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MAC OS Sierra Favourite Network Locations Disappearing

frasierphilips
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Last Modified: 2017-03-21
I've recently installed a pair of iMacs running MAC OS Sierra on a network with a Windows 7 64bit Pro PC acting as a fileserver. I added the various shared folders as favourites on the Finder sidebar however once in a while the favourites vanish and need to be re-added.

At first I thought it was perhaps because the iMacs were connected to the network via WiFi and the connection wasn't established before the computer tried to somehow validate the favourites so I've wired the computers in but it's made no difference.
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Consultant
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frasierphilips

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Commented:
Excellent - thanks for such a full answer.  I think sometimes we all need to take a deep breath and just admit that PCs are better than MACs at certain things ;)
Eoin OSullivanConsultant
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Not BETTER just DIFFERENT!!  
Don't you remember the Apple slogan "Think Different"??   ;-)

Apples work very well with other Apples .. less well with Lemons (Windows)

I'd NEVER recommend a WINDOWS FILESERVER with OSX client computers .. it just will never be 100% reliable.  A NAS running Unix and sharing AFP for OSX and SMB for Windows is usually the best file sharing solution in a mixed Win/OSX office environment.
Not that everyone has that choice/option which I appreciate.
Eoin OSullivanConsultant
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Commented:
BTW .. if you also put an ALIAS to the network share on the DESKTOP and even in the DOCK .. they will not disappear and you can often double-click the alias to re-establish the connection.
Don't rely completely on the mounted drive staying Favourites.
frasierphilips

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Commented:
Don't have that option I'm afraid.  It's seems to be becoming increasingly trendy for 'prestige' businesses to have MACs 'front of house' but retain the back-office PCs and that's what's happened here.  There are 12 PCs out of sight and 2 MACs in the shop area.
frasierphilips

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Commented:
Ok - good advice
serialband
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You can always install the original SAMBA and use that.  Apple originally used SAMBA until SAMBA decided to switch licenses to GPLv3.  At that point Apple decided to write their own SMB stack, poorly, hence the problems everyone has been having with it ever since.   You can either download and install SAMBA manually or use SMBUp.  SMBUp is probably easiest for most Mac Users.

https://www.tweaking4all.com/os-tips-and-tricks/macosx-tips-and-tricks/smbup-mac-os-x-smb-fix/

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