/apps/MyLocalDrive

My Local Drive

Turn a spare drive on a Linux PC into a private network hard drive for your Mac. Each person gets their own locked folder. Install Server Setup on Linux once, then use the Mac app every day.

Downloads PDF setup guide

Mac app Linux Server Setup Private folders

On this page

  1. Privacy Policy & Terms
  2. How it works
  3. Downloads
  4. Install order
  5. Linux — Server Setup (full walkthrough)
  6. Mac — My Local Drive app (full walkthrough)
  7. Users & private folders
  8. Troubleshooting

How it works

Mac My Local Drive.app │ Create / Login │ Mount share ▼ LAN ── SMB file share + Agent (create users) │ ▼ Linux PC My Local Drive Server Setup (once) Samba share + private homes/<username>/ Agent service for Create

You always mount the same share name (LOCALHDD1). The server maps it to only your folder. Other users cannot see your files.

Privacy: This page never lists your home Wi‑Fi name, router, passwords, or private LAN addresses. Use the values printed on the Linux connection card after setup — keep that card private.

Downloads

Mac — Client

Client DMG Client PKG

Install on the Mac that mounts and uses the drive.

Mac — Server

Server DMG Server PKG

Share a folder/HDD from another Mac. PKG removes old Server app/agents first.

Linux — Server

Linux Server Setup (.tar.gz)

Wizard on the Linux PC with the spare hard drive.

Full PDF guide

Install order

  1. Server first — Linux Server Setup or Mac Server on the machine that has the disk/folder to share. Finish the wizard and copy the connection card (IP, token, SMB user/password).
  2. Client Mac second — Install Client DMG/PKG. Open My Local Drive → enter server IP + token → Login or Create.
Server PKG/DMG wizards remove previous Server leftovers before installing. Client and Server are different apps.

Linux — Server Setup

This is the product half customers run once on the PC with the empty/spare HDD. Without it, the Mac app has nothing to connect to.

1) Copy the package onto the Linux PC

Download My-Local-Drive-Server-Setup.tar.gz, copy it to the Linux machine (USB or network), then:

tar -xzf My-Local-Drive-Server-Setup.tar.gz
cd linux-app/..   # folder that contains linux/ and linux-app/
sudo bash linux-app/install-to-linux.sh

That installs the menu app My Local Drive Server Setup and the command mylocaldrive-server-setup.

2) Open the wizard

From the application menu, open My Local Drive Server Setup, or run:

mylocaldrive-server-setup

3) Walkthrough (what you will see)

  Welcome

My Local Drive

Server Setup — prepare this PC for the Mac app

  • Formats spare disks only
  • Installs Samba + agent
  • Private folders per user
  • Shows connection card for Mac
Continue
  Account

Default admin account

choose admin name
•••••••• (you choose)
••••••••
8743
Continue
  Disks

Disks

DeviceAction
System diskSkipped
Spare diskWill become My Local Drive

Confirm spare disks only — system disk is never used for data.

Continue
  Done

Connection card

Keep this private — paste into the Mac app.

Server IP: <from this PC>
Agent Port: 8743
Agent Token: <generated>
SMB User / Password: <you set>
Share: LOCALHDD1
Copy connection info

4) What gets installed

5) Command-line only (optional)

sudo env LOCALHDD_SMB_USER=mylocaldrive \
         LOCALHDD_SMB_PASS='YourStrongPassword' \
         bash linux-app/run-full-setup.sh
sudo cat /etc/localhdd/mac-connection.txt   # private — do not publish

Mac — My Local Drive app

Daily client: Create/Login, mount, auto-connect, transfers.

1) Install

  1. Download the DMG or PKG from this page.
  2. Open the installer → Continue → Install to Applications → enter your Mac password if asked.
  3. Launch My Local Drive from Applications / Launchpad.
  4. If Gatekeeper blocks: right-click the app → Open once.

2) First launch — Create or Login

  Create | Login

My Local Drive

CreateLogin
from Linux connection card
admin from Server Setup
••••••••
Login & Connect
  Mounted

My Local Drive

Mounted

Share: LOCALHDD1 — your private folder is the volume root.

Open in Finder Eject

3) Settings from Linux (placeholders only)

FieldWhere it comes from
Server IPLinux connection card (your private LAN address — do not publish)
Agent tokenLinux connection card (needed for Create)
Username / passwordAdmin from Server Setup, or a new Create user
ShareUsually LOCALHDD1

4) Create vs Login

If files seem “missing,” you logged in as a different user than the owner. Login as the account that stored them.

5) Daily use

Users & private folders

How createdResult
Linux Server SetupDefault admin + private home
Mac app → CreateNew user + empty private home via agent
Linux terminal (advanced)sudo mylocaldrive-add-user name 'password'

Troubleshooting

ProblemCheck
Create fails / agent errorAgent running; correct token; Mac can reach the Linux PC on the agent port; firewall
Login / mount failsUsername/password; Samba running; share name; same LAN; firewall SMB
User already existsSwitch to Login, or pick another username
Empty folder / missing filesWrong user — Login as the owner
No spare disk in wizardAttach unused disk ≥ ~8 GB; system disk is skipped