Accessing Admin Shares?

i’ve set up my computer to be accessible across my network via " administrative shares". i use android devices and other windows devices to access “phenom” using these admin shares. they work flawlessly. even my boxeebox uses the admin share to get to media. it works just fine.

how can i make my WD TV Live device access my admin shares? when i try to “manually” add a network share, the WD device sees the “phenom” computer, but because it only has admin shares, the WD device doesn’t show any valid folders.

see this youtube video if you’re wondering how i’m doing it. i intentionally use the incorrect login info on the first try so that no one asks “are you using the right login information”.

please do not get sidetracked and offer workarounds such as “creating a non-admin share”. im just looking for a solution to adding admin shares so that i can get to the media on that admin share.

If you’re talking about “sharename$” type shares, the WD doesn’t support those because they’re hidden.

WD will only work with visible shares.

BTW, you cannot “create” admin shares.

Only the default shares created by Windows are “admin.”

Any other share with “$” at the end of the name is just a hidden share, not an admin share.

while your explanation corroborates the behavior i’ve seen, is there any official recognition of this behavior? a user manual or the like?

i’d like to see their justification for not showing “hidden” shares. or more specifically, for not allowing me to explicitly define a share as opposed to them just requesting a share list for me to see as my only option.

this thing needlessly handicaps itself.

TonyPh12345 wrote:

BTW, you cannot “create” admin shares.

i was under no such misconception.

AngryBlackMan wrote:

i’d like to see their justification for not showing “hidden” shares. 

Maybe I’m not understanding your question, but, it’s because, well, they’re hidden.   The WD can’t show what the server doesn’t list when asked for its share listing.

The WD participates in (and relies upon) the standard CIFS Browser Protocol to discover the servers and shares available.

By definition, hidden shares are not browsable.

There’s a practical reason, too.  If I recall correctly, although the Admin shares are *CREATED* by default, access to them over the network is *DISALLOWED* by default on everything Windows XP (SP3) and later.  One has to make registry changes to allow them. 

And, once allowed, the *ENTIRE* file system of the server is revealed to any client on the network by default – a very large security risk.

AngryBlackMan wrote:

…more specifically, for not allowing me to explicitly define a share…

I have no significant argument to that desire, other than to say that the need for such is seldom necessary.  Most people aren’t using hidden shares.  Most people don’t disable the browser service.  Most people have all of their devices on the same broadcast domain.  

The exceptions to those “mosts” are few and far between.  The only tangible reason most “general” users would need it is when the browser system isn’t working correctly for whatever reason – such a feature provides a valuable workaround.

But, being the techno-phile that I am, I would like to see that feature, too, but the lack of it is in no way preventing me from enjoying the box…

TonyPh12345 wrote:> Maybe I’m not understanding your question, but, it’s because, well, they’re hidden.   The WD can’t show what the server doesn’t list when asked for its share listing.

 

The WD participates in (and relies upon) the standard CIFS Browser Protocol to discover the servers and shares available.

 

By definition, hidden shares are not browsable.

okay, so you listed the protocol in general but not the actual paragraph reference that says “by default hidden shares are not provided to a client requesting a list of shares” so as to backup your assertion? that’s counterproductive if you were trying to educate me on that “nuance”. that said, as someone extremely familiar with windows networking, i’ll have to file that advice under “inaccurate” if only based on my obsevations with my other devices as i’ve previously mentioned in my OP. you’ll likely point to something about how they’re not following standards, but unless and until you can give a specific paragraph reference, i’m inclined to use my own experience to reconcile this issue.

TonyPh12345 wrote:> access to them over the network is *DISALLOWED* by default on everything Windows XP (SP3) and later.

incorrect. as stated by wikipedia (which corroborates my own implementation), “These shares will allow anyone who can authenticate as any member of the local Administrators group access to the root directory of every hard drive on the system”. No registry hacking required. If you want to disable the admin shares, i believe that’s when the registry or group policy is necessary.

TonyPh12345 wrote:> the need for such is seldom necessary.

in your opinion. i find it to be an unecessary handicap. others likely do not possess the technical prowess to be able to articulate their desire to use this. i used an ASUS O!PLay air before this and i currently also use my Dlink boxeebox. they both allow it. WD is handicapping the device for no reason.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947232

“By default, Windows Vista and newer versions of Windows prevent local accounts from accessing administrative shares through the network.”

An admin account is a local account, No?

From the Wikipedia article, you passed over:

“[Administrative shares] are not generally used or useful outside an enterprise environment, and are not accessible by default on home editions of XP, Vista or Windows 7.”

And

“By default, Windows Vista and newer versions of Windows prevent local accounts from accessing administrative shares through the network. To enable administrative shares you have to make a registry change.”

and

“By default, Windows XP Service Pack 3 prevents access to the administrative shares through the network.”

Wikipedia corrobrorates Microsoft, which says you are incorrect.

That is, of course, unless we’re still talking about two totally different things.

I’ll yield on the other topic. Yes, the server will enumerate hidden shares.