Archive:SMB/Windows

Windows

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Windows Vista

Sharing files and printers

Windows 7 - Homegroup Method

The Windows 7 SMB information is currently being re-assessed for accuracy and at times may be incomplete. Your patience is appreciated throughout this process. For input on improving this Wiki and information on how to setup a Windows Network (SMB) connection, please visit this thread: SMB Windows 7.

If you are new to Kodi or Windows 7, please post feedback about this wiki in the above thread

Assumptions

- Using a genuine x64 (64bit) or x86 (32bit) version of Windows 7 with all available and stable BIOS, driver and Windows updates completed.

- Haven't significantly modified Windows after installation (i.e made registry edits).

- Connected or ability to connect to a functioning private (home) wireless or wired network. Add a device or computer to a network

- The Windows user that has Kodi installed, requires a password to login. Create a user account

- Using a stable release of Kodi: Kodi Download

Guide

The following procedure demonstrates how to establish a Homegroup within Windows 7 and how to share a file and/or folder. This is the basis for utilising Windows Network (SMB) shares for Kodi:

Click "Expand" to see the Guide steps

Step 1: Creating a Homegroup

Points to note: Step 1 can be completed during OS installation.

Go to Start Menu > Control Panel
Within Control Panel, Type Homegroup in the search box
Click on Homegroup
Click on Create a Homegroup
Note down password (only required for a Windows PC to access a Homegroup)
Select what Libraries you would like to share, if any
You have created a Homegroup

Step 2: Joining a Homegroup

Points to note: You need to join a Homegroup to be able to share with a Homegroup

Go to Start Menu > Control Panel
Within Control Panel, Type Homegroup in the search box
Click on Homegroup
Click on Join Now
Enter password noted down from Step 1
You have joined a Homegroup

Step 3: Sharing files or folders

Points to note: Only share a file or folder, DO NOT share a complete drive e.g. E:\

- Select file/folder by single left clicking.
- Share with > Homegroup (Read/Write).

Troubleshooting

If you require further information than what is listed below, post your issue in Windows General Support with a full Log_file.

Android Throughput Timeout Issue - Refer to 'Further Reading' for more information from Microsoft.

Conclusion

>>>Post video of shares and adding sources with SMB, within Kodi<<<

Windows 7 - Alternative

Windows 7 (x64) users : You must uninstall Windows Live Sign-in Assistant for sharing to work. Reasons are unclear as why you need to do that.

SMB is an easy and standard way to share your media to all your computers and HTPCs on your network. However, Microsoft is making it more and more difficult to share using SMB in Windows. You have to turn off Homegroup and do all sorts of other messy things. The following is a guide to quickly and easily turn SMB sharing on in Windows 7.

Preparation

As a initial step, you should be connected to your network. I, personally, am connected using a LAN cable and have been provided an IP address by my router using DHCP. If you prefer to use Static IP, there should be no real problem. If you can see the internet, you should be connected enough to the router for our purposes. Also, when you are first connecting your Windows 7 computer to your network, it will ask if you are connecting to Home, Work, or a Public network. This guide presumes that you selected Home. The same steps should work if you selected Work. They will almost certainly not work if you selected Public. Also, sometimes you will be asked to be certain if you want to do something or you will be asked to go up a level in clearance to do something. This guide presumes that you agree to all of that.

