WDTV LIVE Network Share FIXES for Win7 x64 Home Premium

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live Streaming
1

After dealing with Invalid Username / Password issues and shares / pc’s not remaining visable for long periods, this is what I have done that seems to have resolved the issues for me 100%. Use at your own risk, some basic windows experience is recommended.

WD TV LIVE: Network Share Fixes
Windows 7x64 Home Premium

---- “Enable Network Sharing”

    Firstly, configure Sharing and Discovery:

    1. Navigate to the Network and Sharing Center, Change Advanced Sharing Settings
    2. Click on the down arrow icons and select ON/OFF as follows:
              Network Discovery - ON
              File and Printer Sharing - ON
              Public Folder Sharing - OFF
           Media Streaming Options:
        Set WDTVLive Device to “Allowed” for all Networks
          128-bit Encryption - ON
              Password Protected Sharing - OFF
              Windows Manage Homegroup - ON

    Next, configure the folder you want to share:

    1. Select the folder
    2. Right-click and choose ‘Share’ from the menu
    3. From the drop-down box select the ‘Everyone’ (All users in this list) account
    4. Click the buttons Add, Share and Done.

---- “Windows Live Services”

    1. Uninstall “Microsoft Office Live Add-in” from Programs
    2. Uninstall “Windows Live Sign-in Assistance” from Programs and reboot
       (Service “wlidsvc” must NOT run)

---- “Computer Browser” Service

    1. Go to Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.
    2. Double-click “Computer Browser” to open the Properties dialog box.
    3. Set the Startup type to Automatic.
    4. Click Start.
    5. Click OK to save your changes and close the Services dialog box.

---- “Master Browser Detection & Set”

    Open up a command prompt
    Type net view and hit enter
    Look at the list of computer names. These are the computers on your LAN. Note that the format is \COMPUTER-NAME
    To find current Master: For each name in the list, type the following command: nbtstat -a COMPUTER-NAME

    To set a machine to be master:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters
    Create a new key type Reg_SZ IsDomainMaster with name and value: ‘True’
    Edit the key named “MantainServerList”, set this value to ‘Yes’

---- “More Registry Tweaks”

    WARNING:
    This requires editing your PC’s registry which can cause Windows systems to become unstable and unusable.

    1. Navigate to the following location in the registry editor:
        HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\
    2. Double-click on ‘everyoneincludesanonymous’ and change the ‘Value data’ from ‘0’ to ‘1’
    3. Double-click on ‘NoLmHash’ and change the ‘Value data’ from ‘1’ to ‘0’
    4. Double-click on ‘LimitBlankPasswordUse’ and change the ‘Value data’ from ‘1’ to ‘0’

    1. Navigate to the following location in the registry editor:
        HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanManServer\Parameters
    2. Double-click on ‘restrictnullsessaccess’ and change the ‘Value data’ from ‘1’ to ‘0’
    3. Double-click on ‘size’ and change the ‘value data’ to ‘3’

    1. Navigate to the following location in the registry editor:
        HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\LargeSystemCache
    2. Double-click on ‘LargeSystemCache’ and change the ‘value data’ to ’1’

2

Thanks for sharing these tips; I think you have a lot of great information here that could be really helpful. I am not sure I would open up my network that much but it’s just a choice. Some of the registry changes at the bottom though… that would scare me.

Personally I would be very concerned about some of the registry settings that you are suggesting. Each to their own and I do appreciate that you did at least warn people of the risk using of regedit. You do need to be well aware of the security and stability risks of those alterations though, especially when advising others try them.  

A few thoughts:

1) Allowing Unauthenticated users to have access to all shared resources on a computer by changing " restrictnullsessaccess" seems risky to me. Wouldn’t you rather restrict access by username and specific share point instead of leaving everything wide open, including the hidden system shares? There are multiple null session exploits that can be used to access your system if you allow this. You would be letting an unauthenticated user (or application or API call) to access your IPC$ share, getting a list of user and administrator names and other Win7 configuration info on that computer. That machine would then be ripe for a hacker or more likely a trojan horse virus’ to take over your box.

