DavePlumb
asked on
Shortcut is remapping drive letter
I've got a shortcut to a program that resides on a network drive (M:)
If I double-click the shortcut without the M: drive mapped, Windows (95 or NT, it does the same on both) somehow remembers where the program originally came from, and maps a DIFFERENT drive letter (F:) to the original UNC. It also modifies the shortcut and permanently changes the drive letter in the "Target" field. It looks like it grabs the first open drive letter.
My problem arises when this happens in a different office, across our WAN. Instead of their M: being mapped locally, the shortcut decides its going to find its long-lost home, and maps back to Minneapolis. This makes the program run very slowly from Washington DC.
So, my question is, how can I prevent Windows from remapping its own drive letter? Or at least make it map to the one I want?
You can duplicate this problem with any .EXE file. Just create a shortcut to an EXE on a network drive, then disconnect the drive & try to run the shortcut. After you run the program, check Explorer & you'll see a new drive mapping. Check the shortcut properties & you'll see the new drive letter there, too.
If I double-click the shortcut without the M: drive mapped, Windows (95 or NT, it does the same on both) somehow remembers where the program originally came from, and maps a DIFFERENT drive letter (F:) to the original UNC. It also modifies the shortcut and permanently changes the drive letter in the "Target" field. It looks like it grabs the first open drive letter.
My problem arises when this happens in a different office, across our WAN. Instead of their M: being mapped locally, the shortcut decides its going to find its long-lost home, and maps back to Minneapolis. This makes the program run very slowly from Washington DC.
So, my question is, how can I prevent Windows from remapping its own drive letter? Or at least make it map to the one I want?
You can duplicate this problem with any .EXE file. Just create a shortcut to an EXE on a network drive, then disconnect the drive & try to run the shortcut. After you run the program, check Explorer & you'll see a new drive mapping. Check the shortcut properties & you'll see the new drive letter there, too.
ASKER
I'm aware that I could use a UNC to map the shortcut, but the reason we use a drive letter is so that we can set up all of our offices exactly the same, and just map the drives differently.
Even using a batch file would mean using a different batch file for each office, thus defeating our concept of setting up everyone the same.
I would really like to know how (and why) Windows decides that it knows where you really wanted that shortcut located, and why it insists on remapping an incorrect drive instead of telling me that it couldn't find the executable.
Even using a batch file would mean using a different batch file for each office, thus defeating our concept of setting up everyone the same.
I would really like to know how (and why) Windows decides that it knows where you really wanted that shortcut located, and why it insists on remapping an incorrect drive instead of telling me that it couldn't find the executable.
Why don't you make the M: mapping permanent?
Saar.
Saar.
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ASKER
Looks like SHORTCUT.EXE should do it.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Or you can use a batch file:
1. create the correct map
2. run the program from the 'well known' drive letter
bye