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Disconnected Network Drives - Win 7 - This network connection does not exist.

I have a several Win 7 Pro machines that were setup in a domain environment by another tech. These were new machines to the current domain environment.

There is a GPO pointing to the login script that maps 2 network drive to particular letters (necessary for custom apps)

However, the mapped drives show up on the workstations as "Disconnected Network Drives". However, if you click to open them, they connect to the server shares without issue.

If I choose to "Disconnect" I get the error "This network connection does not exist".

I have tried to net use /delete, removed the login script, disabled the GPO,etc.

Any ideas?

Run5k

I have seen similar situations in the past, and I think that you are encountering this scenario:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297684

johnb6767

Programs may be unable to access some network locations after you turn on User Account Control in Windows Vista or in Windows 7
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937624

Not sure if this could apply....... Worth a look see.....

dudleytb

ASKER

Sorry gentlemen, but neither of those are the resolution. I disabled the UAC and I ran the Reg Fix from Microsoft. I should probably also mention that I have deleted every registry key entry I can find related to the mapped drives.

Other options?

Run5k

What type of operating system is hosting the mapped network drives/shares?

dudleytb

ASKER

Windows Server 2003 SBS SP2.

I should also mention that everything worked perfectly well before we switched the workstations to Win 7. The shares have not changed in any way from the server end.

Run5k

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, normally that Microsoft registry update fixes this type of problem. I would probably try two potential fixes:

1. Double-check the registry update manually

2. As it recommends towards the end of that article, you could turn off the autodisconnect feature on the server by opening a command prompt and entering the following:

net config server /autodisconnect:-1

Run5k

If that still doesn't fix the problem, on your Windows 7 machine try this configuration update:

1. Open Control Panel and then go into Administrative Tools
2. Double click on Local Security Policy
3. In the left pane, double-click on Local Policy
4. In the left pane, double-click on Security Options
5. In the right pane near the bottom, double-click on Network security: LAN manager authentication level
6. In the drop-down box select Send LM & NTLM responses
7. Click OK.

dudleytb

ASKER

Nope. I have already done both of those...

johnb6767

Can you please run the following from a cmd prompt? mudge the servernames as well....

reg query "hkcu\network" /s>drives.txt
notepad drives.txt
echo.

Open in new window

dudleytb

ASKER

When I ran it on the server itself (which has the mappings) this is what I get.

However, on the workstations, the txt file is blank.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\network\p
RemotePath REG_SZ \\Server\Data1
UserName REG_DWORD 0x0
ProviderName REG_SZ Microsoft Windows Network
ProviderType REG_DWORD 0x20000
ConnectionType REG_DWORD 0x1
DeferFlags REG_DWORD 0x4

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\network\r
RemotePath REG_SZ \\Server\Data2
UserName REG_DWORD 0x0
ProviderName REG_SZ Microsoft Windows Network
ProviderType REG_DWORD 0x20000
ConnectionType REG_DWORD 0x1
DeferFlags REG_DWORD 0x4

johnb6767

And the Drives exist in Explorer, right? All that did was just confirm there were no static entries, and they are being done via logon script.... GGrrrr......

dudleytb

ASKER

I have been digging and digging and I found another script in the GPO. I removed it and the drives removed after reboot. I tried adding the net use statements back to the script again and they appeared in the disconnected state again. I think I am going to manually add them to the workstations as it is a small office. Thank you so much for all of your help and suggestions!

Run5k

Sorry that we couldn't give you something more definitive, but I am glad you have a good work-around.

johnb6767

I do have 1 more suggestion.....

In the MAnage Adapters Screen, Whats bound to the NICs? And can you pelase take screenshots of the Adapters and Bindings/Provider Order?

johnb6767

Wait a cotton picking second......

Just thought about XP, and it's DEFAULT Fast Logon Optimization, which is enabled at logon, for Xp and Higher....

Are you, and if not, have you tried to Enable the "Always wait for the network at logon" policy?

johnb6767

Sorry, got a tad bit too excited there..... :-)

dudleytb

ASKER

Very funny. I will check it out in the morning. :-)

johnb6767

Same problem from tonight here, just FYI...

Windows 7 - Logon Script & Network drives not working
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/27283623/Windows-7-Logon-Script-Network-drives-not-working.html?anchorAnswerId=36458000#a36458000

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dudleytb

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dudleytb

ASKER

Work around.

alanrimer

I battled for 4 hours and finally got it fixed thanks to you and a few other posts I found. Basically the problem is 2 fold. I fixed it by removing any group policies that had scripts or entries mapping drives. I then ran gpupdate /force on the DC and then on one of the pc's rebooted and on one of the pc's it was gone but on another one it was till there. for me it was the G drive that was mapped. I then added an entry in the registry (got this from another post) -
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Network the key for the drive does nto exist.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Network\G]
"RemotePath"="\\Elitedc\Office Documents"
"UserName"=dword:00000000
"ProviderName"="Microsoft Windows Network"
"ProviderType"=dword:00020000
"ConnectionType"=dword:00000001
"DeferFlags"=dword:00000004

I could then right click and disconnect the G: drive
It still appeared there even though it accepted the disconnect this time with no error.
after I rebooted it was gone.
I went back and switched on all the script and made sure there were no duplicates mappinging