Unable to disconnect network drive that exists...

[Guest]

Ok, this is one of those "odd" problems. I have an S: drive mapped when my Windows 2000 Server boots up. If I try to disconnect it from "My Network Neighberhood", it says that there are no mapped drives. If I try and disconnect it by right-clicking on the drive and disconnecting, it says "The network connection could not be found". If I try and open the network connection that Windows says doesn't exist, it opens up with full read/write/execute permissions (since I'm admin). If I try to map another drive, the S: drive isn't available in the drop down list, so Windows knows the resource is in use. It just won't let me get rid of it. I'll try a DELETE option under NET USE tomorrow, but I'd like any suggestions. Thanks

- RECrooks

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Your "phantom" network connection was made in the background (e.g. under a
scheduled task) or under a process that no longer exists (e.g. under
runas.exe). Reboot your machine and it will disappear.

Ok, this is one of those "odd" problems. I have an S: drive mapped when

my Windows 2000 Server boots up. If I try to disconnect it from "My Network
Neighberhood", it says that there are no mapped drives. If I try and
disconnect it by right-clicking on the drive and disconnecting, it says "The
network connection could not be found". If I try and open the network
connection that Windows says doesn't exist, it opens up with full
read/write/execute permissions (since I'm admin). If I try to map another
drive, the S: drive isn't available in the drop down list, so Windows knows
the resource is in use. It just won't let me get rid of it. I'll try a
DELETE option under NET USE tomorrow, but I'd like any suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Pegasus,

I've rebooted the server too many times today (I won't admit the actual number!). Everytime it comes back up and I log in, it's still mapped (phantom mapped, as you put it). I can rename it. I can explore it. I can do everything a normal mapped drive can do, except disconnect it! Thanks.

- RECrooks

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

This means that you have a process launched at startup time that makes the
connection. Run msconfig.exe to inspect / manage your startup processes. You
can get it from here:

http://www.svrops.com/svrops/dwnldoth.htm

You should also turn off persistency: Start a Command Prompt, then type
this:

net use /persistent:no
net use * /delete
net use

At this stage you should have no network connections at all. Note that the
persistency command is remembered separately in each user's profile.

Pegasus,

I've rebooted the server too many times today (I won't admit the actual

number!). Everytime it comes back up and I log in, it's still mapped
(phantom mapped, as you put it). I can rename it. I can explore it. I can
do everything a normal mapped drive can do, except disconnect it! Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Pegasus,

Thanks for the help. I was hoping that this is what is happening (from an OS standpoint), but it scares me since I didn't write any scripts to make this connection. I'll work on it tomorrow and post my findings. Thanks again!

-RECrooks

 

[Guest]

Pegasus, thanks for your help...however..

Ok, here's the current situation. I tried removing persistency with net use, and it says command completed successfully. I then tried to delete everything (net use * /delete), and it said "there are no entries in the list". I then used the net use and it told me that new connections will not be remembered. I exited the command prompt, and the connection was still there. I booted up in safe mode, and the connection was gone. I then rebooted normally and logged in as admin, and it returned (and wouldn't disconnect still). I changed to one other admin account on the machine, found the same connection, and still couldn't disconnect it (through various means). Finally, I tried to connect through terminal services client on another machine, saw no S: drive connection, and created (mapped) it. I then closed my session, went down to the server, logged in as the same admin, and then attempted to disconnect the S: drive. Believe it or not, it worked. Then...another S: drive appeared, and I couldn't kill it. It's like it is being created from somewhere and no power from Windows can kill it. I'm stuck, outside of reloading the OS, or killing some of my programs that are running...and there aren't too many of those. The only problem is that this machine is a fairly critical machine, and the downtime for doing anything major is a small problem. I guess I can also let the network connection stay up, since it's not causing any problems other than with my sanity. Any other suggestions??? Thanks!

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Your report confirms that you have a process that maps a network connection
at boot time. You can easily prove it by doing the following in this order:

1. Rename c:\winnt\system32\dllcache\net.exe to nett.exe
2. Rename c:\winnt\system32\net.exe to nett.exe
3. Reboot the machine

I expect that this will kill the connection.

Pegasus, thanks for your help...however...

Ok, here's the current situation. I tried removing persistency with net

use, and it says command completed successfully. I then tried to delete
everything (net use * /delete), and it said "there are no entries in the
list". I then used the net use and it told me that new connections will not
be remembered. I exited the command prompt, and the connection was still
there. I booted up in safe mode, and the connection was gone. I then
rebooted normally and logged in as admin, and it returned (and wouldn't
disconnect still). I changed to one other admin account on the machine,
found the same connection, and still couldn't disconnect it (through various
means). Finally, I tried to connect through terminal services client on
another machine, saw no S: drive connection, and created (mapped) it. I
then closed my session, went down to the server, logged in as the same
admin, and then attempted to disconnect the S: drive. Believe it or not, it
worked. Then...another S: drive appeared, and I couldn't kill it. It's
like it is being created from somewhere and no power from Windows can kill
it. I'm stuck, outside of reloading the OS, or killing some of my programs
that are running...and there aren't too many of those. The only problem is
that this machine is a fairly critical machine, and the downtime for doing
anything major is a small problem. I guess I can also let the network
connection stay up, since it's not causing any problems other than with my
sanity. Any other suggestions??? Thanks!