Files on USB share not showing

[mnozahy]

Hello,
I apologize in advance if that is a noob question:
I have Merlin installed on 2 routers: AC68U (running version 386.1 beta 6) and AC66U (Running John's fork 374.43). Shared files (with special characters in their filenames) do not show at all in the AC68U. I tried both Samba and ftp protocols and both dont work.
However, same files are showing perfectly fine when I connect the usb drive to the AC66U.
Is there a certain setting to enable additional characters on the AC68U?
Example of the problematic file names: ( Kristal is Unwell CRY BABIES MAGIC TEARS )

 

[L&LD]

Yes, that is a problematic file name? Do you need to use names like that?

How are you running Beta 6? Did you compile this yourself?

What specific version of @john9527's RMerlin fork are you running?

What file format is the USB drive using?

Which router is the main one? What mode is the other in?

 

[mnozahy]

Thanks a lot @L&LD for your reply
1) When I downloads cartoon playlists for the kids from YouTube to watch offline, the downloaded files usually come with these "creative names". Going through them and renaming them manually will literally take hours. Hope if there is just a way to be able to view the files without having to rename them
2) Sorry, that was a typo. I am running 386.1_beta5
3) I am running version 374.43_46E8j9527
4) The USB is formatted as NTFS
5) I have just one router running at a time (main router). I plugged the USB into the RT-AC68U first, then when I noticed the problem, I got my old RT-AC66U from storage, and plugged the USB into it to check if the problem does exist
with the RT-AC68U running version 386.1_beta5 : The files are not visible (tried both samba and ftp file shares)
with the RT-AC66U running version 374.43_46E8j9527: The files are visible

Thanks again for your time

 

[john9527]

What host are you using to look for the files?
Are they configured the same for samba/ftp? Files in the root directory will only be visible if Guest access is enabled.

I don't recall any real changes in the 386 branch in this area, save for a recent wsdd2 change (meaning I'd expect them to behave the same). If it's related to the wsdd2 change, I'd expect the symptom to be that the entire share name wouldn't be visible under Windows, not individual files.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I couldn't see any obvious difference between John's and Merlin's smb configs, both use UTF8. My guess is that it's not a Samba issue at all but a difference in the NTFS drivers. But that's just a guess.

 

[john9527]

a difference in the NTFS drivers. But that's just a guess.

Good thought. I'm still using the original NTFS drivers as they are less susceptible to the 'out of memory' errors with larger drives. This was a case of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' for the fork.

 

[mnozahy]

Hello @john9527
I am able to reproduce the problem using android and windows 8.1 clients
Yes they are configured the same (with guest access allowed)
The router with your fork (374.43_46E8j9527) works fine for both smb and ftp. However not the one with the 386.1 on it.
Anyone can confirm the problem by connecting a usb drive to a windows machine, rename any file into ( Kristal is Unwell CRY BABIES MAGIC TEARS) then plug the usb drive into the router and try to view the file. It will just disappear

 

[mnozahy]

@ColinTaylor I just tried to put the files on a 16 GB flash drive and I experienced the same issue
So it happens irrespective of the usb drive size (tried 2 TB and 16 GB USB drives)
Tried to copy the files from my computer into the shared drive (using smb), and I got "the file is too large for the destination file system" error message.
However, both drives are NTFS - and the file size is only 68 MB

 

[ColinTaylor]

Tried to copy the files from my computer into the shared drive (using smb), and I got "the file is too large for the destination file system" error message.
However, both drives are NTFS - and the file size is only 68 MB

That error message doesn't seem to make much sense (unless the drive is actually full).

Getting back to your original problem, can you format a USB flash drive as FAT32, plug it into the router and see if you can copy/create a file with the weird filename?

 

[mnozahy]

That error message doesn't seem to make much sense (unless the drive is actually full).

Getting back to your original problem, can you format a USB flash drive as FAT32, plug it into the router and see if you can copy/create a file with the weird filename?

@ColinTaylor The drive was actually empty
I followed your suggestion and formatted the drive into FAT32, plugged it into my windows 10 machine and copied some of the problematic files. Then I plugged the usb drive into my router and tried to access these files using smb, yet the files did not show up.
I tried to copy the files from my computer into the network drive
When I copy a file named (Kitty Kitty CRY BABIES MAGIC TEARS ), I get (Destination folder access denied: you need permission to perform this action) error message
However, when I change the file name into (Kitty Kitty CRY BABIES MAGIC TEARS ), I can copy it flawlessly
For some reason, the 386 can not handle emojis in the file names

 

[Konde]

I have got the same problem in my ASUS AC86U firmware Merlin 386.1 beta 5 I dont see and I can´t access to the Harddrive shared via USB samba protocol....

 

[mnozahy]

I think this is a different problem. In my case I can see the drive, and see all the files with alphanumeric filenames. Files with emojis in their filenames do not show up for me

 

[Konde]

well I found the problem , If i was looking via linux I could see the folders on my disk and access to it. But I tried in WIN10 it wasn´t possible, so I decided to check the Harddisk in Linux (gparted) and I realized the system was formated in MBR instead of GPT, I changed the partition to GPT and voila all fix it. Now its working perfectly in both systems.

 

[ma678]

I have similar issue to access folders via SMB by VLK on my Apple TV4K. I am required to authenticate my log-in. I tried with user name and password to my router and failed. I even created a new user and failed too.
RT-AC68U running the latest 386.1. the same issue with 384.19, too.

 

[mnozahy]

USB

well I found the problem , If i was looking via linux I could see the folders on my disk and access to it. But I tried in WIN10 it wasn´t possible, so I decided to check the Harddisk in Linux (gparted) and I realized the system was formated in MBR instead of GPT, I changed the partition to GPT and voila all fix it. Now its working perfectly in both systems.

Before doing the conversion to GPT, could you see any folders at all?
In my case, my drive is MBR, but I have access to all files with alphanumeric names. Files with emojis in the filename are not visible

 

[Konde]

Before doing the conversion to GPT, could you see any folders at all?
In my case, my drive is MBR, but I have access to all files with alphanumeric names. Files with emojis in the filename are nNo I couldnt.

Before doing the conversion to GPT, could you see any folders at all?
In my case, my drive is MBR, but I have access to all files with alphanumeric names. Files with emojis in the filename are not visible

No I couldnt See anything at all..