(Win 7) How can I get a local folder to reflect contents of network shared folder?

I am trying to maintain a similar workflow between my laptop & PC. Both run "Windows 7 Ultimate Edition - 64 Bit".

My laptop does not have as much hard-drive space. So (at certain locations) I would like to have a shared folder from my PC handle some responsibilities.

On my laptop, suppose I have a folder at the path:

Code:

K:\Media\Music

On my PC, suppose I have a folder at the path:

Code:

K:\Media\Music

I would like my laptop folder to reflect/display the contents of my shared PC folder.

The PC folder is shared. It has all proper permissions to read/write. So I should end up with a "reflected" location on my laptop that I can read/edit/write files to.

Notes:

Some people will say "map a network drive". But that is not an option for me. I need most locations on my laptop "K" drive to be local (for work & efficiency reasons). There are certain locations where I need this "reflect" capability.

Some people will say setup a "synchronization". But I have found such solutions to be complicated & error-prone (for various reasons). I would like to avoid such a solution - if possible.

I have heard that "junction points" maybe my solution. Though in some of my online research, I have seen comments stating that "Windows 7" does not allow network locations to be used as junction points. I was hoping someone with definitive knowledge could clear up the matter for me.

Thanks for any consideration & help!

 

How to Easily Share Files Between Nearby Computers

 

Unfortunately, that article deals with methods I would like to avoid.

Perhaps I failed to convey myself properly. I am not trying to simply "share" files. And I would like to avoid typical "synchronization" methods. These are the methods your linked article deals with.

Anyways, I continue to research on my own. Right now, I am reading about "NTFS symbolic links"...

 

Have you considered http://www.rejetto.com/hfs/?

If you want to use files currently on your PC's hard disk when on your laptop, I see only two choices:
1. The files need to be transferred to your laptop somehow - that is syncing, sharing, etc.
2. You could use a program like TeamViewer to remotely control your PC when using your laptop.

You might also want to look into network-attached storage such as http://www.techradar.com/us/reviews...ttached-storage-nas/wd-mycloud-1188379/review.

 

What problems are you running into with your current method? Can't see the shared folder from the laptop?

 

Paul,

I'm not clear on what you are trying to do. Do you want both folders to contain the same files? Do you only want the files in the desktop folder but accessible from the laptop?

 

To all,

I found a solution.

I read this article:
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16226/complete-guide-to-symbolic-links-symlinks-on-windows-or-linux/

Then I installed this software on my laptop:
http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html

I use my laptop to visit the "PC folder" that exists as a network share. I use the software to "mark" that shared PC folder. Then I visit the path on my laptop that I wish to "reflect" the contents of that shared PC folder. I use the software to attach the "mark".

As a result - and as per my original post - I am now able to visit a folder like "K:\Media\Music" on my laptop. And this folder now displays the contents of "K:\Media\Music" FROM MY PC. The contents can be read, edited, and executed as if they actually existed on my laptop (remember, they actually exist on my PC). I can also add new files to this folder (the changes initiated from my laptop will obviously be reflected in my PC).

Sorry if this was confusing or not clear. I tried my best to explain it, but obviously I failed. Thankfully, I still managed to find a solution!

 

Paul,

I'm still confused. What you describe can be done from Win7 without using other software. No?

 

According to the article, if you wanted to achieve such a thing using Win7...you'd have to use the command line & some syntax. I'm rather allergic to the command line...

The software lets you do it via simple & quick "context menu" options (the article shows this as well). Basically, two mouse clicks and you've achieved it.

 

Paul,

Forget drive letters as they can be confusing. You have a shared folder on the PC. From the laptop Windows Explorer, click Network, the PC, the shared folder. Now you have full access to that folder. No drive letters needed.

Am I missing something?

 

I'm confused too.

 

As you know, a network share is displayed with a uniquely formatted path. So where while the source maybe "K:\Media\Music", it appears via network as "\\PC-Name\Music" (unless you use a mapped network drive, which I do not wish to use).

Software loaded on my laptop expects both a specific path & content to exist at that path.

Because my laptop has storage constraints, I cannot simply copy/paste the content to the specific path.

So with the solution presented in this topic, the software can see the local path - and I can feed that path content from a shared folder.

 

mklink was that answer in question. symbolic link spans volumes and can use the UNC path (your \\share\path is called UNC path)

use is

mklink /D <path you will create on hdd> <real path on remote machine>

in that case, the parameters you passed in the first, would be like to making a new directory, called what you like. BUT it does the pointing to the second parameter and that is the UNC.

your example maybe

mklink /D c:\music_files "\\remote\shares\music"

You making sure that you have not the c:\music_files already existing. Command ganerates link (directory) called c:\music_files and has tiny arrow icon to show it is link.

You go into c:\music_files, it show contents of UNC path you declare!

You remove link by removing directory
ie.
rd c:\music_files

all in native of the operating system too

 

Thank you for explaining how it can be done via native OS command line!

In case the software mentioned before gives me trouble: I will use this manual method.

But right now, the software works perfectly & lets me create such folders much faster than command line.

 

What ever happened to doing this the easy way with NAS?

 

Welcome!

I do batch file and often make use of this. One way used in here was put browser in that ram drive for better perfromance! And very good too, even on older machine, now gloated browsers are slow in things, but on ram drive, very much faster.

I say this, to be of warning maybe. I haven't not yet made any tests to see if I delete file from link, if it deletes from that source too! Also, if deleteing link is just the link.

Meaning, do test first with test directory with test (copy of) music. Be sure that what you do (move/copy/rename/delte) does not having any adversness of the effect.

As I say, I use it. But I copy a directory to the ram, then make a symlink to the ram, so that for this example, chrome cache/profile thinks it is in right place on that hdd, but the symlink will be saying it is actually on ram drive. Oh and much faster then.

Sorry, my warning is not better. Just test and make sure what you do don't do a bad thing to your data. But I think its ok, just not test myself.

 

Yes. And also no.

Other machine must be NAS. So freeNas or a phys nas box. Not that cannot be done, but more work in that solution.

It also solves not that problem fo user. If having a shared directory, on the nas or on the remote client(server), still where does NAS make it different? Still must map that drive, or making that symbolic link.

I use the NAS, synology. Very good and more better than just another pc that does sharing. Time invested paid them dividands for me.

How would you might be solving this question of topic with NAS? Trick to mapping or some thing? I am always knowing more, if you have good advises