Qnap TS-412 windows interface detail queries

[windbag]

Hi folks. I've almost reached the conclusion that a TS-412 is what I need by discussion in a thread in the NAS buying advice forum (full proposed usage details in the the first post here)

stevech and others posted me many helpful responses, but we seem to have stalled at my final query which I'd like to get resolved before I go ahead and buy - which I thought someone here may be able to help with.

I find it most productive to use my Vista PC by putting it into "low power state" (clock symbol, not moon symbol "hibernate", not sure if sometimes called "sleep mode") at the end of use sessions and reviving it for the next one (please let's not get into a debate about how often to reboot).

I can see how a new NAS, populated with my data, shows up as a network item, and think I can see how I can map it to a network drive with an associated Windows explorer letter (say, N: )

My unresolved issue at the moment is being totally unclear about how the setup will behave when I put it to "sleep" and then revive it.
* Will the NAS still show up as my mapped drive if it is now the next day?
**Do I need the "wake on LAN" facility that the 419P+ has for this ?

On reboot, I'd have to find the NAS/remap it etc. I will definitely forget how to do it by then.
* How can I automate the process by running a .bat script (or equivalent) on boot-up?

If I can sort these out, I can press ahead, as the TS-412 is on a real good deal at the moment here in the UK.

 

[stevech]

My Win 7 and XP computers .. the NAS has shared folders on it that you create. In Windows' "workgroup" mode, these shares appear on your Network Places folder. I suspect that Vista had this honked up as MS tried to push their "homegroup" concept.

I'd really recommend going to Win 7.

Mapping a drive letter to folders on the NAS is an option - not essential given the above. It's no different than two PCs on your home LAN, each with folder shares available to the other PC. NAS is the same. This is called "SMB" sharing and it works for WIndows, MACs and Linux.

My PCs go to standby each night. Moon key.
They wakeup - and when teh PC is resumed,, I look at the Network folder (sometimes I have to hit F5 to refresh it), there are my SMB shares on the LAN.

Indeed, my NAS goes to sleep in the wee hours too.

 

[windbag]

Drive letter mapping eliminates many potential problems

Mapping a drive letter to folders on the NAS is an option - not essential given the above.

The reason I'm concerned about mapping drive letters is I have several comparison/backup/recovery/copy/synchronising utilities that use browsing to do their various jobs. Without having a network attached, I can't even test whether they could specify a network share for their source or destination at all. My experience of Sod's Law is that they will fall over as soon as I try. Plus all the "open file" utilities in all the programs are focussed that way.

It's no different than two PCs on your home LAN, each with folder shares available to the other PC. NAS is the same.

Well, there's the rub, and part of the chicken/egg problem. We've never used laptops/tablets much because they never had access to the data that we needed to work on - partly because we've only had WiFi for about a year, and also because the desktop PC (where all the data currently sits) was off when laptops were being used anyway. It's also why I've not converted music for streaming. Main PC not on=no music=not something to strive for.

So we've never set up what you're describing. Getting a NAS would solve that problem, and could start liberating us into proper multiple computer platforms around the house, and get me testing which music files would be acceptable for our setup (at least I've read on this forum that the WD TV Live works with the TS-412).

But if I show my partner that she'll have to start faffing around with network stuff just to "see" relevant data on a portable, she'll be underwhelmed.

But if I can make a script that can be executed that will bring the NAS data into Windows Explorer she'll be perfectly happy.

As will I - I can guarantee that a week after getting the NAS and being forced to reboot the PC by some darned updating utility, I will be scrabbling around trying to remember what I have to do to make everything back into the N: drive (or whatever) so that all my links to various files and the "past files" in drop down menus of utilities won't all be broken.

Hence I seek what commands would be needed for such a script, or an equivalent method if a script isn't possible.

What I don't want is to end up buying a NAS and finding it's another technology box that I end up shouting at...

 

[stevech]

no faffing.

try it on PCs, irrespective of NASes. Get accustomed to not using drive letters.

It'll be the same with a NAS.

 

[windbag]

As I see this thread has amassed 2,395 viewings, I thought I'd come back & tidy up my thoughts on this thread.

I went ahead and bought the QNAP, which I got a fair way to implementing OK.

I thought I'd share some thoughts as a newbie.

It would have been helpful if someone had said how much of a doddle it is to map the network drive AND assign a drive letter, plus that Vista/Win7 automatically defaults to reconnecting the network drives on Logon (it would be helpful if the dialogue box also said at waking from sleep or hibernating).

I don't know if there's a small series of screen shots or something on YouTube, but it is straightforward.

But without an existing network (there was only 1 working desktop PC in the house then) there's no way I could tell how easy mapping a network drive would be - as there was no network to experiment on. Without a network there is nothing to "browse", so you're in the dark about how it works until you have a network. Chicken & egg problem. That's what I sought assurances on.

I think the NAS-savvy forget what that's like. Bit like being advised to solve your PC internet problem by using your other PC, when you haven't got one.
For any other newbies, it turned out to be easy
And using drive letters as normal is not a problem.

I found it unhelpful being advised to moving to Win7 (drastic to implement a NAS & not needed).
I also wasn't going to respond to commands such as
"Get accustomed to not using drive letters."
So I just went away feeling this wasn't a friendly place for inexperienced newbies.

I now have two (new to me, actually s/h) Win7 laptops which were all easy to splice into the wireless network and have been mapped via drive letters to the QNAP data. Both set up identically to the Vista Desktop for consistent look and feel, which was the original intention - put all the data on the NAS for central access via whatever platform is convenient.

I'm back to this forum as I'm now stuck at the "nightly backup to external USB disk". I'm about to go searching for the answers here, but there may be a new thread coming up