Yesterday I created a new picture folder on Computer 3. When I go to WDTV Live - Photos - Media Server - Computer 3 - Pictures . . . .that particular folder isn’t showing up. That folder does show up on Computers 1, 2 and 4 but doesn’t show up on WDTV Live. Is there a way to refresh the WDTV so that the folder will show up? I’ve reset WDTV. I have restarted my computers. And this is not the only time. It happens over and over (new video folder, music folder, etc.). For some reason when you add new content, WDTV Live isn’t equip to add the new content to its “list”.
I went to Google and typed in WDTV Live, folders, refresh, missing, etc. . . . and it seems others are having the same problem but no one has found a solution.
Western Digital doesn’t seem to be addressing the issue. One would think the WD Team would scan the internet and these forums in particular to understand reoccuring problems and remedy those problems or in the least let us know that they are aware of the problem and are attempting to fix it with a future firmware update etc. But at this point I don’t know what’s going on with it so I’m turning to somebody, anybody within these forums who may know a way to fix this in case I have missed something.
Someone online mentioned deleting the .wdtv folder so that the WDTV Live can rebuild content but I went to the computers I have and cannot find this .wdtv folder on any of the harddrives (and my “show hidden folders” is on).
WDTV Live is great but this inability to keep itself updated with new folders is really frustrating.
What media server are you using. Its this media server which is sending the info to the WDTV. I believe you are looking in the wrong place for the answer. The .wdtv folder is only created on discs connected directly to the USB ports on the WDTV . You need to look at the media server on your computer and see how it is set up to refresh the items it is monitoring. Nothing at all to do with the WDTV.
I believe you are trying to access the Home Group created with your Windows 7 PCs, right? That won’t work with the WDTV live, or any older version of windows for that matter, it’s a windows 7 only feature. If you wanna share something with the WDTV you need to do it the old fashioned way, sharing it in the network through simple file sharing or password protected shares, not with the home group. If you are indeed using network shares then it might be related to the permissions (either network share permissions, or NTFS ones).
If you are referring to the media streaming capabilities of WMC/WMP you are better off installing a 3rd party media server anyway (TVersity, Twonky, Willd media server…) as WMC/WMP won’t stream a lot of formats supported by the WDTV.
Yes I am using Windows 7 and all four computers are in the same Homegroup.
I am not using any type of outside/external media server other than WDTV Live and my 4 computers. But something doesn’t make sense. ALL my files, videos, music is showing up on WDTV Live except new things. So obviously WDTV Live is able to read and understand that most of my videos and pictures are present. The problem is getting it to recognize NEW files, videos, pictures.
This definitely is a WDTV issue as I can see 95% of my files, pictures and videos. I just can’t see new things.
I use my WD TV Live to access the movie folders using a network share to a networked hard disk (Lacie). If I add new folder images to the movie folders, the WD doesn’t pick up these changes (sometimes it even displays a thumbnail that is no longer present on the hard disk).
The only way I seem to be able to resolve it, is by DISCONNECTING the power supply of the device (a ‘simple’ power-off doesn’t help). I hope there is a better solution coming soon (like a refresh option in the menu)
Out of curiosity I’ve been filddling with a newly created homegroup on a couple Windows 7 PC’s, and I can say that it wouldn’t surprise me the least bit that it were OS’s fault (or the way you have it setup) and not WDTV’s that you don’t see those new folders. If anything because the WDTV isn’t suspicious of losing folders when browsing media servers.
Since you say that you haven’t installed a 3rd party media server and you were trying to access those folders thru WDTV>Photos>Media Server, that means that you are using Windows Media Player (WMP) as a media server to access your media. Ignoring for a moment that you won’t be able to access a ton of media files from WMP, let’s take a look at what you are doing. You are talking about “adding” content, and then they “show up” on other PC’s in your network. You mean that you are adding that folder directly to the Pictures library, or you are adding it to the HomeGroup with “share with: Homegroup (read)”? The first should work, but for some reason when you are in a homegroup it may fail. If you do the second then it will not work, the folder will be shared as a network share and will “show up” on other PCs as such, but you won’t see it in WDTV.
Another weird thing that may give you trouble if you are using a HomeGroup, is that with Simple File Sharing disabled, when you add a new folder to the Music library, even if that library is shared with the Homegroup the new folder won’t, at least not right away. However if I unshare that library in HomeGroup settings and share it again the last folder gets properly shared in the HomeGroup.
All this nonsense disappears in a second if you abandon the Homegroup with the PC that you are using as a media server.
Anyways this is all kind of a moot point anyway, since using WMP as a media server for the WDTV takes away the chance of playing a lot of interesting files (MKV, FLAC, OGG, etc…), so for this task TVersity etc… are much better suited.
I too am having this problem - running windows 7, sharing through the libraries (part of homegroup). I have tried the following:
unplug the WD Live
Reboot the windows 7 computer
Un-share a folder that is exposed through the video library
“Fix” the homegroup using the homegroup troubleshooter
I *think* this is an issue with indexing on the windows box but not 100% just yet. A theory I am testing is to rebuild the search index: Control Panel → Indexing Options → Advanced → Rebuild. Make sure your library folders are being indexed too. My problem is that I can see *some* new files and *some* changes to existing files. It appears very random.
The reason I think its an index issue is I see this behavior on my Samsung DLNA-enabled TV. I am now using the Samsung PC Share Manager rather than the DLNA server built into windows … but i saw some of the same behavior with it as I did with my WDTV with file updates not showing up.
After a fresh reinstall of Windows I had similar issues in that my WD TV Live wouldn’t pick up my networked hard drives over LAN.
I checked the forums…like this one, and tried many different possible solutions, including renaming files and drives and resetting the WD player with a paper clip but no luck.
My cure? I unplugged the power from the back of the unit, disconnected the LAN cable, and gave it a minute, reconnected things, fired it up, and it immediately detected my two drives with my media. A couple of other little glitches were cured by a hard reset,
Yes, that’s one of the three things suggested to do when you have issues with the Live (the other two: reset back to Factory defaults, and do the paperclip hard reset).
I think I have found the problem but not a permanent solution for the Files and Folders not Refreshing/Updating.
I am running Windows 7, I am streaming with HomeGroup to WD TV Live (Firmware 1.02.21) and playing the media through “Media Servers” option and thus getting a list of my media from my libraries.
At first I thought it was a network problem, so I viewed the folders from one pc to another through HomeGroup, but all seemed correct.
The problem is not a network or WD TV live issuse but a Windows Media Player 12 problem.
I use VLC and Mediaplayer Classic, so it took me forever to find the problem. When streaming like I do, Windows 7 uses WMP12 as the go between for streaming (I did not know this, but I am not surprised) .
When I used WMP12 for the first time, it showed all the ghost files and old file names. After fixing the errors (not easy, there is no way to tell it to refresh the libraries) WD TV Live showed the correct files and folders.
I did some experimenting and it does indeed look to be the problem. If you configure WMP12 a bit you can cut down on the false files and folders a bit, but there will still be times when you need tomake adjustments.
Now is there a way to force WMP12 to refresh or use another program to stream? I’ll keep on it for now.
On your networked computer…drag ALL the media files from the folders you are sharing (and I mean ALL the files…even the ones that show up on your WDTV device) onto your desktop. Then, drag them ALL back to the folder you are sharing.