2) Altering the cache size with " LargeSystemCache"can cause some serious issues and will not solve any login problems as it has nothing to do with authentication. On top of that it is very unlikely that you would notice any speed increase at all. You are requesting that the machine allocate more resources to file system caching, at the expense of the OS kernel as well as drivers for things like your graphics card, HD controller etc. You could easily cause system wide stability issues doing this. Unless you really know what you are doing, I would not risk this option. Server applications that manage their own memory caching will change this when installed. Not something you generally want to do manually. The default settings for your file system will work fine for serving audio and video to your WD device and whatever other boxes you have at your house. Unless you plan to have a few hundred clients for your computer, I really wouldn’t worry about it. I use a Win7 file server to house all my videos, and I have never had any problems using the default cache setup serving files to my WDs or other computers.

BTW: If you really want to do this, no reason to be mucking in the registry to do so. You can change this setting via the control panel under the advanced section of “system settings”.

I love tweaking my computers, and I don’t think the default settings are always correct, but there is a reason that there are default settings. They are there because they are correct in most situations. Unless you have a very specific problem that you know could  be solved by the change, you may want to question why you are doing it and  also make sure you know what he consequences can be.

Perhaps I am just more paranoid than others, but I’d rather be safe, than lose all my data while trying to save a millisecond or take a shortcut with file system and share permissions. You should be able to secure your devices still set them up to be able to connect to each other. You don’t have to remove all security.

The net is a place full of nasties. leaving the front door open a bit, or even just unlocked is not a route I would be taking.

Good Luck

-P

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pearl wrote:

Personally I would be very concerned about some of the registry settings that you are suggesting.

Especially since they don’t seem to be necessary. I’m using my Win7 64 with out-of-the box settings, I haven’t even turned off homegroup, and still can connect from my WDTV.

1 Like
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Some of what’s in the OP has no bearing on this issue (LargeSystemCache especially) but some may have an effect for him and others are placebo. 

All I’ll say is that when you have a Windows network working with its default settings and all your PCs browse shares without issue, it’s insanity to reconfigure your server’s networking to work with a new device like the WDTV.  Common sense is that the new device is the problem.

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As much as I understand your concerns with the listed “possible” fixes, these are ALL items that have been posted in these forums as solutions and are simply collected into one post so people who have not been able to fix the issue do not have to spend hours, days, weeks or months searching in vain to find a solution that works for them.

Personally, I am on my own network in my own home and don’t have strangers walking in off the street using my computers, but I DO want to be able to stream video to my TV via my WDTV LIve and until using some or all of these it simply was not possible.  Again, I can not stress enough, use them at your own risk and please have some experience with what you are doing. I welcome anyone’s feedback vs any and all of the tweaks, fixes and edits listed, but if it comes down to someone not being able to use their WDTV Live or using something listed here and having it work then in my opinion, it might be worth a shot to them as much as it was to me.

Good luck on your success, I know I am enjoying mine… finally.

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Good compliation and clearly needed as witnessed by the hundreds of networkng related posts in this forum.

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For others reading this thread now or later:  I would not touch most of these suggestions with a 10 foot pole.  Why?  Because most of the problems discussed in these forums are user error, and not PC or WD error – stick around here for a few years and you will see why I say this with high confidence.

I also have a Win7, 64-bit PC, and when I first got my WD, all things did not work right either; with it, or the network.  But, hanging around here for a while and learning, and making sure *I* had done things correctly, means it all works perfectly now (and has for quite a while) all without getting into the Windows registry, ever.  Nothing “radical” has ever been done to my devices, other than setting them up correctly. 

After numerous upgrades, I currently have a top-notch home gigabit wired network with two WDs, three Rokus, and a Chromecast connected; hard drives galore, and lots of mobile devices running, working, and streaming etc.  Currently, my router shows 27 devices connected (or previously connected) since the last reboot of the router last week – and they all play well with others.  And, in no way am I a Pro network person – far from it.  It’s all in learning how to do it correctly. and following the rule to RTM, first or whenever in doubt.

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The master browser issue is a real issue with these devices.  You chose to solve it through a change to your Asus router.  Not everyone has a router with that capability, so the reg change maybe the best way to go for them.

You are being pretty myopic here.  Your way is not neccesarily the right way and is certainly not  the only way.

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Agree about the master browser issue, and I blame Windows for that and not the WDTV.  If a Win PC is off, that’s when the master browser issues can arise, and the WDTV. like other devices, is a victim of this.  Probably why more and more newer routers make it possible to make the router the master browser, since in many cases they are on 24/7; mine is.

