IDEA: activate Windows (7) mapped network drives

[Losdollos]

Good morning 

This appears to be a literally huge problem around the whole world, so learned my search for a solution to this problem.

It has been described perfectly over here:

http://ptihosting.co...indows-vista-solved/

However that solution doesn't work for me. There are really a zillion other 'solutions' going from tweaking the registry to changing the way you map the shared network folder (either via 'net use' or by putting in the hostname instead of the IP-address, or the other way around, and so on and so forth), but none of these work for me. To give you an example of these other 'solutions' (and there are many, many, many, more of them when you google around for hours as I did ( ():

http://www.petri.co....owthread.php?t=59356

http://www.conetrix....ilable-Over-VPN.aspx

https://social.techn...a-9adc-3a4926db4d72/

http://answers.micro...8e-9fb3-5cc6f9336ff9

So, as in the problem description in the first post, I have the same kind of problem:
- Windows 7 Pro X64
- Synology NAS with mapped shares (x:\ for \\192.168.7.44\media, y:\ for \\192.168.7.44\office).
- On booting the PCs, the x:\ and y:\ appear invisible, but you can access them normally, by first double clicking on the drive (in explorer). Then the red cross disappears and the icon turns into green, and you can access it normally.
- The problem is this. As an example (but the problem is relevant for more applications): my girl and I use Office OneNote 2010, which allows you to have shared notebook. It is put on the NAS, and both my girl and I record 'todos', 'things to buy', and so on, in it. OneNote is supposed to sync this in the background, so that if I type something into it, my girl on her PC can also see that. This will work, but not when the drive icon is red. OneNote will tell you  'syncing not possible'. You then have to go into explorer, double click on y:\ once, et voila, Onenote happily syncs sinces it now 'sees' the share that was there all along. Of course this is extremely annoying (not only for this, but also because the problem is relevant for a bunch of other programs we use also).
- So, to make it clear, this has nothing to do with access rights: the logon data has been stored in Windows credential manager (as enterprise, so persistent), and Windows doesn't ask for a password, it simply has to do with these mapped drives *appearing* not to be online to Windows, whereas actually they were mapped at boot correctly. There is just 'something' that makes them appear offline.

To finalize it: at first I thought this might be having something to do with Synology, perhaps some problems in different SAMBA-protocols or whatever, but this appears not to be the case; I mapped a drive on a Windows 8 'puter to my Windows 7 work station, and the problem remains the same.

Is there an extremely talented developer who says 'no sweat, easy, peace of cake'? (I really, really, really, hope so, since I googled and tried for weeks, but I can't get it fixed  ).

Of course, just to confirm that I am not a 'free rider': I will happily donate money for a solution to this extremely irritating problem 

Thank you for your time and attention,

Bye,

[4wd]

What if you just set a Scheduled Task to run at user logon of:

dir Y: >NUL && dir X: >NUL

Attached is a task you can import into the Task Scheduler along with a cmd file to put in C:\.

Something to try and it's reasonably simple.

You could also make it only happen if the network is available by setting a condition:

IDEA: activate Windows (7) mapped network drives

[Losdollos]

What if you just set a Scheduled Task to run at user logon of:

dir Y: >NUL && dir X: >NUL

Attached is a task you can import into the Task Scheduler along with a cmd file to put in C:\.

Something to try and it's reasonably simple.

You could also make it only happen if the network is available by setting a condition:
 (see attachment in previous post)

-4wd (April 21, 2013, 06:05 AM)

Thanks for your reply 

Exactly that was what I thought of myself yesterday; but it won't dir, because Windows thinks the drive is offline (which it is not). So 'something' needs to simulate 'double clicking on each drive' (but then in more sound developers language  ).

Thanks again 

[skwire]

Hi, Losdollos, and welcome to the DonationCoder site.  I know you've searched far and wide, but have you tried this?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937624

FWIW, I've solved this problem over the years by using a batch file with "net use" commands to map my drives.

[Losdollos]

Hi, Losdollos, and welcome to the DonationCoder site.  I know you've searched far and wide, but have you tried this?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937624

FWIW, I've solved this problem over the years by using a batch file with "net use" commands to map my drives.

