# Windows 8 no longer recognizing external HDD on network



## Arshes Nei (Oct 28, 2012)

I am using an Asus router and have my external drive plugged into the USB. All my machines that are running windows 7 can see it fine under "Network" and list it as a Computer and I can access all files.

When I updated one of my machines to Windows 8 it will no longer see the device listed under there. It will only read it as a media DLNA device so I cannot access all my files like I could previously. 

What can I do to fix it - since it works fine under Windows 7 (and no not downgrade from Windows 8 )


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## Bulveye (Oct 28, 2012)

Are all the computers on the same homegroup? 
This may help: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Fo...l/thread/d9f09463-364a-4252-b5f0-8f2f8f9e9f54


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## Arshes Nei (Oct 28, 2012)

Bulveye said:


> Are all the computers on the same homegroup?
> This may help: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Fo...l/thread/d9f09463-364a-4252-b5f0-8f2f8f9e9f54



They are all part of the same Workgroup. Homegroup isn't always necessary and meaningless when we're talking about an external Drive plugged in via USB via router. In fact, Workgroups  seems to be broken as it was with Windows 7. As I said it worked fine in Windows 7 but does not work right in Windows 8.


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## Bulveye (Oct 28, 2012)

Ahh I see what you're saying, the hard drive is going through the router itself. Shit, I need to upgrade my router, that sounds convenient! 
I don't have any experience with those, but I assume that the router is giving the hard drive an IP address or some DNS to resolve to. Have you checked your router's control panel to find that info? Once you have that you can try to map the network drive manually. Those settings should also be saved in your windows 7 machines. 
I haven't tried Windows 8 yet so I wouldn't know how to troubleshoot connectivity problems from there if you can't connect to the hard drive's IP. You could always waste an hour of your life sitting on Asus's customer support line and power cycling your router 25 times before they escalate your call to someone who can actually help!


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## Arshes Nei (Oct 28, 2012)

Yeah I like this router. ASUS RT-N66U. Even my Smartphone can access the external from where ever I'm at. It's very convenient in case you forget something. 

Fortunately, I got it fixed. I unmounted the drive and just redid sharing again, and allowed the media server to access the entire drive. It won't show up under "Network" but it shows up as a Media device - fortunately since I can access all the folders I want it makes it easier.

I had it set up so when I have have to do installs the software is on that drive too. Specially since I keep older programs. 

Now I can deal with the other BS that Windows 8 is giving me ...man the UAC/access is worse this time. I tried to run Open Canvas 1.1 and it keeps blocking (with something other than UAC) it so I'll need to put it on a whitelist or something.

Well never mind. I still can't access all the files as DLNA and it refuses to see the drive on the network like it does in Windows 8. I even tried navigating to it and Windows 8 refuses to acknowledge it exists.

I'd downgrade but I need one computer up with  W8 to help diagnose issues and troubleshooting.


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