The Process

1	Click the "Network Internet Access" icon at the bottom right of your screen, next to your clock, speaker icon, and possibly power icon. Click open the "Network and Sharing Center."
2	Locate and click "Choose homegroup and sharing options." You are now on the "Change Homegroup settings" window. In this window, click "Leave the homegroup..." A warning will pop up. Go ahead and click "Leave the homegroup."
3	You are now presented with a page labeled "Share with other home computers running Windows 7." From here click the link "Change advanced sharing settings..."
4	You are now at the "Change sharing options for different network profiles" page. This is where you are going to do the nitty gritty. I'm going to go option by option. Most of these will probably already be configured correctly, but I'll tell you how they should be configured, nonetheless. Network Discovery: turn on network discovery File and printer sharing: turn on Public folder sharing: Your choice. It can be on or off. Media Streaming: By default, this is off. You can turn it on if you want, but it is not why we are here, so I'm going to leave it off for now. Password protected sharing: Turn off password protected sharing HomeGroup connections: This doesn't really matter, since you already left homegroup. However, I allowed Windows to manage my homegroup connections. It seemed easier than arguing.
5	Click Save changes. Now close the window that says "Share with other home computers running Windows 7."
6	Navigate to a folder you want to share. I am navigating to D:\Movies. First, left click on D:\Movies (or whatever your folder is named) to make sure it is highlighted. Then, right click on the folder. Put your mouse over "Share with" and four options should pop up "Nobody, Homegroup (read), Homegroup (read/write), Specific people." Click "Specific people..."
7	You should now be on a dialog that is entitled "Choose people to share with." Your goal is to share the folder with "Everyone." On the dialog there should be a list of people. This list might include "Administrator," your username, "Guest," and "Everyone." It might only contain a subset of that group. If "everyone" is listed, simply click everyone, then click "Share." Voila, done. If you want to decide whether to keep Everyone as a Reader or change them to a Reader/Writer (or vice versa), read Step eight. If Everyone is not listed, click the dropdown arrow next to the "Add" button. "Everyone" should be on the list there. Click it, then click Add. If "Everyone" isn't on the dropdown list, you may be able to type "Everyone" in and click Add. Feel free to comment if this is an issue and/or it doesn't work.
8	Once "Everyone" has been added to the list, you have two choices. You can choose to keep "Everyone" as a Reader only, in which case Kodi would be able to read the files, but could not write anything into the folder, meaning it could not correct file names or export nfos and tbns into the folder, if you want that. Or you can choose to change Everyone to Read/Write, using the drop down arrow on the Everyone line. Then Kodi can export, but you have to deal with the danger that anyone on the network could change the files. Once you've made your decision, click "Share."
9	Repeat steps seven and eight for all folders you wish to share.

Conclusion

Now you can add your sources in Kodi without difficulty, but the guide to Kodi sources and scraping is in the Wiki and doesn't need to be repeated here.

A final note:

SMB sources may time out (FAILED CONNECTION) for some devices, regardless of the configuration settings above when connecting a front end to the backend (or Main) installation. Usually this will persist and then stop, and repeat the condition, garnering much frustration.

This can cause a various amount of issues, including removal of library files upon update, or cleaning of libraries. The below is a possible solution stabilize those that have the persistent "failed connection" state for SMB in KODI.

WARNING: You attempt registry entry editing at your own risk. Incorrect configuration could cause you to reload your operating system. It is recommended you attempt this fix ONLY if it is required.

This is based off of a WIN 7 kb: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/232271

From the kb, edit the following entry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\lanmanserver\parameters\size

Your choices for this registry key are 1,2 and 3.

1 = Minimize Memory Used

2 = Balance

3 = Maximize Throughput for File Sharing and Maximize Throughput for Network Applications

Ensure size is set to "3". This has cleared the intermittent issues on failed SMB connections from the backend to a front end device. This has been verified on various devices, such as Ouya, Matricom devices, Fire TV stick, and others.

The other options in the kb may be tried, but success has been accomplished with this one setting.

Windows 8.1 fix

Users can use the Windows 7 instructions but should also do the following if they have issues with protected shares:

Plain share doesn't seem to be used or doesn't work with Kodi's samba; Use Advanced Sharing
"Share this folder"
Click "Permissions"
Add appropriate users and permissions

Windows 10 fix

Using the Windows 7 instructions, with the following if you have issues:

Open the registry editor
Go to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters]
Add the string value "IsMasterDomain" with "Yes" as the value
Restart Windows

For more info see:

Contents

Windows Vista