Assigning letters when mapping drives

[Guest]

When mapping drives from other computers, do the letters have to be unique
across the whole network or on a particular machine only?

I.e.:
on PC1 there are drives C, D and E (CD-drive)
on PC2 there are drives C, D and E (CD-drive)

On PC1 I mapped drives from PC2, so My Computer looks like:
C
D
E
F (drive C from PC2)
G (drive D from PC2)

When mapping drives on PC2 can I use leters F and G ?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

You can use whatever unused drive letters you like. Neither computer knows
or cares which letters are used on the other.

 

[Guest]

Thanks,
So when I gettong a message "cannot access a drive. The letter is in use, I
should look to the cocal computer only to see if I have duplicate latters?
Someone here said that a letter can be taken by some internal process - is
this a case?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Yes, a drive letter may have been manually mapped, or someone may have
assigned it to a local device. Try to keep the local device mappings
consistent across computers, as you can't overwrite them in your login
script (nor should you want to).

I usually do
-------------------------
net use g: /del
net use s: /del
net use y: /del

net use g: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use s: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use y: \\server\share /persistent:no

 

[Guest]

Thanks,
I've n ever heard of login scripts - where can I read about them?

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Are you using a domain? If not, you can't really use a login script, but you
can still do this - just put a batch file on everyone's computer that has
the mappings you want, and put it in their startup folders.

Thanks,
I've n ever heard of login scripts - where can I read about them?

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

Yes, a drive letter may have been manually mapped, or someone may
have assigned it to a local device. Try to keep the local device
mappings consistent across computers, as you can't overwrite them
in your login script (nor should you want to).

I usually do
-------------------------
net use g: /del
net use s: /del
net use y: /del

net use g: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use s: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use y: \\server\share /persistent:no

 

[Guest]

No, my network is made of w2kPro and there is no server
Why should I temper with the bat files? What advantages does it offer over
mapping drives using MyComputer-MapDrives?

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

Are you using a domain? If not, you can't really use a login script, but you
can still do this - just put a batch file on everyone's computer that has
the mappings you want, and put it in their startup folders.

Thanks,
I've n ever heard of login scripts - where can I read about them?

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

Yes, a drive letter may have been manually mapped, or someone may
have assigned it to a local device. Try to keep the local device
mappings consistent across computers, as you can't overwrite them
in your login script (nor should you want to).

I usually do
-------------------------
net use g: /del
net use s: /del
net use y: /del

net use g: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use s: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use y: \\server\share /persistent:no
-------------------------

...to get rid of any locally mapped network drives.


aa wrote:
Thanks,
So when I gettong a message "cannot access a drive. The letter is in
use, I should look to the cocal computer only to see if I have
duplicate latters? Someone here said that a letter can be taken by
some internal process - is this a case?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

No, my network is made of w2kPro and there is no server
Why should I temper with the bat files? What advantages does it offer over
mapping drives using MyComputer-MapDrives?

Consistency - you'll know that everyone has the same drive mappings, and if
they create others after they're logging in, or deleting some, you'll know
that when they log in again the correct drives will map.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

Are you using a domain? If not, you can't really use a login script, but you
can still do this - just put a batch file on everyone's computer that has
the mappings you want, and put it in their startup folders.

Thanks,
I've n ever heard of login scripts - where can I read about them?

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
message Yes, a drive letter may have been manually mapped, or someone may
have assigned it to a local device. Try to keep the local device
mappings consistent across computers, as you can't overwrite them
in your login script (nor should you want to).

I usually do
-------------------------
net use g: /del
net use s: /del
net use y: /del

net use g: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use s: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use y: \\server\share /persistent:no
-------------------------

...to get rid of any locally mapped network drives.


aa wrote:
Thanks,
So when I gettong a message "cannot access a drive. The letter is in
use, I should look to the cocal computer only to see if I have
duplicate latters? Someone here said that a letter can be taken by
some internal process - is this a case?

