Windows Vista Vista network sees partition but folder empty

[Dangrab]

I have a NAS, which is a Seagate Free Agent drive attached by USB to a Linksys WRT350N router. Linksys tech support got me to the point where the partitions on the drive are visible to the network ( in Local security policy under Network security:LAN manager authentication level I set it to use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated ) which allowed me to log in to the router. Now the two partitions in the Seagate are visible in addition to the other computers on the network. However, when I click on the partition it says the folder is empty. (When I map the Seagate as a network drive on the Vista machine there is no problem seeing all the folders and files.)When I click on another computer on the network, either a Vista machine or an xp machine, all shared folders and files are available. This is the result from the Vista Ultimate machine. When I do the same from the xp pro machines I see all the shared sub folders and files of the Seagate.

I believe there is some other step that must be taken somewhere to allow me to see the folders and files. Needless to say this situation makes backing up to this drive somewhat difficult, to say the least.

I would appreciate any ideas or suggestions to get me straightened out

Dan

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you are facing some challenges with accessing the partitions on your Seagate FreeAgent drive connected to a Linksys WRT350N router. The issue seems to be related to visibility and access to the folders and files on the drive from different machines on your network. Here are a few troubleshooting steps and suggestions to help you resolve the issue: 1. Check Network Sharing Settings: - Ensure that network sharing is enabled on the Linksys router and all involved computers. - Verify that the folders and files you want to access are shared correctly with appropriate permissions set. 2. Workgroup Configuration: - Make sure that all the computers on the network, including the Vista and XP machines, are in the same workgroup. Having different workgroups can lead to visibility issues. 3. Drive Mapping: - Since you mentioned that mapping the Seagate drive as a network drive on the Vista machine works fine, try mapping the drive on the XP machines as well. This can sometimes resolve visibility issues. 4. Firewall and Antivirus Software: - Temporarily disable the firewall and antivirus software on the machines experiencing issues to check if they are blocking access to the shared folders. 5. Network Discovery Settings: - Ensure that Network Discovery is turned on in the Network and Sharing Center settings on all the machines. This allows the machines to see each other on the network. 6. Access Permissions: - Double-check the permissions set for the shared folders on the Seagate drive. Make sure that the appropriate permissions are granted to the users on the network. 7. Restart Devices: - Sometimes, simply restarting the router, NAS drive, and all the computers on the network can help resolve connectivity issues. 8. Update Router Firmware: - Check if there are any firmware updates available for your Linksys WRT350N router. Updating the firmware can potentially fix compatibility issues. 9. Use UNC Path: - Instead of browsing through network locations, try accessing the shared folders using the UNC path (e.g., \\computername\sharedfolder). By following these steps and ensuring proper network and sharing settings, you should be able to resolve the issue of not being able to see the folders and files on the Seagate FreeAgent drive from all the machines on your network. Let me know if you need further assistance or if you have any other questions!