Rules for mapping drives or folders

  • Thread starter Thread starter Doug Kanter
  • Start date Start date
D

Doug Kanter

Platform: XP Pro
About a year ago, I mapped the following folder on my machine, calling it
L:, to make easier to open the folder quickly (start, run, L:)

C:\Documents and Settings\Doug\DL

This worked smoothly. Incidentally, I was working in my admin account. I
just tried to do the same for another folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\Doug\My Documents\My Music

I get an error message:
The network path C:\Documents and Settings\Doug\My Documents\My Music could
not be found. Meanwhile, I'm looking right at the folder in Explorer. I
entered the path in the same way I stuck it in this message: Copied from the
Explorer address bar, then pasted into the Folder box in the Map Network
Folder dialog.

In my 2nd attempt, I used the Browse button to find the folder. When I
highlight the My Music folder, the OK button is greyed out. There are no
access issues witht that folder - I can perform all file functions while
viewing it in Explorer.

What's going on here?
 
Doug Kanter said:
Platform: XP Pro
About a year ago, I mapped the following folder on my machine, calling it
L:, to make easier to open the folder quickly (start, run, L:)

C:\Documents and Settings\Doug\DL

This worked smoothly. Incidentally, I was working in my admin account. I
just tried to do the same for another folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\Doug\My Documents\My Music

I get an error message:
The network path C:\Documents and Settings\Doug\My Documents\My Music could
not be found. Meanwhile, I'm looking right at the folder in Explorer. I
entered the path in the same way I stuck it in this message: Copied from the
Explorer address bar, then pasted into the Folder box in the Map Network
Folder dialog.

In my 2nd attempt, I used the Browse button to find the folder. When I
highlight the My Music folder, the OK button is greyed out. There are no
access issues witht that folder - I can perform all file functions while
viewing it in Explorer.

What's going on here?
Click to expand...

Surround your paths with double quotes, e.g. "C:\Doc ...\My Music"
 
Doug Kanter said:
Just tried it. Same error message.
Click to expand...

OK, let's be specific and do it in a tightly controlled environment:
- Click Start / Run / cmd {OK}
- Type this command verbatim:
net share Music="C:\Documents and Settings\Doug\My Documents\My Music"

Does it work? If it does not, what message(s) do you see?
 
Pegasus (MVP) said:
OK, let's be specific and do it in a tightly controlled environment:
- Click Start / Run / cmd {OK}
- Type this command verbatim:
net share Music="C:\Documents and Settings\Doug\My Documents\My Music"

Does it work? If it does not, what message(s) do you see?
Click to expand...

Message:
Music was shared successfully.

By the way, keep in mind that I do NOT want to share this folder with the
other two users on this machine. And, thanks for your patience in following
this issue. If I could send you a beer via email..... :-)
 
Doug Kanter said:
Message:
Music was shared successfully.

By the way, keep in mind that I do NOT want to share this folder with the
other two users on this machine. And, thanks for your patience in following
this issue. If I could send you a beer via email..... :-)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback, and the beer. Consider it drunk!
 
Doug Kanter said:
So, now what? Still can't map the folder.
Click to expand...

Back to the controlled environment of the Command Prompt:
Previously you created a share called Music; now you can
map it to a drive letter if you wish:

net use L: \\%ComputerName%\Music

You could also do it without using a share:

subst L: "C:\Documents and Settings\Doug\My Documents\My Music"
 
Pegasus (MVP) said:
Back to the controlled environment of the Command Prompt:
Previously you created a share called Music; now you can
map it to a drive letter if you wish:

net use L: \\%ComputerName%\Music

You could also do it without using a share:

subst L: "C:\Documents and Settings\Doug\My Documents\My Music"
Click to expand...

Thanks again! Now....I noticed (but haven't tried yet) the "persistent"
switch. Should this make the mapping persist even after the machine's
rebooted?
 
Doug Kanter said:
Thanks again! Now....I noticed (but haven't tried yet) the "persistent"
switch. Should this make the mapping persist even after the machine's
rebooted?
Click to expand...

I am not in favour of the persistent switch. When it's on then
Windows will remember previous connections to network
shares. However, if that connection is lost for some reason
then the user has a problem, because he can't remember what
the connection was and how it was made. Having a batch file
in the startup folder is something that is visible and that cannot
be lost for some unforeseen reason (unless the PC is rebuilt).
 
Pegasus (MVP) said:
I am not in favour of the persistent switch. When it's on then
Windows will remember previous connections to network
shares. However, if that connection is lost for some reason
then the user has a problem, because he can't remember what
the connection was and how it was made. Having a batch file
in the startup folder is something that is visible and that cannot
be lost for some unforeseen reason (unless the PC is rebuilt).
Click to expand...

OK....but still....this is a folder that I'll never get rid of. Should the
persistent switch work between restarts?
 
Doug Kanter said:
OK....but still....this is a folder that I'll never get rid of. Should the
persistent switch work between restarts?
Click to expand...

Yes, the persistent switch works between restarts. If you have
an unwanted shared connection that's hanging about then you
can kill it like so:

net use /persistent:no
net use * /del /yes
 
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