Sometimes do not get network drive maps in Windows 7 Enterprise

Question

I have a user that has a AD (Windows 2003) loginscript that maps a number of drives. The user has to traverse an external network to login to the domain. It is a pretty reliable connection but it's sometimes slow.

Here's how the loginscript is mapping drives:

net use x: \server\share /PERSISTENT:YES

Sometimes she logs in and no drives show up in my computer. The /PERSISTENT switch should make these drives permanent, but this is not the case. In fact, loginscripts shouldn't even be necessary if you use this switch.

I also set the group policy option for her computer:

computer config\admin templates\system\logon\always wait for the network at computer startup and logon

to enabled. This slows down her startup but decreased the frequency of there being missing drives.

I have windows 7 ent. on my machine and I reboot with the network cable unplugged and my drives show up still. Does anyone know what could cause these drives to disappear? Is there a setting or registry key I'm missing? Another GPO setting to try?

Solution 1

You also going to want to configure slow link detection and behavior in GPO for any users/computers that will be traversing an unreliable/slow network.

With just the default settings configured, scripts will not be processed over a slow link.

Solution 2

I've seen similar issues with lower drive letters ie f: g:, etc. If there is a local drive such as a usb device that is plugged in it will take prescidence over the mapped drive letter and cause problems even after it is unplugged, until the machine is rebooted.

Comments

[iPaulo]

i have the same issue w/ windows 7 business and file shares on a samba server. I had assume it was a samba problem.

[James]

Thanks for the quick response. I know there are ways to run batch files from registry/gpo. I'm looking to map the drives without them disappearing. Is there something quirky going on with Windows 7 in terms losing drives. I think I may give this command a shot tomorrow: NET CONFIG SERVER /AUTODISCONNECT:-1

[James]

I've seen problems like this too in other situations. I forgot about this possibility, but our network drive letters start at h: and the user only has a c: and d: drive. Thanks for the pointer.

[MDMarra]

He has already enabled the GPO to wait for network connectivity. That would render this approach redundant. Plus, I'd kind of kludgy anyway :)

[James]

I'm using login scripts defined in the user object. We are gradually switching over to gpo loginscripts. Thanks.

[MDMarra]

@James Not sure what that means. You should still configure these settings on any computer that would be processing GPOs over a slow link.

[James]

Sorry meant that I'm not using gpo login scripts right now. I'm trying to work in gpos into our infrastructure more little by little.

[MDMarra]

Ah, well if you're not using them for drive maps, don't start! Use Group Policy Preferences for print and drive maps!

[MDMarra]

You should be able to configure those policies using the GPMC from a Windows 7 computer without having 2008 DCs. Microsoft is pushing people to get rid of logon scripts and use preferences instead. Item-Level Targetting alone makes GPP worth using over logon scripts.