Reply to: Windows Netbook wants to use iMac's DVD drive

[Sysman]

stek - yes, it looks like full-blown DVD sharing is intended to be Mac on Mac. Sharing the mounted DVD using file sharing … Ah! of course the DVD drive only appears in Finder when there's a disk in. So: blank disk in, name it (file sharing is greyed out for blank disks) add to shared files on the Mac, navigate to it from the netbook.

I think we're there. I am now reading a DVD in the Mac drive from the netbook. Not quite the same as sharing the DVD drive, as each inserted CD or DVD has to be independently shared, but probably close enough.

Writing might take a little longer. If I get stuck, I know where to come. Thanks for all assistance, it has been much appreciated.

I think you are going to have problems writing, as by definition you will be starting with a CD or DVD with no label. If you are using the standard Mac utilities to write CDs and DVDs, they are probably coming out in Mac format, which you won't be able to read on a PC.*

I use Toast on my Mac and select "Mac and PC" format when burning data files. That way I can read the discs on any system, Windows, OS X; Linux etc.

* unless someone else here has a suggestion how to burn dual format CDs with the native OS X utilities.

[simontax]

petergriffin – only the first line of your reply came through yesterday. Okay, understood thanks, file sharing not DVD sharing. In the terminal I can see the DVD as /dev/disk0s2 mounted on /

So that's a “file” and I just need to find a way to navigate to it from Widnows? Hence your earlier comment about needing a common protocol. Yes, I enabled file sharing using smb.

However...

stek - yes, it looks like full-blown DVD sharing is intended to be Mac on Mac. Sharing the mounted DVD using file sharing … Ah! of course the DVD drive only appears in Finder when there's a disk in. So: blank disk in, name it (file sharing is greyed out for blank disks) add to shared files on the Mac, navigate to it from the netbook.

I think we're there. I am now reading a DVD in the Mac drive from the netbook. Not quite the same as sharing the DVD drive, as each inserted CD or DVD has to be independently shared, but probably close enough.

Writing might take a little longer. If I get stuck, I know where to come. Thanks for all assistance, it has been much appreciated.

[stek]

The DVD sharing is actually remote DVD, mainly to enable Macs without DVDs to boot remotely, like any Unix or VMS system can do. It's not for puny Windows.

The only way for Windows to see the DVD is to share the mounted DVD from Mac using file sharing. Ignore DVD sharing, Windows is just too Shiite to see it...

[petergriffin]

Damn Mac users! The Mac is Unix and in unix everything is a file so the DVD is also a file. So DVD sharing is file sharing.

Open a terminal, type df or mount, you'll see you mac dvd as /dev/<something>

Did you select the option "Share files and folders using SMB"?

RTFM:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1549

[simontax]

Okay, now I can see and access the whole of the netbook C-drive from the Mac, having set folder sharing permissions in Widnows. I can also see the Mac's printer from the netbook as a network printer, and print to it. Communications are definitely going both ways.

Still can't read the Mac's DVD from the netbook. Can't see it. Thanks for the link, petergriffin, but I'm looking at DVD sharing not file sharing. Under DVD sharing, however, Apple have instructions for the Macbook Air to use the iMac DVD drive, or the Macbook Air to use a Windows-PC DVD drive, but not a Windows PC to use the iMac drive. Looks like it's not going to work.

[petergriffin]

My DVD-less Windows XP notebook needs access to a DVD drive. Rather than buy an external drive, I believe I can network to my Mac's DVD drive (iMac, Snow Leopard) but I'm no expert on networking so any step by step help would be gratefully received.

You'd have to use a file sharing protocol that both OS's understand. My best best would be installing samba and cifs on the Mac or alternatively good old ftp.

Mac 101: File sharing

* Mac OS X leverages the CIFS Browser Protocol to enable PCs to appear in the "SHARED" section of the Finder windows sidebar and for Macs to appear in Windows workgroups. Ports 137, 138, and 139 should not be blocked on your PC firewall.
* A "Sharing Only" type of user account is one that will not have a home folder. It is not a local user account. You will not be able to use your Mac with this kind of account. It is only used to log onto your Mac for file sharing from another computer.
* See this web page Apple - Support - Bonjour for more information about Bonjour technology.
* See this Microsoft support article Description of the Microsoft Computer Browser Service for more information about the CIFS Browser Protocol, and this Microsoft support article for information about troubleshooting issues with CIFS Browser Protocol.

[stek]

After a bit of research it seems the DVD sharing option is for Mac-to-Mac. You can do it tho, as indicated above by another poster, by symlinking the the mounted DVD or by sharing the DVD in 'File Sharing' available to anyone and mounting the volume with the inserted DVD on the PC i.e.:

net use \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\Volumes\mountedvdname or whatever the Windows command is, or browse for it in Exploder...

I can't test this as I have no Windows here - I'll fire up the old Ultra 45 SPARC box and connect via smb/cifs and report back....

[simontax]

Sorry if I confused things...

I've never done DVD sharing despite being a Mac-head but I guess it just shares it out a SMB/CIFS Windows share?

I that case just share it on the Mac and access it via hostname://Volumes/DVDname unless theres an easier way?

