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Accessing media files (mp3s, videos) on external USB hard drive via DLNA device

Anonymous
2011-05-17T19:49:52+00:00

Hi,

I have a desktop with Windows 7 home premium edition with an external USB hard drive attached to it. I have all my music files and videos on the external drive.

I've added the music and video folders to my music and video library in the windows through windows explorer, I've also added them in the windows media center library and in the windows media player library.

When I use my DLNA capable device (PS3, google TV), I can't see the files that I've added to my library. But if I copy the files directly into My Music or My Video folders in the C drive, then my DLNA device can see it.

I even try to open the networked library on my laptop that also has Windows 7 home premium and still can't see the file that is located on the external drive.

Please help!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-05-28T08:54:39+00:00

    Hi,

    I had the same problem.

    In addition to setting up sharing and streaming in Windows Media Player, you also need to set folder and file permissions on the USB external drive. Make sure that Everyone has Full Control to the folders containing your music and videos. (Right click on the folder, select Properties, select the Security tab, click Edit, click Add, type in Everyone, click OK, tick Full Control, click OK again until you exit the properties window). If you have a large number of files, it may take a little while for all the permissions to update.

    As always, consider any security risks with giving Everyone full permission to a folder. There may also be a lesser set of permissions that will still make this work. I will do some more testing and let you know.

    Hope this helps,

    Grant

    http://www.castnerit.com.au

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-06-03T22:04:50+00:00

    I just realized that the issue is that everytime the desktop pc (the one with the USB drive) went to sleep, and woke back up, the other DLNA devices cannot recognize the library in the USB drive anymore. However, other media files in the regular C drive still works.

    The only remedy I found so far is to actually restart the desktop pc in order for the files in the USB drive to be recognized again. This is a stupid bug in windows.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-05-18T18:08:51+00:00

    I don't think I've changed anything significant in my pc lately.

    I've tried removing and re-adding the music folder in the external drive into the library in my windows media center, but it still doesn't work.

    Do I need to do the same thing (remove, add into library) in the windows media player and/or the my music/video Library in the windows explorer?

    I think I already did set the sharing setup for the files with everyone.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-05-18T17:54:26+00:00

    Hi,

    ·         Do you remember making any recent changes to computer?

    I would suggest you to share the files which you are trying to view from the DLNA device and laptop (which is on the external hard drive). Follow the steps from the following article link to share the files:

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Share-files-with-someone

    Hope this helps.

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