Need assisatance with recording to NAS... windows share not working?

[vbtalent]

I'm trying to setup my QNAP NAS with NPVR and I'm having issues.

If the "Recordings" folder or "Buffer Directory" is set to the local drive (SSD) the same as the software install - I can record OK. As soon as I point it to my share that I've created on the local machine that points to the NAS it appears to not be able to write to the NAS, any ideas on how to fix?

In another test when playing "Live TV" if the folders are set to c:\temp I get a black screen however the "Buffer" file is being created..

I hope someone can help.

Thanks.

VB,

[Lee Thompson]

If you're running NextPVR as a service you can be running into some issues.

1. Make sure you define the path to the NASshare within NextPVR using a UNC path and not a drive letter (i.e. \\mynas\share not F:\ etc)

2. In the Services applet in Windows, locate the "NPVR Recording Service". Right click and select properties. Then click on the "Log On" tab change it from using the service account to a windows account with permission to read/write to the share (it also needs read/write permission to the NextPVR installation and data directories as well.) Click apply and re-start the service.

The LocalService account does NOT have permission to read/write to network shares and service accounts don't get the drive letter maps*.


(* There is a way for them too but it's a huge pain in the behind. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18275...-a-service has some hints but frankly it's easier just to change the account the service is using and use unc paths.)

[vbtalent]

Thanks for the feedback.

How can I get a UNC path in the network share, it always assigns a drive letter?

So lets say I create a user in my PC with a similar name and password as that on the NAS with read/write to to the share, will that suffice?

[mvallevand]

If you're running NextPVR as a service you can be running into some issues.

1. Make sure you define the path to the NASshare within NextPVR using a UNC path and not a drive letter (i.e. \\mynas\share not F:\ etc)

2. In the Services applet in Windows, locate the "NPVR Recording Service". Right click and select properties. Then click on the "Log On" tab change it from using the service account to a windows account with permission to read/write to the share (it also needs read/write permission to the NextPVR installation and data directories as well.) Click apply and re-start the service.

The LocalService account does NOT have permission to read/write to network shares and service accounts don't get the drive letter maps*.


(* There is a way for them too but it's a huge pain in the behind. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18275...-a-service has some hints but frankly it's easier just to change the account the service is using and use unc paths.)

Unless you need security on the folders UNC paths will work without changing recording permissions.

Martin

[vbtalent]

Thanks for the reply Martin.

I'm not sure I follow your reply?

I think you saying that I don't need to change the NPVR service to use a specific account, that the Local System account will work...is that correct?

From what I can find in the Forum this seems to be a common issue for people and I was even looking for the utility you wrote but am unable to find it.

Since the share from my NAS is available to and can be written from the user on my PC running the NPVR services I'm not sure how to setup the recording and buffering directory's properly, can you assist?

Would a symbolic link work?

mklink /d C:\buffer \\192.168.2.11\Multimedia\movies

VB,

[vbtalent]

It appears to have UNC in the path now which I think looks correct... but still nothing?

[mvallevand]

I think you saying that I don't need to change the NPVR service to use a specific account, that the Local System account will work...is that correct?

Yes assuming there is no security on the share you are writing too. Make sure is it s a CIFS share not a Windows share. Local System can't always write to Everyone but it can write to guest.

From what I can find in the Forum this seems to be a common issue for people and I was even looking for the utility you wrote but am unable to find it.

I'vel edited the post to link to nextpvr.com not gbpvr.com http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...er-utility

Since the share from my NAS is available to and can be written from the user on my PC running the NPVR services I'm not sure how to setup the recording and buffering directory's properly, can you assist?

If running as a user is working there is no need to change.

Would a symbolic link work?

mklink /d C:\buffer \\192.168.2.11\Multimedia\movies

VB,

It would be the same problem as drive letters, it is account specific.

Martin

[vbtalent]

For future reference for anyone dealing with an NAS and Windows and setting up a network share.

This worked for me on Windows 7 and a QNAP NAS.

1) Create a user on both Windows and the NAS user with the same name and allow read/write on the NAS share.

2) Create a symbolic link on the Windows machine by executing the following (or similar) in a DOS prompt:

mklink /d C:\buffer "\\192.168.2.11\Multimedia\movies\my path"

3) Give the new user you created on Windows read/write access to the symbolic link folder you just created

4) Change the "NPVR Recording Service" to use the new account you just created.

It will not survive a reboot... so you'll need a batch file, etc. to help with that.

I hope this saves someone some time..

VB,

[pBS]

i'm pretty sure if you use a directory junction instead of a link, it'll stay after a reboot.. "mklink /J linkdir targetdir"
i've been using these for years..even with old gbpvr..
it doesn't seem to care about user accounts either...[although your nas might?...this way persists even under other accounts, as if it's hardware linked, not dependent on user account, tho permissions still in effect]

to see existing reparse points, use " dir /al" and it will show only reparse points for that dir...

careful when deleting the reparse points...make sure dest dir is empty as it will be deleted...