Agree, too, that “my way” is not the only way, but my way is the “instructed way”, because all I have said I have done is follow instructions for all my gadgets and set them up correctly, and all my gadgets work fine.  Messing with the Windows registry is suicidal for the majority of people; and would be for me, I am sure.  The point I was making is, there is no reason to go to that extreme since things can work fine if set up right per the instructions… Hope this makes my  comments clear.

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"Messing with the Windows registry is suicidal for the majority of people; and would be for me, I am sure. "

Then you are a PC novice.  Just because you are ignorant does not make it suicidal for others or even the majority of the readers of this forum.  People who don’t know are the last that should be labeling something as dangerous.  This isn’t.  Anyone who knows how to google can figure out how to very easily to backup their registry (google search term “how to create a windows restore point”).

"I blame Windows for that and not the WDTV. "

What is the basis for that?  Do you have other devices that require a master browser fix to work also?  I have been in networking for 25+ years.  In terms of consumer products since XP SP1 (about 10 years ago),  I have not seen a device that needs a master browser fix to work.  You by your own admission have stated this one does.  This is one area we agree.

“Probably why more and more newer routers make it possible to make the router the master browser”

Simply not correct.   The only way you get that capability is if you go buy your own high end router.  LOL maybe WD can pair up with ASUS and offer a combo deal.  $300 and this will really work!

““my way” is not the only way, but my way is the “instructed way””

Where do WD “instructions” say that they have a master browser issue that the end user must address in order to get the box to work? 

Most importantly you didn’t address the obvious question.    You chose to solve the master browser issue through a change to your Asus router.  Not everyone has a router with that capability, so the reg change maybe the best way to go for them.  If you don’t agree with this “suicidal” solution, just what are you saying?  Your advice is go get a new router so you don’t have to make a registry change? 

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Uh, I really don’t want to get into a confrontation with you over this sort of stuff. so, back off will you, and don’t be insultive to me or others.  You are more than disagreeing with me; you are getting testy, so cool yer jets.

My master browser solution was not to get a high-end router (there are plenty that cost more than the one I bought)  although I did not buy the cheapest one on the block, either. I bought my router because I wanted an N, dual-band model and it was highly rated.  There was nothing in my router manual or my imagination about it becoming the master browser, but when I connected a hard drive directly to its USB port and turned on the samba shares, I discovered that the router became a master browser, thus solving other issues.  I also recently purchased a WD N750 router at closeout price of under $30!  It has a “button” in the setup that basically says, “click here to make this router a master browser!”  So, one doesn’t have to spend that much to get this feature it seems, anymore.

BTW, have you ever seen this fine article about master browser?  We WD owners are not the only ones experiencing MB issues.  http://scottiestech.info/2009/02/14/how-to-determine-the-master-browser-in-a-windows-workgroup/

Over and out.

12

Wow, tense tense tense.

I have not changed anything in my registry, and I don’t have a router that can act as an MB. All still works fine. When I check which box is the MB, sometimes it’s one of my PCs, but often it is my HUB or my SMP. Doesn’t really seem to matter. As long as some box has taken over the MB slot, my network works. I’d prefer it not be one of the WD’s but I don’ t really have any good reason for that except for personal preferance.

I think there are some good points here from everyone. Sure, messing with your registy can be dangerous, and I would not recomend it to a lot of people I know. On the otherhand, I am sure a lot of people here have spend plenty of time in there already and feel pretty comfortable with it. There were some “Ideas” on registry changes in this thread that made no sense to me, and could do more harm than help. Changing the “isDomaineMaster” setting is not one of those. It’s a reasonable thing for a person with some experience in their registry to do. 

I did phone support for a very large OS company here in Seatle (Hmmm) back when WinNT was just released, and the registry was brand new. I walked a lot of folks through making changes to their registy. Sometimes it took seconds, sometimes hours. More concerning was helping yoyos who had already changed their registry and did not know what they were doing. Perhaps they had read about some hidden tweak to make their CPU faster or whatnot. Plenty of those folks were SOL and we were reinstalling or using recovery disks. The lesson to be learned is to be very careful, and only change things that truly understand the outcome of. And yes, a backup of your registy is a good idea.

You two are both correct though, just solving the problem from different angles. For me, I’m not really sure what the problem is to solve. In worse case scenarios, a full network reboot seems to fix everything, I wouldn’t want to do that every day, but it’s fine every once in a while, and probably good to flush the cache and stagnent memory resident programs once a week anyways.

-P