 

[Guest]

Thanks.
1. Should I use the autoexec.bat for this purpose, or I may create a
separate bat file for it?
2. In the latter case, where this file should be stored and what hould be
its name?
3. If I have multiple booting partitions, do I need to copy this file into
each prtition?
4. If it is a separate file, does it need to have anything else apart from
the lines you indicated?
5. Could you explain the syntax
net use y: /del
net use g: \\server\share /persistent:no
The line net use y: /del seem to be obvious - it releses letter G
In the secondline
- what exactly should I use in place of \\server\share ? (everybody
here seem to use this pattern but I cannot get anyone to tell me what
exactly it means)
- what is the purpose of the "persistent" parameter?
6. How does the bat file interracts with mapping drives using
MyComputer-MapDrives? Which one takes precedence?




"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

No, my network is made of w2kPro and there is no server
Why should I temper with the bat files? What advantages does it offer over
mapping drives using MyComputer-MapDrives?

Consistency - you'll know that everyone has the same drive mappings, and if
they create others after they're logging in, or deleting some, you'll know
that when they log in again the correct drives will map.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

Are you using a domain? If not, you can't really use a login script,

but
you

can still do this - just put a batch file on everyone's computer that has
the mappings you want, and put it in their startup folders.

aa wrote:
Thanks,
I've n ever heard of login scripts - where can I read about them?

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
message Yes, a drive letter may have been manually mapped, or someone may
have assigned it to a local device. Try to keep the local device
mappings consistent across computers, as you can't overwrite them
in your login script (nor should you want to).

I usually do
-------------------------
net use g: /del
net use s: /del
net use y: /del

net use g: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use s: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use y: \\server\share /persistent:no
-------------------------

...to get rid of any locally mapped network drives.


aa wrote:
Thanks,
So when I gettong a message "cannot access a drive. The letter is in
use, I should look to the cocal computer only to see if I have
duplicate latters? Someone here said that a letter can be taken by
some internal process - is this a case?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Autoexec.bat won't do anything. Create a separate batch file. Put it
wherever you like - the root of C if you want. Create a shortcut in the
startup folder. And yes, you'd need to do this for each boot partition.

net use y: /del <----deletes anything Y is currently mapped to
net use y: \\servername\sharename /persistent: no <----maps Y to the share
on the computer, not a permenant mapping.

For \\servername read \\computername - name of the computer that has the
share.

Re priority - the reason you're using the /del is to get *rid* of any
locally mapped drives. Then you can remap them.

You might want to pick up some basic Windows networking books....

Thanks.
1. Should I use the autoexec.bat for this purpose, or I may create a
separate bat file for it?
2. In the latter case, where this file should be stored and what
hould be its name?
3. If I have multiple booting partitions, do I need to copy this file
into each prtition?
4. If it is a separate file, does it need to have anything else apart
from the lines you indicated?
5. Could you explain the syntax
net use y: /del
net use g: \\server\share /persistent:no
The line net use y: /del seem to be obvious - it releses letter G
In the secondline
- what exactly should I use in place of \\server\share ?
(everybody here seem to use this pattern but I cannot get anyone to
tell me what exactly it means)
- what is the purpose of the "persistent" parameter?
6. How does the bat file interracts with mapping drives using
MyComputer-MapDrives? Which one takes precedence?




"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

No, my network is made of w2kPro and there is no server
Why should I temper with the bat files? What advantages does it
offer over mapping drives using MyComputer-MapDrives?

Consistency - you'll know that everyone has the same drive mappings,
and if they create others after they're logging in, or deleting
some, you'll know that when they log in again the correct drives
will map.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
in message Are you using a domain? If not, you can't really use a login
script, but
you
can still do this - just put a batch file on everyone's computer
that has the mappings you want, and put it in their startup
folders.

aa wrote:
Thanks,
I've n ever heard of login scripts - where can I read about them?

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
in message Yes, a drive letter may have been manually mapped, or someone may
have assigned it to a local device. Try to keep the local device
mappings consistent across computers, as you can't overwrite
them in your login script (nor should you want to).

I usually do
-------------------------
net use g: /del
net use s: /del
net use y: /del

net use g: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use s: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use y: \\server\share /persistent:no
-------------------------

...to get rid of any locally mapped network drives.


aa wrote:
Thanks,
So when I gettong a message "cannot access a drive. The letter
is in use, I should look to the cocal computer only to see if I
have duplicate latters? Someone here said that a letter can be
taken by some internal process - is this a case?

 

[aa]

Thanks.
1. maps Y to the share on the computer, not a permenant mapping.

What is "permenant mapping" and why I should not use it?

2. For \\servername read \\computername - name of the computer

Can I use IP address im place of a name? As I say my system for some reason
works unsteady with the names.

