Question

Map Network Drive via script and apply to all users?

Asked by: snyderkv

I'm looking for a batch file or script (whichever is easier) to map network drives via the "net use" command on remote machines without requiring user intervention.

I have tried Psexec and doing a net use but with no luck. If it did work it would only apply to my profile and not others logged on.
I looked at Windows IT pro article  http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/ArticleID/15115/15115.html However, it is only for new profiles not yet created.

Please help me. I think this is common and I know there is a common solution.

Thanks guys.

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Asked On
2007-05-04 at 22:30:36ID22554325
Tags

drive

,

network

,

map

,

script

Topics

Windows Batch Scripting

,

Visual Basic Programming

,

VB Script

Participating Experts
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: alakaniPosted on 2007-05-04 at 22:48:32ID: 19035346

Are the machines in question on a domain?  The easiest and most effective way to do this is via a login script.

 

by: snyderkvPosted on 2007-05-04 at 23:19:07ID: 19035410

You mean via GPolicy? No way not for just a few users here and there every now and then.

Also, if you map them via the "profile" tab in AD then they will map to that drive no matter where they login and thats not what I want either. Pluss if I did it this way they may get errors when the path changes. AD does not update this and will anoy the users.

So is there a way I can script, bat or trick for the net use command that will apply a mapped drive to the correct user and not just under my profile?

 

by: StuFox100Posted on 2007-05-04 at 23:52:36ID: 19035478

HI
I am still 100% what you are trying to get working.
I am assuming you want to remotely map a drive for user when they need it, without logging them off????
Or is it something else?
Cheers
Stu

 

by: StuFox100Posted on 2007-05-05 at 00:00:10ID: 19035484

In addition if that is what you want - try using the -i option when using PSEXEC.
Cheers
Stu

 

by: alakaniPosted on 2007-05-05 at 00:17:56ID: 19035532

Check out KIXTART, it's a scripting language designed specifically for logon scripts.  It allows all sorts of neat functions including doing specific this if specific conditions are met.  It's even "endorsed" by Microsoft.  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/scripts/kixtart/default.mspx

 

by: RobSampsonPosted on 2007-05-05 at 04:45:37ID: 19036041

Do you want this to occur when they log in, or while you are logged in, and they require a certian drive?
If you want it when they log in, you can just place a script in Active Directory, under each users' login script field.  If you don't have AD, you could copy a script with a net use command to each computers All Users\Programs\StartUp folder (or just a shortcut to a script on a file share).
If you want to map a drive for that user while they are logged on, PSExec will be able to help you do this for them.

Regards,

Rob.

 

by: snyderkvPosted on 2007-05-06 at 07:18:09ID: 19038940

the -i option did not work.

I tried this. User needs drive mapped.

From my computer I psexec -i \\clientcomputer cmd

Then I type net use x: \\server\share

It does not work. So I used the -d option in psexec, went to the client computer and actually saw the black box. I typed net use in that window and was not able to map the drive.

So fromi the client computer still I opened the command prompt and did a net use again and ti worked fine.

I know psexec can do this for users.

BTW dropping a bat file in there start menu worked great but would like to kknow how to do this via psexec just so I have other options.

 

by: RobSampsonPosted on 2007-05-06 at 14:42:51ID: 19040063

Try something like this script, using PSExec v1.82 from Microsoft.  PSExec 1.60 does not work because it doesn't accept UNC paths in the commands to be run.
'=========================================

Option Explicit

Dim objShell, objProcess, strUserName, strHostName, strCommand

Set objShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Set objProcess = objShell.Environment("Process")

strUserName = objProcess("USERNAME")
strHostName = objProcess("COMPUTERNAME")

If WScript.Arguments.Count < 1 Then
      Call Normal_User_Commands
ElseIf WScript.Arguments(0) = "AsAdmin" Then
      Call Admin_User_Commands
Else
      MsgBox "Unknown Argument received"
End If

' Enter your Administrative credentials here
strAdminUser = "DOMAIN/AdminUser"
strAdminPass = "AdminPassword"