-skwire (April 21, 2013, 11:14 AM)

Thank you for your reply, Skwire 

Yes, I tried that also, but that also didn't work 

Just out of curiousity, would you mind posting your batch file? I tried using 'net use' but it didn't work for me. But if it works for you, perhaps I did make a mistake somewhere 

Thank again for your help 

[skwire]

I tried using 'net use' but it didn't work for me. But if it works for you, perhaps I did make a mistake somewhere

-Losdollos (April 22, 2013, 02:21 AM)

I use the command like this:

net use s: \\server\c mypassword /USER:jody /PERSISTENT:NO

I always use the "/PERSISTENT:NO" option and then I either put a shortcut to the batch file in my startup folder or simply run the batch file manually after booting.  If you need me to break down the command part by part, just ask.

[4wd]

Just as a matter of interest, what happens if you just use the UNC or IP address instead of mapping the drive?

I don't think I've mapped a drive since Win98, it was easier to use the IP - seemed to be a little more reliable also.

[Losdollos]

I tried using 'net use' but it didn't work for me. But if it works for you, perhaps I did make a mistake somewhere

-Losdollos (April 22, 2013, 02:21 AM)

I use the command like this:

net use s: \\server\c mypassword /USER:jody /PERSISTENT:NO

I always use the "/PERSISTENT:NO" option and then I either put a shortcut to the batch file in my startup folder or simply run the batch file manually after booting.  If you need me to break down the command part by part, just ask.

-skwire (April 22, 2013, 07:38 AM)

Thanks for your help 

I will try it and report back here 

[Losdollos]

what happens if you just use the UNC or IP address instead of mapping the drive?

-4wd (April 22, 2013, 09:48 PM)

Thank you for your help 

If only I understood what you are saying, I am not so smart in these matters 

Would you mind explaning a little more what you mean?

Thank you in advance 

[4wd]

what happens if you just use the UNC or IP address instead of mapping the drive?

-4wd (April 22, 2013, 09:48 PM)

If only I understood what you are saying, I am not so smart in these matters 

Would you mind explaning a little more what you mean?

-Losdollos (April 23, 2013, 03:55 AM)

No problem, UNC is Universal Naming Convention^w used to access a network shared resource which can be a file, folder, printer, etc.

eg. \\SomeComputer\SomeFolder\SomeFile

IP is what you've already posted above, \\192.168.7.44\media

Instead of mapping a NAS share so that you can use Y: or X: as a path to a file, just use the UNC path, (or IP), to access the folder\file, eg.

\\NAS\media          <- change NAS to whatever name your NAS shows up as, eg. Synology
\\192.168.7.44\media
\\NAS\office
\\192.168.7.44\office

and add them to your Favourites in Explorer, (or whatever filemanager you use).

I don't think Onenote would have any problem syncing if you specified either one of those forms, (I might be wrong though), most Windows programs since Win98 usually work with one or the other.

[40hz]

That can also happen with a Samba share if you have the offline files option enabled in the W7 Sync Center control panel. Try disabling offline files and you should be ok. Unless, of course, you use that feature.

Also +1 w/4wd when he recommends using UNC. Mapped network drives can be fussy at the best of times. And with the advent of ActiveDirectory and their new security model, Microsoft now recommends that you use UNC for accessing network shares rather than mapped drives.

[Stoic Joker]

That can also happen with a Samba share if you have the offline files option enabled in the W7 Sync Center control panel. Try disabling offline files and you should be ok. Unless, of course, you use that feature.

-40hz (April 23, 2013, 06:28 AM)

Might be good to mention that you loose indexing/the ability to search said files from the start menu that way. It also becomes next to impossible to add the target to a library (due to the can't index bit).

Also +1 w/4wd when he recommends using UNC. Mapped network drives can be fussy at the best of times. And with the advent of ActiveDirectory and their new security model, Microsoft now recommends that you use UNC for accessing network shares rather than mapped drives.

-40hz (April 23, 2013, 06:28 AM)

That strikes me as quite odd, considering a single GP mapped drive letter to a domain DFS root makes a myriad of problems vanish instantly. Why would anyone want to go back to the administrative overhead of tending multiple (saved UNC) shortcuts...it strikes me as the worst of both worlds.

[40hz]

Also +1 w/4wd when he recommends using UNC. Mapped network drives can be fussy at the best of times. And with the advent of ActiveDirectory and their new security model, Microsoft now recommends that you use UNC for accessing network shares rather than mapped drives.