3. You might want to pick up some basic Windows networking books....

I have been wanting that for half a year now, but this book has not been
written yet. I bought three which together make about two thousand pages.
They all start with very basic things like how an IP address is structured
and then suddenly go to considarable length to some pecularities like
structure of a frame of NetBIOS protocol (I wish I new what I need to know
it for), but all the three books manage to forget about basic things like
network drive mapping.
Also there are other important things explained in one book and missing in
others.
So it looks like I should want to pick up a library of basic Windows
networking books....

Also the language the books are written is similar to that of this
newsgroup. I declared very loudly that I am a layman. And yet people, who
obviously very kindly want to help me, keep using some complicated words
and concepts to explain basic things like, say "permenant mapping" - I have
to ask about that and so on and on and that is why this thread drags itself
over 15 messages now.

4. Using the bat file instead of mapping drives from within W2k seems to
have a point only if the same file is used on all the computers in the
network - don't you think so? But it means that on each computer its local
drives will be showns twice - the second time like network drives - is this
the way to go?


"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

Autoexec.bat won't do anything. Create a separate batch file. Put it
wherever you like - the root of C if you want. Create a shortcut in the
startup folder. And yes, you'd need to do this for each boot partition.

net use y: /del <----deletes anything Y is currently mapped to
net use y: \\servername\sharename /persistent: no <----maps Y to the share
on the computer, not a permenant mapping.

For \\servername read \\computername - name of the computer that has the
share.

Re priority - the reason you're using the /del is to get *rid* of any
locally mapped drives. Then you can remap them.

You might want to pick up some basic Windows networking books....

Thanks.
1. Should I use the autoexec.bat for this purpose, or I may create a
separate bat file for it?
2. In the latter case, where this file should be stored and what
hould be its name?
3. If I have multiple booting partitions, do I need to copy this file
into each prtition?
4. If it is a separate file, does it need to have anything else apart
from the lines you indicated?
5. Could you explain the syntax
net use y: /del
net use g: \\server\share /persistent:no
The line net use y: /del seem to be obvious - it releses letter G
In the secondline
- what exactly should I use in place of \\server\share ?
(everybody here seem to use this pattern but I cannot get anyone to
tell me what exactly it means)
- what is the purpose of the "persistent" parameter?
6. How does the bat file interracts with mapping drives using
MyComputer-MapDrives? Which one takes precedence?




"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

<aa> wrote in message No, my network is made of w2kPro and there is no server
Why should I temper with the bat files? What advantages does it
offer over mapping drives using MyComputer-MapDrives?

Consistency - you'll know that everyone has the same drive mappings,
and if they create others after they're logging in, or deleting
some, you'll know that when they log in again the correct drives
will map.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
in message Are you using a domain? If not, you can't really use a login
script, but
you
can still do this - just put a batch file on everyone's computer
that has the mappings you want, and put it in their startup
folders.

aa wrote:
Thanks,
I've n ever heard of login scripts - where can I read about them?

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
in message Yes, a drive letter may have been manually mapped, or someone may
have assigned it to a local device. Try to keep the local device
mappings consistent across computers, as you can't overwrite
them in your login script (nor should you want to).

I usually do
-------------------------
net use g: /del
net use s: /del
net use y: /del

net use g: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use s: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use y: \\server\share /persistent:no
-------------------------

...to get rid of any locally mapped network drives.


aa wrote:
Thanks,
So when I gettong a message "cannot access a drive. The letter
is in use, I should look to the cocal computer only to see if I
have duplicate latters? Someone here said that a letter can be
taken by some internal process - is this a case?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Thanks.
1. maps Y to the share on the computer, not a permenant mapping.

What is "permenant mapping" and why I should not use it?

I don't like Windows to remember drive mappings - I want to control them
through the batch file.

2. For \\servername read \\computername - name of the computer

Can I use IP address im place of a name? As I say my system for some
reason works unsteady with the names.

May be time for hosts files, then...best to use names, not IP addresses.
Easier to remember, for one thing - hosts files map names to IP addresses.

