Reset Drive Mappings via Registry

[Guest Bob Simon]

I work for a school. They really need an MCSE but they're stuck with

my very limited knowledge of Windows Server. I was given local admin

rights to all the desktops and three old servers, but have no rights

to the domain controller run by the new school system. During the

summer, the school cut over from another domain, which I also have no

rights to. The transition has been miserable. We are on two separate

physical networks (different switches) running separate domains, and

there is an outlying building which still has no access to the domain

or Internet.

 

Teachers, students, and staff have generic logins. Two applications,

STI and Plato run on one of the old servers and require specific drive

mappings that must be restored when the user logs in. These no longer

work as a result of a change someone made last Friday. I am able to

fix the problem by disconnecting the network drive and remapping using

a userid and password that still has rights to the directories

(selecting remember password and reconnect at logon).

 

Usually, there is a delay of around 40 seconds while doing the initial

re-mapping. I suspect that there are issues getting authenticated to

the old domain controller. Sometimes I see messages about no login

server. I need to streamline this process because I have to remap 20

workstations in each of three labs plus all the teachers' machines.

 

I'm wondering if I can update the lab PCs by importing a branch of the

registry from a machine that has been set to correctly map the drives

on login. Will this work? What am I looking for in the Registry?

Can I make this file autoload when I plug in a thumb drive?

[Guest Ryan Hanisco]

RE: Reset Drive Mappings via Registry

 

In your case, I would just create a batch file that I put in the startup

folder of the all users profile on the workstations -- since you don't have

access to the domain to do a real logon script.

 

If the drive that is mis-mapped is t: you would create a new document in

notepad.

 

in the file you would put:

net use t: /delete

net use t: \\<UNC Path that the drive should map to>

 

Then save the file as something like PlatoLogon.bat (Make sure to change

the file type box to all files rather than Text files otherwise it will save

it as PlatoLogon.bat.txt

 

You should be able to click on the file to remap the drive. Once you know

that works, drop it into the startup folder of the All Users user and it

should take effect when anyone logs on.

 

Hope this has helped.

--

Ryan Hanisco

MCSE, MCTS: SQL 2005, Project+

http://www.techsterity.com

Chicago, IL

 

Remember: Marking helpful answers helps everyone find the info they need

quickly.

 

 

"Bob Simon" wrote:

> I work for a school. They really need an MCSE but they're stuck with

> my very limited knowledge of Windows Server. I was given local admin

> rights to all the desktops and three old servers, but have no rights

> to the domain controller run by the new school system. During the

> summer, the school cut over from another domain, which I also have no

> rights to. The transition has been miserable. We are on two separate

> physical networks (different switches) running separate domains, and

> there is an outlying building which still has no access to the domain

> or Internet.

>

> Teachers, students, and staff have generic logins. Two applications,

> STI and Plato run on one of the old servers and require specific drive

> mappings that must be restored when the user logs in. These no longer

> work as a result of a change someone made last Friday. I am able to

> fix the problem by disconnecting the network drive and remapping using

> a userid and password that still has rights to the directories

> (selecting remember password and reconnect at logon).

>

> Usually, there is a delay of around 40 seconds while doing the initial

> re-mapping. I suspect that there are issues getting authenticated to

> the old domain controller. Sometimes I see messages about no login

> server. I need to streamline this process because I have to remap 20

> workstations in each of three labs plus all the teachers' machines.

>

> I'm wondering if I can update the lab PCs by importing a branch of the

> registry from a machine that has been set to correctly map the drives

> on login. Will this work? What am I looking for in the Registry?

> Can I make this file autoload when I plug in a thumb drive?

>

[Guest Bob Simon]

Re: Reset Drive Mappings via Registry

 

On Tue, 9 Oct 2007 19:59:00 -0700, Ryan Hanisco

<RyanHanisco@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>In your case, I would just create a batch file that I put in the startup

>folder of the all users profile on the workstations -- since you don't have

>access to the domain to do a real logon script.

>

>If the drive that is mis-mapped is t: you would create a new document in

>notepad.

>

>in the file you would put:

>net use t: /delete

>net use t: \\<UNC Path that the drive should map to>

>

>Then save the file as something like PlatoLogon.bat (Make sure to change

>the file type box to all files rather than Text files otherwise it will save

>it as PlatoLogon.bat.txt

>

>You should be able to click on the file to remap the drive. Once you know

>that works, drop it into the startup folder of the All Users user and it

>should take effect when anyone logs on.

>

>Hope this has helped.

 

Ryan,

If I enter the following command once, will the system prompt for the

username and password, remember them, and automatically remap the

drive each time the user logs in?

 

net use t: \\computername\sharename * /savecred /persistent:yes

[Guest Ryan Hanisco]

Re: Reset Drive Mappings via Registry

 

Hi Bob,

 

I have never had to use the /savecred switch, but it would certainly be

worth testing out. You are in the right line of thinking though.

--

Ryan Hanisco

MCSE, MCTS: SQL 2005, Project+

http://www.techsterity.com

Chicago, IL

 

Remember: Marking helpful answers helps everyone find the info they need

quickly.

 

 

"Bob Simon" wrote:

> On Tue, 9 Oct 2007 19:59:00 -0700, Ryan Hanisco

> <RyanHanisco@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>

> >In your case, I would just create a batch file that I put in the startup

> >folder of the all users profile on the workstations -- since you don't have

> >access to the domain to do a real logon script.

> >

> >If the drive that is mis-mapped is t: you would create a new document in

> >notepad.

> >

> >in the file you would put:

> >net use t: /delete

> >net use t: \\<UNC Path that the drive should map to>

> >

> >Then save the file as something like PlatoLogon.bat (Make sure to change

> >the file type box to all files rather than Text files otherwise it will save

> >it as PlatoLogon.bat.txt

> >

> >You should be able to click on the file to remap the drive. Once you know

> >that works, drop it into the startup folder of the All Users user and it

> >should take effect when anyone logs on.

> >

> >Hope this has helped.

>

> Ryan,

> If I enter the following command once, will the system prompt for the

> username and password, remember them, and automatically remap the

> drive each time the user logs in?

>

> net use t: \\computername\sharename * /savecred /persistent:yes

>

>