Windows 7 Unable to reconnect to an external drive

[Radam3]

I just got a new laptop a week or so ago running windows 7. I set up everything I could when I first got it. All went well including the mapping of my external hard drive through my wireless network. I had connected to it multiple times, but now it will not let me. The drive still shows up under "computer" but it shows as a disconnected drive. When I try to reconnect it tells me "the network name can not be found" error code 0x80070043. I'm no computer pro, so layman's terms would be appreciated. I have not really changed anything since this problem began, except maybe downloading a program or two since last use of external. But nothing with my firewall, or anti-virus program.
Any help or insight would be much appreciated. I would like to avoid having to plug my external into my laptop each time I want to use anything on it.

 

[DavidGLyons]

How is the external drive mapped? If it is mapped by name, it is probably the case that the drive cannot be accessed because windows cannot resolve the name at the time that you try to connect.

You will see in other posts, that people recommend mapping using the IP address (e..g. Link Removed). But this IP address is possibly generated by your router and may change everytime you connect.

So, if you have connected by IP address, you need to make sure that your external drive is given a fixed IP address by your router.

If you want to connect by name (e.g. Link Removed) then the easiest way is to map the name onto the IP address in a file called Hosts which you will find in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.

either way, you really need to fix the IP address that is assigned to the drive by your router. It might be easier to diagnose your problem if you tell us what the mapping you have now looks like.

 

[Radam3]

Its is mapped by name. I would like to keep it this way, if possible.
What I don't understand is how it worked Saturday, and now (since i noticed yesterday) will no longer work??? When nothing with the IP, or anything else has changed

 

[DavidGLyons]

Are you sure the IP hasn't changed?
How is the external drive connected to the router?
What happens if you type Link Removed (where name is the name used in your mapping) in windows explorer?

 

[Radam3]

the external drive is connected through an old desktop running XP. I have went through that and made sure everything was allowed, and set up correctly. I checked the IP address, it has not changed. My laptop finds the network name but keeps telling me it cant find the external and that i may have spelled the drive name incorrectly (which i have not.) I also disconnected basically everything, the mapped drive, the external its self, shut down both computers, still nothing. And now since I disconnected the mapped drive, it is unable to find anything now. My biggest question is, how did i work saturday, nothing has been changed, and now it doesnt work???

 

[DavidGLyons]

I don't know why it worked and now it doesn't. However, although I understand your frustration and have shared it many times, it doesn't surprise me a great deal. There are too many variables.

I take it then that your XP machine is hard wired into your router?
Can you access other shares on your XP machine (I guess you may not have shared anything - if not share the C drive and see if you can access that).

Also, can you tell me what happens when you type Link Removed (where XPMachineName is the name of your XP machine) into the windows explorer window on your laptop?

Have you read this Link Removed? It might give you some clues.

Do you have the Windows Firewall switched on on either machine? If so, try turning it off.

I'm no expert so hopefully somebody else will step in soon to give you a hand, but in any case see if you can answer the questions above. We may be able to muddle through. I got your scenario working on a neighbours system a week ago so it's probably worth persevering.

 

[Trouble]

the external drive is connected through an old desktop running XP. I have went through that and made sure everything was allowed, and set up correctly. I checked the IP address, it has not changed. My laptop finds the network name but keeps telling me it cant find the external and that i may have spelled the drive name incorrectly (which i have not.) I also disconnected basically everything, the mapped drive, the external its self, shut down both computers, still nothing. And now since I disconnected the mapped drive, it is unable to find anything now. My biggest question is, how did i work saturday, nothing has been changed, and now it doesnt work???

You had everyone including myself assuming that it was a Network Attached Storage Device (NAS) but it seems that it is a USB or FireWire or eSATA, drive being shared by a Windows XP computer. You are going to have to take a leap of faith and believe that something has changed, I know, I know Nothing Has Changed, well temporarily suspend your disbelief and try uninstalling all third party software on the XP machine that might have something to do with networking. I am speaking specifically about Firwalls (Comodo, ZoneAlarm, etc) also any Internet Security Suites (Norton, McAfee, etc) as well as any antivirus applications. Just uninstall them from the XP machine, not disable or turn off...you can always reinstall them later. See if that has any impact on your problem and post back please.