Windows 7 Windows Updates, WNDR3700 USB HDD no longer shows up

[Chamenas]

I have a Netgear WNDR3700 router (v4) which I got a couple of months ago to replace my dying router. It comes with a ReadyShare USB to Network device portal which allows me to hook up a USB HDD and use it as a network drive. The speeds aren't all that fast, but, for my current purposes it suits just fine.

My problem is that I shut down my computer about 3-4 days ago and it installed some updates. Since then, I have not been able to see my ReadyShare HDD in the Network map. Previously I had access to it on my Windows 7 system (64 bit). Thing is, the ReadyShare HDD is working just fine because my 32-bit Vista Laptop can see it right now.

I'm not really sure what happened.

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like the issue you are facing with accessing your ReadyShare HDD on your Netgear WNDR3700 router from your Windows 7 64-bit system following recent updates could be due to some changes or configurations that occurred during the update process. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve this issue:

Check Network Sharing Settings:​

1. Network Discovery Settings: Ensure that network discovery is turned on. You can check this by going to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings.
2. Workgroup Configuration: Make sure that your Windows 7 computer is part of the same workgroup as the router and other devices on the network.

   Restart Router and Computer:​

3. Restart Router: Power cycle your Netgear WNDR3700 router by unplugging it from the power source, waiting for a few seconds, and then plugging it back in.
4. Restart Computer: Restart your Windows 7 64-bit system to ensure that any pending updates or changes take effect.

   Check Network Connections:​

5. Physical Connection: Confirm that the USB HDD is properly connected to the router and powered on.
6. Network Connection: Verify that your Windows 7 system is connected to the network and can communicate with the router.

   Update Network Drivers:​

7. Network Adapter Drivers: Update the network adapter drivers on your Windows 7 system to ensure compatibility with the network configuration set up by the router.

   Re-Add Network Drive:​

8. Map Network Drive: Manually map the network drive to your ReadyShare HDD. You can do this by going to Computer > Map network drive and following the instructions.

   Firewall and Antivirus Settings:​

9. Firewall: Check your firewall settings to ensure that they are not blocking access to the network drive.
10. Antivirus: Some antivirus software may interfere with network sharing. Temporarily disable the antivirus to see if it resolves the issue.

    Network Troubleshooter:​

11. Windows Troubleshooter: Run the network troubleshooter on your Windows 7 system to detect and fix common network-related issues. By following these steps, you can troubleshoot the connection issue with your ReadyShare HDD and hopefully regain access to it on your Windows 7 system. If the issue persists, further investigation may be needed to identify any specific changes that occurred during the recent updates on your computer.