-40hz (April 23, 2013, 06:28 AM)

That strikes me as quite odd, considering a single GP mapped drive letter to a domain DFS root makes a myriad of problems vanish instantly. Why would anyone want to go back to the administrative overhead of tending multiple (saved UNC) shortcuts...it strikes me as the worst of both worlds.

-Stoic Joker (April 23, 2013, 06:58 AM)

The time I called MSoft's tech support with a similar issue I was told mapped drives were considered "legacy" and were kept mostly for compatibility reasons. UNC and FQDNs were where it was going. So I assumed that was MSoft's official position rather than just the tech's opinion - but maybe it was? Have you heard otherwise?

[Losdollos]

I tried using 'net use' but it didn't work for me. But if it works for you, perhaps I did make a mistake somewhere

-Losdollos (April 22, 2013, 02:21 AM)

I use the command like this:

net use s: \\server\c mypassword /USER:jody /PERSISTENT:NO

I always use the "/PERSISTENT:NO" option and then I either put a shortcut to the batch file in my startup folder or simply run the batch file manually after booting.  If you need me to break down the command part by part, just ask.

-skwire (April 22, 2013, 07:38 AM)

Reporting back 

It doesn't work 

The *exact* example I took from you, but all I get is:

[Select]

System error 53 has occurred. The network path was not found

Googling on that gives the same type of 1001 things to try that might - and might not work.

However:

[Select]

net view \\Diskstation

Immediately does list all the directories (which reside inside \volume1, somehow Synology just simply shows the content of \volume1 automatically (which is good), instead of the content of \).

Why does it always have to be so difficult

[skwire]

Try using the IP of your NAS instead of the name.

[Losdollos]

what happens if you just use the UNC or IP address instead of mapping the drive?

-4wd (April 22, 2013, 09:48 PM)

If only I understood what you are saying, I am not so smart in these matters  

Would you mind explaning a little more what you mean?

-Losdollos (April 23, 2013, 03:55 AM)

No problem, UNC is Universal Naming Convention^w used to access a network shared resource which can be a file, folder, printer, etc.

eg. \\SomeComputer\SomeFolder\SomeFile

IP is what you've already posted above, \\192.168.7.44\media

Instead of mapping a NAS share so that you can use Y: or X: as a path to a file, just use the UNC path, (or IP), to access the folder\file, eg.

\\NAS\media          <- change NAS to whatever name your NAS shows up as, eg. Synology
\\192.168.7.44\media
\\NAS\office
\\192.168.7.44\office

and add them to your Favourites in Explorer, (or whatever filemanager you use).

I don't think Onenote would have any problem syncing if you specified either one of those forms, (I might be wrong though), most Windows programs since Win98 usually work with one or the other.

-4wd (April 23, 2013, 05:15 AM)

Thank you very much for your suggestion  

I'm a little bit lost how to use this, since: I use Totalcommander (ever since the days of MS-DOS and Norton Commander  ). This, because I have never gotten used to how MS wants you to do filemanagement with the mouse and explorer; in Totalcommander, I simply select files in the left screen with <insert>, and do F5 or F6 to copy/move them to the right screen. Which is my mapped drive y:\ or x:\ (on the Synology NAS). I have been poking around, but if I don't have x:\ or y:\, then how do I select the directory on the NAS to move my files to, in Totalcommander?

I thought I'd take a screenshot to clarify what I mean  

IDEA: activate Windows (7) mapped network drives

[Losdollos]

Try using the IP of your NAS instead of the name.

-skwire (April 23, 2013, 10:05 AM)

I did that also  

[Losdollos]

That can also happen with a Samba share if you have the offline files option enabled in the W7 Sync Center control panel. Try disabling offline files and you should be ok. Unless, of course, you use that feature.

Also +1 w/4wd when he recommends using UNC. Mapped network drives can be fussy at the best of times. And with the advent of ActiveDirectory and their new security model, Microsoft now recommends that you use UNC for accessing network shares rather than mapped drives.

-40hz (April 23, 2013, 06:28 AM)

And thank you to you too 

I had good hopes that that would work, but no 

I tried it both on my main desktop (W7), and on a really really freshly installed W8Pro (my new HTPC); nothing 

[Stoic Joker]

have you tried this? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297684

[40hz]

At this point I think the issue is likely being caused by a group policy setting.

Usually when you're having trouble connecting to a share it's caused by an encryption or other security setting. You'll run into that problem with Win7 connections to old Win2K servers sometimes.

