 

have you gone in & shared the actual drive itself (not the folders)

 

I share a mybook on a vista and xp network...

As the previous user stated, make sure that you share out the drive it self. Then when you go to find the drive on your other pc's make sure that you are going:

Start>Settings>Network connections>My Network Places> View Work Group Computers <!This will be under network tasks...

Some times it will not be there, for whatever reason. If this happens, just below that sais (other places)

Make sure that is lowered via the arrows pointing down and click on Microsoft Windows Network. Click that, then you will see several tiny little pc's networked together. Click on workgroup and you should see the computer name that is hosting the mybook. You should be able to go from there.:-D

 

Weird, i shared the whole drive and I can see all of the houses shared files on my computer but not mine on the other 2 pcs, but the other 2 pcs can see each others shared files , also when i goto open a shared directory on PC 1 or 2 it is now prompting me for username and PW, which it never did that before

I think i may know why, could it be my set up ?

PC 1 and 2 are hooked to my main router which is hooked to the digital cable modem, then i have about an 80 ft wired ethernet cord which goes under the house to my room PC3 hooked to another wireless router in my room (I also use that router for my xbox 360)

It seems to share movies and music with my xbox 360, and on PC3 i can see PC 1 and 2's files but not the other way around PC 1 and 2 can only see each others files not PC 3's

Do I need to plug the digital cable modem to my router instead since this will me the main PC i guess sharing files to the other PC's in my house? when i clicked view workgroup computers from my network places it only shows my pc (pc 3)

 

sorry i do not have an edit option to add more stuff to my previous post

i found this article on the western digital my books saying that they have some kind of built in thing on them so i cant share media.. what kind of BS is that, there has to be a work around, i produce music , how am i suppose to share my mp3 files with my computer in the other room? or legit media i download?

http://www.informationweek.com/news/storage/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=204702710

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2229868,00.asp

I dont know though last article says for western digital my book world edition, i have the my book home edition 320gb usb

 

Ok i Just got off the phone with tech support at western digital , they say that is the way they are built. It can not share files on my local home network because it does not have a ethernet cord plugin on it. Is this true? I have another USB drive the same type pretty much (40gb ) and it works great sharing files with the other computers in my house.

There has to be a work around with this or something, i got it to share a couple times with my xbox360, but have no idea how i did it, just messing around with settings and it worked but everytime i shut down the my book i have to redo all of the settings again on my pc and windows media player to make it work

 

are all the PCs in the same workgroup? The password thing makes me think not or that the sharing privledges are not set up right. Also, You probably have 2 different subnets running which could be a problem. If you have 2 routers, they are both by default giving out DHCP which would create the 2 different subnets, you should be able to disable that on the one that ISN'T plugged into the modem

 

ahhh yes! I beleive it is the second. My first routers default was 192.168.2.1 and the other is 192.168.1.1, so two diffrent subnets sounds like it could be the problem. Yes I labelled all of the computers in my home net "HOME" for the workgroup and my current pc is dual booted running both windows xp pro and unbuntu, (could that be a reason, windows drive sharing with ubuntu?)

so on my second router the one that is default 192.168.2.1 could i set that as an access point with default address 192.168.1.200? the one connected to the cable modem is a netgear which is now showing all of a sudden as a "residential gateway" what does that mean? is just started happening about an hour ago, is my system hacked? what do you suggest to fix this mess? thank you!!!!!!

 

just disable the DHCP on the wireless one & it will get it's IP from the other router, obviously you need to secure BOTH routers by changing the default PW if you haven't already & make sure encryption is set up on the wireless one. You will probably need to reboot at LEAST the wireless router, possibly all after changing the DHCP settings. Clueless about the Linux thing, Adrynalyne would probably be the best one to ask on that

Hope this helps

(oh, & see, your posts DO get answered)

 

Both routers are wireless, i tried to turn DHCP off on one and it kept giving me limited connectivity on the pc hooked to that router. I tried assigning a pool of 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.20 for the IP pool, and tried not assigning anything, I reset it after changing the router settings, this is the default router ip 192.168.2.1 didnt seem to like the ip address change, and yes WharfRat you have been a very awesome help so far!! thanks

 

did you reboot the PCs after making the DHCP change? Also, you turned off the DHCP on the one NOT connected to the modem, correct? (It sounds like that is not the case with the 2 subnet)

 

Yes, Mybooks will NOT work online or local networks.. period..

im sure their is a work around but i dont know how to do it, eaitherway im not mad i purchased it, it has served me well for fixing peoples computers, i have everything on the my book i just plugin to their pc and install