Windows 7 Media Center Shared Folder

[dgh1981]

I am currently testing out Media Center and trying to add a shared library folder for Music off of another networked machine. This machine's hostname begins with a ".". So, it looks like "\\.host\shared folder". When I try to connect to this share, Media Center will report "A valid shared folder must be entered to continue". If I try to enter a share name without the "." it will attempt a connection.

At the desktop level Windows 7 connects to the shared folder with the "." just fine. Media Center is the only one that will not. I tried mapping drive letters to this path and then trying to monitor local drives, but it still would not see the contents of the folder.

Anyone have any insight? Thanks!

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you are encountering an issue with Windows Media Center when trying to add a shared library folder for Music from another networked machine whose hostname begins with a ".". Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve this issue: 1. Use UNC Path: Make sure you are using the correct UNC (Universal Naming Convention) path format when adding the shared folder. Instead of "\\.host\shared folder", try using the full UNC path like "\\hostname\shared folder". 2. Check Network Connectivity: Ensure that there are no network connectivity issues between the machines. You can test this by trying to access the shared folder using Windows Explorer or by pinging the hostname from the Windows Media Center machine. 3. Network Discovery: Make sure that Network Discovery is turned on for both the machine sharing the folder and the Windows Media Center machine. This setting allows your computer to see other network computers and devices. 4. Check Permissions: Verify that the shared folder has the appropriate permissions set to allow access to the Media Center machine. Check both the share permissions and the NTFS permissions on the shared folder. 5. Firewall Settings: Check the firewall settings on both machines to ensure that file and printer sharing is allowed. You may need to create exceptions for File and Printer Sharing in the firewall settings. 6. Alternative Methods: If the issue persists, you can try alternative methods such as mapping a drive to the shared folder on the Media Center machine and then adding the mapped drive as a library folder in Windows Media Center. 7. Restart Services: Sometimes restarting the necessary services related to file sharing and network discovery can resolve connectivity issues. You can restart the "Server" service on the machine sharing the folder and the "Workstation" service on the Media Center machine. By following these steps, you should be able to troubleshoot the issue you are facing with adding a shared library folder for Music in Windows Media Center. If you continue to experience difficulties, feel free to provide more details for further assistance.