Windows 10 problem with file explorer, Core and NAS

Posted by: Chris G on 07 January 2019

My Core and NAS (the latter used with ND5XS) are all connected to the same network as is my windows 10 PC.  All has been working OK but today when I open file explorer on my PC, although the NAS and Core both appear, but when I click on either, windows media player opens.  I usually find them in the listing of folders under the network and can open them to view, edit and transfer files.  Now both appear in explorer, under media devices which, when I click on them, opens media player.  Can anyone help please?  I can't find how to correct the settings which have obviously changed.  I can't find a way to make them just appear as folders to open and manage my music.

Thanks to anyone who knows the solution - I'm sure it's a simple change when you know how!

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by garyi

Actually its the vageries of windows 10 at the moment, when you goto network what should happen is those devices appear at the top of the list, these are 'CIFS/SMB' shares which you have been used to using.

 

The ones under it are UPNP devices which as you have seen do not work properly.

To fix:

Click on network in an open explorer window. In the search bar type \\deviceip* and click enter. It will then load the CIFS/SMB share you should now right click each share in the folder and map network drive.

 

*The device IP you will have to find out, either in your router or using something like Net Analyser for IOS, the ip will take the form of a set of numbers such as 192.168.0.101.

 

 

There is a work around be renabling SMB 1.1, which is now off in 10, but to be fair its off for a reason.

 

You can also connect with the devices host name if you know what that is, again in network in the search bar type \\hostname. This is more stable as it will always be that where as ip address can change if not fixed.

 

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by Chris G

Hi Gary, thanks for your prompt help.  It's probably me misinterpreting what you are asking me to do.  I have found the ip address for my hub, also for the core and nas, but when I enter these individually in the search bar, preceded by \\ I get the error message "windows cannot access". 

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by garyi

hi so just to be clear you have to be in the network section of the side bar of an open explorer window. Theis will show you those UPNP devices etc. In that window at the top is like a search bar, delete everything in it and type \\192.168.0.111 (Or what ever your ip is)

 

Not for the hub but for your nas or core thingy.

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by garyi

This assumes the core can be accessed by CIFS/SMB, I assume so but dont know

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by Chris G

Hi Gary, I have clicked on "network" in the side section of file explorer, typed my nas address (192.xxx.x.xx) in the search bar and get the same negative.  In the network section of file explorer, the Core and NAS appear on the right under "media devices".  Previously when all was working I would click on network, and the two would appear by name underneath network at the side so I could open them.  Somehow I need to reconfigure the two to reappear as they used to do.  I don't think I've altered anything and both were behaving perfectly before today.  I've also tried re-booting the hub, rebooting the Core and NAS, all to no effect.

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by garyi

It’s unlikely to be anything you have done windows seems to be having issues of late.

 

let me have a think

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by garyi

could you try putting the Nases IP address into your web browser, does that get you to its interface?

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by Chris G

Thanks Gary.  Firstly typing the 192.etc in to the web browser does take me to the nas drive.  Secondly, no problem in stating the obvious, but I was typing the \\ in to the address input in file explorer.  At this point I don't know where else to go with this.  Perhaps a chat with Naim support might help.  Thanks, Gary.

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by geepee

I, too, am having exactly the same problem with my Unitiserve; I cannot access the "downloads" folder. I can access the US by typing the IP address in the web browser, but when I try to search for it in File Explorer I get the message "No items match your search". Perhaps, I will also have to contact Naim.

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by james n

A similar issue caught me out recently when i found i couldn't access the share folder on my Melco from my Sonos system that had been working fine. Not sure if it's related to the problems you are having ?

Windows10 ver.1809 or later version cannot access SMB sharing folder without ID/Password. 

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by notnaim man

Same for me with my Melco N1A.

Two answers - the following now appears on the Melco website

To follow PC OS update, MELCO set ID and PASSWORD to be accessed from PC.

( N1 FW Ver. 3.90, N10/N100 FW Ver. 1.02)

If the credential window appears on a computer, enter “nobody” for both username and password, then click OK.

Then, for some unknown reason, each time I switch the Melco on its ip address increases by three, it has been 198.***.*.104, today it reached .116. My firewall is set by default to allow addresses up to .110

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by garyi

Yes this has been a recent update by windows in regards to security around SMB sharing, I had not realised a password now has to be entered.

I guess then that could be down to manufacturers to sort.

Posted on: 07 January 2019 by garyi

In regards to the nas there is no doubt an option to add a password to the share within there interface

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by james n
notnaim man posted:

Same for me with my Melco N1A.

Two answers - the following now appears on the Melco website

To follow PC OS update, MELCO set ID and PASSWORD to be accessed from PC.

( N1 FW Ver. 3.90, N10/N100 FW Ver. 1.02)

If the credential window appears on a computer, enter “nobody” for both username and password, then click OK.

Then, for some unknown reason, each time I switch the Melco on its ip address increases by three, it has been 198.***.*.104, today it reached .116. My firewall is set by default to allow addresses up to .110

Thanks I found that and fixed the issue a few weeks back after the latest FW update - I was just reporting that this may be a similar issue to what the OP was seeing.

