2011-07-01, 07:19
hey guys, sorry if this is in the wrong thread. Also want to say sorry if the thread tends to run on, im tired and just want to state every info on my current set up so i can get the best possible solution.
I want some advice or suggestions on how to set up file sharing for my HTPC and other things in my house. My computer's info is in my sig.
Currently my HTPC is running windows 7 Ultimate 64bit with just XBMC installed. The file server i set up is just an old Compaq computer i had not being used and i did a fresh install of XP professional SP3 and hooked my external USB HDD (which has all my media i want Shared) and i just right clicked and set up to share that drive. as of now, there's only 2 people accessing these files. I am with my HTPC and my father is with his Western Digital TV live plus (though WiFi). The Western Digital tv live plus plays the movies fine (might have to update my router being that its not gigabit and is kinda slow for wifi HD media streaming) but its kinda finicky with accessing the file share. first, it takes for ever to just connect though wifi (just an issue with the WDTV) then once its connected, it sometimes doesn't see the network share. i have the server comp set to go to sleep mode if inactive for 1 hour. well the WDTV does not wake on lan but my HTPC does. i have to use a smart phone app to WOL.
now this is the main issue i am having. once the server is on. sometimes it decides to go to sleep right after waking up (even though i have it set to not go to sleep for 1 hour of inactivity) sometimes when its up and running when im on my HTPC i can stream movies just fine BUT when i go to my computer and to networks it shows my local HTPC, my step sisters computer, my personal computer but not the server
?? the server is on and i am streaming videos from it but in the networks tab it sometimes takes its sweet time to refresh into that directory EVEN THOUGH i am playing files off of it?? not sure if this is an issue with is running a heavily modded XP build (black edition) and its not playing nice with the Window 7 computers in the house?
i was thinking about downloading a media server program and just have that run and have it run under UPnP so the WDTV drive can see the files fast without jumping threw hoops looking for the directories the files are located in and i can easily get to them on my computer to add new media
what do you guys recommend? what are your current set ups? i was thinking about ATTEMPTING to load windows 7 on that old computer (doubt it will run being it only has 512MB of ram) and see if i set up a homegroup within windows 7 it would stay in the network tab like it should rather then just appearing whenever it feels like it.
I'm also considering just Ditching the server all together and replacing my external drive with this.
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=280
not familiar with NAS's. i plan on upgrading my router with a gigabit router and i want to be able to take full advantage of file transfer speeds over the network when copying to and from the drive.
the server computer is outdated, only has the old 5.0V 32bit pci slots in it so if i do get a gigabit NIC card for it, the pci slot will bottle neck it probably. and my current external usb drive is usb 3.0 and a 3.0 card need a pci express slot which the server comp does not have.
I want some advice or suggestions on how to set up file sharing for my HTPC and other things in my house. My computer's info is in my sig.
Currently my HTPC is running windows 7 Ultimate 64bit with just XBMC installed. The file server i set up is just an old Compaq computer i had not being used and i did a fresh install of XP professional SP3 and hooked my external USB HDD (which has all my media i want Shared) and i just right clicked and set up to share that drive. as of now, there's only 2 people accessing these files. I am with my HTPC and my father is with his Western Digital TV live plus (though WiFi). The Western Digital tv live plus plays the movies fine (might have to update my router being that its not gigabit and is kinda slow for wifi HD media streaming) but its kinda finicky with accessing the file share. first, it takes for ever to just connect though wifi (just an issue with the WDTV) then once its connected, it sometimes doesn't see the network share. i have the server comp set to go to sleep mode if inactive for 1 hour. well the WDTV does not wake on lan but my HTPC does. i have to use a smart phone app to WOL.
now this is the main issue i am having. once the server is on. sometimes it decides to go to sleep right after waking up (even though i have it set to not go to sleep for 1 hour of inactivity) sometimes when its up and running when im on my HTPC i can stream movies just fine BUT when i go to my computer and to networks it shows my local HTPC, my step sisters computer, my personal computer but not the server
?? the server is on and i am streaming videos from it but in the networks tab it sometimes takes its sweet time to refresh into that directory EVEN THOUGH i am playing files off of it?? not sure if this is an issue with is running a heavily modded XP build (black edition) and its not playing nice with the Window 7 computers in the house? i was thinking about downloading a media server program and just have that run and have it run under UPnP so the WDTV drive can see the files fast without jumping threw hoops looking for the directories the files are located in and i can easily get to them on my computer to add new media
what do you guys recommend? what are your current set ups? i was thinking about ATTEMPTING to load windows 7 on that old computer (doubt it will run being it only has 512MB of ram) and see if i set up a homegroup within windows 7 it would stay in the network tab like it should rather then just appearing whenever it feels like it.
I'm also considering just Ditching the server all together and replacing my external drive with this.
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=280
not familiar with NAS's. i plan on upgrading my router with a gigabit router and i want to be able to take full advantage of file transfer speeds over the network when copying to and from the drive.
the server computer is outdated, only has the old 5.0V 32bit pci slots in it so if i do get a gigabit NIC card for it, the pci slot will bottle neck it probably. and my current external usb drive is usb 3.0 and a 3.0 card need a pci express slot which the server comp does not have.