Sub Normal_User_Commands
    'MsgBox "Running as initiating user"
    strComputer = "."
    '***********************  THIS MSGBOX CAN BE REMOVED FOR A LOGON SCRIPT *******************
    ' If this MsgBox is used, the admin commands can be run on a remote machine.
    strComputer = InputBox("Enter computer name to map a printer to:", "Enter Computer", "172.16.2.40")
    '******************************************************************************************
    ' This command assumes that PSExec.exe (available from Microsoft) is stored on the shared folder
    ' below.  It runs PSExec as the Admin user, on a remote machine, or the current machine if it is a
    ' logon script.  It re-runs this file again, this time passing the "AsAdmin" argument, so the script
    ' knows it has been run under an Admin account, and can safely execute the Admin_User_Commands Sub.
    ' NOTE: If the Admin is running this script from a mapped drive, the client must have the same drive mapped,
    ' because of the use of WScript.ScriptFullName below.  It is best to run this script from a UNC path,
    ' so the client machine can access the file via a UNC path and not rely on a mapped drive.
      strCommand = "cmd /c \\server\share\psexec_182.exe -accepteula -i -e -u " & strAdminUser & " -p " & strAdminPass & " \\" & strComputer & " WScript " & WScript.ScriptFullName & " AsAdmin"
      objShell.Run strCommand, 0, True
    ' NOTE: In the above two lines, you can change the cmd /c to cmd /k and the strCommand, 0, True to strCommand, 1, True
    ' if you wish to see some output for debugging / testing purposes.

End Sub

Sub Admin_User_Commands
      ' Now the script has detected that "AsAdmin" was passed to it, and will run these commands.
      ' Now running as Administrator on the target macchine
      ' MsgBox "Running as Admin"
      strCommand = "cmd /c net use x: \\sever\share"
      objShell.Run strCommand, 0, True
    ' NOTE: In the above two lines, you can change the cmd /c to cmd /k and the strCommand, 0, True to strCommand, 1, True
    ' if you wish to see some output for debugging / testing purposes.
End Sub
'=======================================

The only reason that you need to use this "re-run" of the script scenario is when you are executing commands on a remote computer, that require interactive commands.  I can explain this further if needed.  This has worked for me, hopefully it can do the same for you.

Regards,

Rob.

 

by: grayePosted on 2007-05-07 at 13:02:15ID: 19045567

Hang on, let's make sure we're talking about the same thing...

You've got a bunch of computers (with multiple users per PC).   You want to set a mapped drive letter for all users on that PC without regard to who is currently logged in (if anybody)?

If so, then none of the above techniques will work....

The problem is that mapped drive letters is a "per user" feature that is stored in the user's registry hive (which isn't loaded unless they are currently logged in).  So, the solution requires you to load all of the user's registry hives at the same time, then loop thru the HKey_User key in the registry and perform whatever magic on the registry that's required to make a mapped drive letter appear, then unmount all of the registry hives.

Yes, this can be done remotely, or via a login batch (provided the current user is an administrator on the PC).  However, it'd be hard to do via a script...

If you've got a programmer handy, I've got some VB.Net source code that performs most of this process that I've described.   Let me know if you're interested and I'll post the source code somewhere where you can get it.

 

by: snyderkvPosted on 2007-05-12 at 21:37:56ID: 19080315

This is what I finally used and it worked "For Everybody"

Must have local admin rights!

for /f %%I in (c:\5.txt) do (
  psexec -s \\%%I net use x: \\Computer\Share
)

I put that into a bat file. Made a list of the computers needing the drive. The drive connects as "disconnected but it works and comes up after every logoff/logon

I will save your guy's script as well for alternate methods.

Thanks a ton.

 

by: snyderkvPosted on 2007-05-12 at 21:44:58ID: 19080328

Holly crap when i ran my batch the drive works in all even though it says disconnected however, it will not go away for the life of it. I tried deleting it via cmd prompt but no go. Says network source is not available. Even though it is.

Anyways whatever. Ill look at your script. :)

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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