Having said that it may be more difficult, ISTR MacBook Air with no DVD being able to install OSX from PROM via remote DVD, maybe it's deeper. Tiefer, tiefer und tiefer....

Thanks Stek, but I need this part converting into plain English, keystrokes or mouse clicks: "access it via hostname://Volumes/DVDname"

[stek]

Sorry if I confused things...

I've never done DVD sharing despite being a Mac-head but I guess it just shares it out a SMB/CIFS Windows share?

I that case just share it on the Mac and access it via hostname://Volumes/DVDname unless theres an easier way?

Having said that it may be more difficult, ISTR MacBook Air with no DVD being able to install OSX from PROM via remote DVD, maybe it's deeper. Tiefer, tiefer und tiefer....

[DaveB]

DaveB, no I'm not being sarcastic at all. I'm just a bit lost with something I feel I should be able to do, but it's just not happening.

DVD sharing is ticked on the Mac. I want to burn to DVD from the netbook. Or install programmes to the netbook using the DVD. Or just open a file that is stored on a CD that is in the drive, without first copying it to a shared folder on the Mac.

On the netbook, I am in My Network Places\Entire Network\Microsoft Windows Network\Workgroup\The Mac and I can see the shared files (in the public folder) and the shared printer. No DVD drive.

Perhaps I have completely misunderstood what Apple means by the phrase "This allows users of other computers to use this computer’s DVD or CD drive remotely."

Thanks for your help.

The Sarcasm comment was aimed at Stek, not you.

The symbolic link thing is going to be the easiest way to sort it out I think. You'll need to create it in the public folder on the mac. Unless I'm missing something blindingly obvious.

[simontax]

I'm trying to work out if you are being sarcastic or not....

Simontax, I'm not in front to of my Mac atm. There are ways to do it via the command line by using symbolic links

Something like:

>cd <network visible directory>
>ln -s <dvd drive path> ./DvD

will do it but I can't remember the default path for the Superdrive off the top of my head.

This tool will do the symbolic link thing for you but I've not used it and make no claims as to relaibility/stability.

SymbolicLinker

Or you can create a .dmg image of the dvd you want access to, copy it to the notebook and open it with somehting like DaemonTools Lite (DAEMON Tools Lite :: Products :: DAEMON-Tools.cc). It's free.

DaveB, no I'm not being sarcastic at all. I'm just a bit lost with something I feel I should be able to do, but it's just not happening.

DVD sharing is ticked on the Mac. I want to burn to DVD from the netbook. Or install programmes to the netbook using the DVD. Or just open a file that is stored on a CD that is in the drive, without first copying it to a shared folder on the Mac.

On the netbook, I am in My Network Places\Entire Network\Microsoft Windows Network\Workgroup\The Mac and I can see the shared files (in the public folder) and the shared printer. No DVD drive.

Perhaps I have completely misunderstood what Apple means by the phrase "This allows users of other computers to use this computer’s DVD or CD drive remotely."

Thanks for your help.

[DaveB]

Of course, Macs are locked down and you can't do anything......

I'm trying to work out if you are being sarcastic or not....

Simontax, I'm not in front to of my Mac atm. There are ways to do it via the command line by using symbolic links

Something like:

>cd <network visible directory>
>ln -s <dvd drive path> ./DvD

will do it but I can't remember the default path for the Superdrive off the top of my head.

This tool will do the symbolic link thing for you but I've not used it and make no claims as to relaibility/stability.

SymbolicLinker

Or you can create a .dmg image of the dvd you want access to, copy it to the notebook and open it with somehting like DaemonTools Lite (DAEMON Tools Lite :: Products :: DAEMON-Tools.cc). It's free.

[stek]

1. Open DOS box
2. Release you're not an admin
3. Close DOS box
4. Open DOS box with runas
5. Telnet to Mac
6. Realise no telnet
7. SSH to Mac
8. Realise no SSH
9. Try to install above
10. Realise no DVD drive
11. Shutdown Windows
12. Put netbook back in box
13. Take netbook back to shop
14. Get refund
15. Buy Mac
16. Connect to remote DVD on other Mac without really doing anything

Of course, Macs are locked down and you can't do anything......

[simontax]

You need to enable DVD/CD Sharing on the Mac.

Preferences -> Sharing - > DVD/CD tick box.

Should now be visible over the network.

Thanks DaveB, I already did that. The bit I have the problem with is "should now be visible over the network". Where should it be visible? How do I go and look for it?

[DaveB]

Hello all

My DVD-less Windows XP notebook needs access to a DVD drive. Rather than buy an external drive, I believe I can network to my Mac's DVD drive (iMac, Snow Leopard) but I'm no expert on networking so any step by step help would be gratefully received.

The machines are connected by an ethernet cable. So far, I have managed to read files on the Netbook's hard drive from the Mac , and vice versa. I can also print from the Netbook to the printer attached to the Mac. So far so good. How do I get the Netbook to find and recognise the Mac's DVD drive please?

You need to enable DVD/CD Sharing on the Mac.

Preferences -> Sharing - > DVD/CD tick box.

Should now be visible over the network.