3. You might want to pick up some basic Windows networking books....

I have been wanting that for half a year now, but this book has not
been written yet. I bought three which together make about two
thousand pages. They all start with very basic things like how an IP
address is structured and then suddenly go to considarable length to
some pecularities like structure of a frame of NetBIOS protocol (I
wish I new what I need to know it for), but all the three books
manage to forget about basic things like network drive mapping.
Also there are other important things explained in one book and
missing in others.
So it looks like I should want to pick up a library of basic Windows
networking books....

LOL - no, I'm sure there is something easier out there. You don't need to
know how to rebuild your transmission in order to fill your car up at the
gas station, etc....but some basics, maybe starting with the Dummies books
(although they can be a bit "cutesy" for my taste).... look for something
that's geared towards small/home networking. Also check out
www.pctechnicians.ca and www.wown.com

Also the language the books are written is similar to that of this
newsgroup. I declared very loudly that I am a layman. And yet people,
who obviously very kindly want to help me, keep using some
complicated words and concepts to explain basic things like, say
"permenant mapping" - I have to ask about that and so on and on and
that is why this thread drags itself over 15 messages now.

I haven't been called "some people" in ages - yow! I'm truly not very
jargon-prone. If you don't understand something, ask what it means, and
until we get down to the submolecular level, I'll try to explain, or someone
else will. Also bear in mind that google is good, as is www.whatis.com for a
techie dictionary.

4. Using the bat file instead of mapping drives from within W2k seems
to have a point only if the same file is used on all the computers in
the network - don't you think so? But it means that on each computer
its local drives will be showns twice - the second time like network
drives - is this the way to go?

It's really just the same thing as mapping drives manually - it just makes
it consistent. Give everyone their own batch file.
Although that said, even in a workgroup/peer to peer network, I still prefer
that one computer act as the "server", if possible, with all data stored
there, accessed by all other computers over the network - easier to manage
and back up.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

Autoexec.bat won't do anything. Create a separate batch file. Put it
wherever you like - the root of C if you want. Create a shortcut in
the startup folder. And yes, you'd need to do this for each boot
partition.

net use y: /del <----deletes anything Y is currently mapped to
net use y: \\servername\sharename /persistent: no <----maps Y to the
share on the computer, not a permenant mapping.

For \\servername read \\computername - name of the computer that
has the share.

Re priority - the reason you're using the /del is to get *rid* of any
locally mapped drives. Then you can remap them.

You might want to pick up some basic Windows networking books....

Thanks.
1. Should I use the autoexec.bat for this purpose, or I may create a
separate bat file for it?
2. In the latter case, where this file should be stored and what
hould be its name?
3. If I have multiple booting partitions, do I need to copy this
file into each prtition?
4. If it is a separate file, does it need to have anything else
apart from the lines you indicated?
5. Could you explain the syntax
net use y: /del
net use g: \\server\share /persistent:no
The line net use y: /del seem to be obvious - it releses letter G
In the secondline
- what exactly should I use in place of \\server\share ?
(everybody here seem to use this pattern but I cannot get anyone to
tell me what exactly it means)
- what is the purpose of the "persistent" parameter?
6. How does the bat file interracts with mapping drives using
MyComputer-MapDrives? Which one takes precedence?




"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
message <aa> wrote in message No, my network is made of w2kPro and there is no server
Why should I temper with the bat files? What advantages does it
offer over mapping drives using MyComputer-MapDrives?

Consistency - you'll know that everyone has the same drive
mappings, and if they create others after they're logging in, or
deleting some, you'll know that when they log in again the correct
drives will map.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
in message Are you using a domain? If not, you can't really use a login
script,
but
you
can still do this - just put a batch file on everyone's computer
that has the mappings you want, and put it in their startup
folders.

aa wrote:
Thanks,
I've n ever heard of login scripts - where can I read about
them?

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
<[email protected]>
wrote in message Yes, a drive letter may have been manually mapped, or someone
may have assigned it to a local device. Try to keep the local
device mappings consistent across computers, as you can't
overwrite them in your login script (nor should you want to).

I usually do
-------------------------
net use g: /del
net use s: /del
net use y: /del

net use g: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use s: \\server\share /persistent:no
net use y: \\server\share /persistent:no
-------------------------

...to get rid of any locally mapped network drives.


aa wrote:
Thanks,
So when I gettong a message "cannot access a drive. The letter
is in use, I should look to the cocal computer only to see if
I have duplicate latters? Someone here said that a letter can
be taken by some internal process - is this a case?