Take a look at the connection specs and details on your server. If you gave an old version if Samba, the increased security Win7 looks for might be the problem.


 

[Stoic Joker]

Also +1 w/4wd when he recommends using UNC. Mapped network drives can be fussy at the best of times. And with the advent of ActiveDirectory and their new security model, Microsoft now recommends that you use UNC for accessing network shares rather than mapped drives.

-40hz (April 23, 2013, 06:28 AM)

That strikes me as quite odd, considering a single GP mapped drive letter to a domain DFS root makes a myriad of problems vanish instantly. Why would anyone want to go back to the administrative overhead of tending multiple (saved UNC) shortcuts...it strikes me as the worst of both worlds.

-Stoic Joker (April 23, 2013, 06:58 AM)

The time I called MSoft's tech support with a similar issue I was told mapped drives were considered "legacy" and were kept mostly for compatibility reasons. UNC and FQDNs were where it was going. So I assumed that was MSoft's official position rather than just the tech's opinion - but maybe it was? Have you heard otherwise?

-40hz (April 23, 2013, 07:10 AM)

I'd have to go with Tech's Opinion...if only from an administrative stand point. Walking a (stereotypical...) end user through \\anything is painfully time consuming. But telling them to go to (GP initiated mapped) drive X: and clicking on whatever-they-lookin-for is freaking cake...especially if you can remotely stuff any DFS link into said target before they get there..

I ain't givin' that up without a fight.

At this point I think the issue is likely being caused by a group policy setting.

Usually when you're having trouble connecting to a share it's caused by an encryption or other security setting. You'll run into that problem with Win7 connections to old Win2K servers sometimes.

Take a look at the connection specs and details on your server. If you gave an old version if Samba, the increased security Win7 looks for might be the problem.

-40hz (April 23, 2013, 11:18 AM)

LM/NTLM vs. NTLMv2? There was mention of that in one of the articles a ran across in a quick google (For Mapped Drive Red X), it also stated that a VB script (and I suspect a .cmd) would execute more reliably than a standard batch file would.

[40hz]

I ain't givin' that up without a fight.

-Stoic Joker (April 23, 2013, 05:30 PM)

Don't blame ya - and for exactly the reasons you've given. It is easier.

Especially when you discover that a share on a server named SVF01 sometimes works when it's called: \\SVF01\share - and sometimes only when it's called: \\SFV01.internal.mycompany.com\share - and this within the same domain depending on which client machine you're on!

Drives me nuts every time...

LM/NTLM vs. NTLMv2? There was mention of that in one of the articles a ran across in a quick google (For Mapped Drive Red X), it also stated that a VB script (and I suspect a .cmd) would execute more reliably than a standard batch file would.

It had something to do with that. You needed to set the DWORD LmCompatibilityLevel (in HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa) equal to "1" [See here.] Basically you needed to dumb down the default authentication and session security in Win7 so it wouldn't insist on NTLMv2. This applied when using old Win2k servers as well as when connecting to some Samba boxes.

But there were also two related policy settings that needed to be adjusted depending on which version of the Win desktop you were running. There was one for 32-bit and two for 64-bit. Got it in my KB somewhere but I can find it just right now.

Now where did I file the notes about those GPO changes?

[4wd]

I'm a little bit lost how to use this, ....

-Losdollos (April 23, 2013, 10:20 AM)

For Onenote, instead of specifying the directory as Y:\ you'd specify it as \\Diskstation\office - Onenote should happily sync with that instead.  I don't use MS Office so maybe someone else can say exactly what you do.

I have been poking around, but if I don't have x:\ or y:\, then how do I select the directory on the NAS to move my files to, in Totalcommander?

Not sure about TC but in Directory Opus I can just specify a button that is the directory I want, eg.



The button marked LAN will open three different remote shares depending on which mouse button I press:

Sue-PC = \\192.168.0.210        (or \\SUE-PC)
SABnzbd = \\192.168.0.208      (or \\SABNZBD)
WDLXTV = \\192.168.0.235      (or \\WDTVLIVE)

I would think that TC would allow you add drive buttons for specific destinations and then you can just use:

\\Diskstation\office
\\Diskstation\media

etc. and just label the buttons as you want.

[questorfla]

I would have thought Skwire's "net use" would be the solution.  But if a manual double click on multiple drives works for what you need, you could record a script using ghost mouse to do exactly that on every boot.  Just a thought