Without going too much off topic, why not turn DHCP off on your Melco, fix the IP address and then reserve this IP address on the router ?

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by garyi

Well you dont need to do all of those things, either fix the ip or reserve it on the router. 

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by Chris G

So, if we now have to enter a password, where and how do we do so?  Presumably there is a mechanism to create a password for the Core and NAS drive?  Is this another case of Msoft meddling and upsetting users' computers without a by your leave?  If this is the case, they should be held accountable, though no doubt their terms and conditions rule out any liability on their part.  Can Naim help with the Core?  I have emailed Naim about the problem and await their response.  Is anyone else having these difficulties?

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by garyi

Chris Windows have been quite clear as has the rest of the industry in that SAMBA/SMB Vs 1 and I think 2 are insecure so they have been in the process of depreciation for these protocols, its not a by/your leave thing its like VPN PPTP, widely used a few years ago but gradually made obsolete due to its poor security standards. It annoys some people for a while but you adapt. *

 

You will probably find an update for your nas otherwise you should be able to set a password in the settings for the share, at least you'll be able to see that one. Then you should be able to put that in the core for it to link to it. But I guess naim will need to sort out how users access its share.

 *People with far more understanding of this will no doubt correct me. I run OpenMediaVault a free NAS software within a virtual machine. For some reason I can connect to my shares without a password, so not sure about any of this to be honest! 

 

Posted on: 08 January 2019 by fatcat
Chris G posted:

So, if we now have to enter a password, where and how do we do so?  Presumably there is a mechanism to create a password for the Core and NAS drive?  Is this another case of Msoft meddling and upsetting users' computers without a by your leave?  If this is the case, they should be held accountable, though no doubt their terms and conditions rule out any liability on their part.  Can Naim help with the Core?  I have emailed Naim about the problem and await their response.  Is anyone else having these difficulties?

If you haven't set up a password on the nas. Try Username - admin. Password - admin.

Posted on: 09 January 2019 by Peter Dinh
Chris G posted:

My Core and NAS (the latter used with ND5XS) are all connected to the same network as is my windows 10 PC.  All has been working OK but today when I open file explorer on my PC, although the NAS and Core both appear, but when I click on either, windows media player opens.  I usually find them in the listing of folders under the network and can open them to view, edit and transfer files.  Now both appear in explorer, under media devices which, when I click on them, opens media player.  Can anyone help please?  I can't find how to correct the settings which have obviously changed.  I can't find a way to make them just appear as folders to open and manage my music.

Thanks to anyone who knows the solution - I'm sure it's a simple change when you know how!

Click on the Network on the left hand side column of the file explorer, what do you see?

On my PC, I see the NAS appears as 

(1) A computer

(2) A media device

So when I click on the icon the represent the NAS as a computer, I am able to open it and access it as a folder.

I would suggest that you reboot both the NAS and your PC to see if it can resolve the issue.

Posted on: 10 January 2019 by geepee

I have (had) the same issue but thanks to Google, I manage a work around.

First, try turning off the firewall on your anti-virus, assuming you have one, and see what appears.

Secondly, I 'enabled' SMB File Sharing by going to Control Panel and click on Programs, click on Turn Windows features on or off link and then expand SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support and check the SMB 1.0/CIFS Client option, then OK. Then Restart.

This allows me access to my Unitiserve Music and Download folders but I'm not sure of any security implications these changes will have, so maybe disable internet access whilst doing so and when complete, revert to the previous settings. It's not ideal and others can advise as to whether this is a good idea, but it works for me.

Actually, having said that, I cannot delete a folder in the US Downloads folder; File explorer doesn't show it but I can see it in Naim Desktop Client and on the Naim App. (And yes, I have emptied the Recycle bin). Bizarre.

Posted on: 10 January 2019 by garyi

Yes this is a solution I have mentioned on here before but its really not recommended to do this as they are downgrading it for a reason!

Posted on: 10 January 2019 by geepee

Agreed, I appreciate that this is not a good solution but until a different method is suggested, there doesn't appear to be an alternative way to access and organize my music files.

Posted on: 10 January 2019 by Chris G

"Chris Windows have been quite clear as has the rest of the industry in that SAMBA/SMB Vs 1 and I think 2 are insecure so they have been in the process of depreciation for these protocols, its not a by/your leave thing its like VPN PPTP, widely used a few years ago but gradually made obsolete due to its poor security standards. It annoys some people for a while but you adapt. *"

To GaryI - thanks for your message from 2 days ago (sorry, I don't know how to quote, so your first paragraph copied above),  Your first paragraph means nothing to me as my technical computer knowledge is insufficient. Isn't this kind of thing a good reason to stick with CDs!  I haven't heard back from Naim yet.

Geepee - thanks for suggesting the workaround solution which works for you.  I will try this later.

 

Posted on: 10 January 2019 by Chris G

Thanks Geepee. Just followed your instructions and the NAS and Core now appear as they used to, so I can access the music files.  I am very grateful to you! 

Posted on: 10 January 2019 by geepee

You're welcome!

But do be aware of the comments above re poor security.