Disconnected Network Drives on XP Pro

Try this link hopefully it will help you!

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283492&Product=winxp

Share-level mapped network drives are not connected after you restart your computer
View products that this article applies to.
This article was previously published under Q283492
SYMPTOMS
When you restart your computer that is running Microsoft Windows XP Professional, some of the earlier mapped network drives may be disconnected. A red "X" appears for the network drives that are disconnected.

This behavior may occur if all the following conditions are true:
You have a computer that is running Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows 98 as a network file server in Share-level access control in a peer-to-peer network. By using share-level access control, you can supply a password for each shared resource.
You have multiple shared folders on the computer that is running Windows 95 or Windows 98, and each shared folder has a different password.
From the computer running Windows XP Professional, you connect to more than one password-protected folder that is shared on the Windows 95-based or Windows 98-based computer.
You select the Remember my password check box for each folder that is shared on the Windows 95-based or Windows 98-based computer.
CAUSE
This behavior occurs because when you connect to a Windows 95-based or Windows 98-based computer that has multiple password-protected shares, Stored User Names and Passwords (Credential Manager) only remembers the password for the last shared folder where you connected.

tricky problem.

I'll assume that your logon script specifies that when workstations log to map a particular share located on some computer on the network as a network drive. When workstations log on and the script runs, the share can't be found. Further, you mention that once logged on workstations can then map the drive, and that you "upgraded" W98 machines to XP, I would also look at DHCP. Since DHCP provides workstations with information like name servers, DNS servers, WINS server and DHCP updates AD/DNS with client info you might want to age all DHCP records that would contain reference to W98 machines, release/renew workstations and see if that clears up the problem.

Try this if not try this site it may help you out.

net use /persistent:yes is default settings for NT and win2000/XP. This is why when you have mapped some network drives and check the reconnect at logon, or your network uses logon script to map network drives, the mapped network drives may show red Xs after rebooting. If you enable echo and pause the logon script or if using net use to map the same drive manually, you may get "System error 85 has occurred. The local device name is already in use." One thing you may want to try to avoid the red X is using net use /persistent:no, for example, net use i: \\servername\folder /persistent:no.

http://www.chicagotech.net/mapping.htm

plz verify that when u upgrade a system it keep te setting of 98 like mapped drives and it assume that these drive with reconnect at logon and conflicting with your login script plz disconnect all mapp drives at client side....and
do it via NT/2k login script make a batch file abc.cmd and use command net use \\servershare to particular drives and store in login script directory.

and in user properties tell the path and active login script....

i suggest to done it via script logic more powerful user for this..

Try using the following at the beginning of your login script:
NET USE * /DELETE /YES

If that doesn't remedy the problem the following may be the issue.

Windows XP clients support Fast Logon Optimization in any domain environment. To turn off Fast Logon Optimization, you can use the following policy setting:
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon\ Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon

When this policy is enabled, a Windows XP client behaves in the same manner as a Windows 2000 client at both system startup and at user logon.

Run GPEDIT.MSC and browse the templates XP should have the 'wait for network' somewhere under the administrative templates, under the user configuration I believe I don't have a XP pro handy right now. Also try manually configuring your NIC's speed and duplex settings.

I have the same basic problem, but with a few differences. Our workstations are all XP Pro or XP Home, so Win98, 2000 Server, and AD would seem to have nothing to do with it. The disconnected drives happen occasionally throughout the day. One can be running a long job such as a backup, with Windows Explorer open at the same time, and an hour or two into it, WE suddenly shows all the links as disconnected. Just run the mouse over them, they connect back. A couple hours later, they're back to disconnected. Various programs seem to fail with access violations when shares they try to use are in that semi-disconnected state. Driving us nuts...

I've seen this before with onboard NICs.
Usually Realtek chipsets.
I've tried flashing, and driver updates.
They just seem to remain flakey.
Fine for stand alone Internet, but they fail with advanced networking features like Windows Networking and Netware.
I've seen this problem and drop outs and freezes.
Changing the NIC should do it.
Here's a link for Intel NICs sold at half price through their eval program.

Jeff

http://inteleval.ententeweb.com/category_list.asp

I have been having this problem as well. I have a peer-to-peer network with XP Pro clients and 2000/2003 servers (single server per network). I have just followed a train of hints that suggest managing Stored User Names and Passwords. I have just put it in for a bunch of computer and none of them have come back with a disconnected drive after rebooting. We'll see if this also helps the dropping of connections mid-use that I also see (along with the copying errors that occur because of this).

Stored User Names and Passwords is located in Control Panel -> User Accounts -> SpecificUser -> Manage My Network Passwords.

This is a real pain in the butt problem isn't it?

I don't see the option to modify/comment on my previous answer, so here's a new one.

Check here for information on managing them:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306992/

I would suggest adding one for the server/domain that you are connecting to. This and related articles (under References on that link) seem to suggest that XP will look in your Stored Network Passwords area and use those credentials to connect on logon.

I have experience a problem like yours while trying to run a DOS app on an XP workstation linked to a Small Business Server 2000. The application set the port to be used for printing - LPT1 through LPT9. The connection between the application printing port and the printer is set in the workstation command window using NET USE LPT3: \HOST1\HP1100A / persistent:yes. After a period of time the connection is disconnected. Check out Microsoft Knowledge base ID Q138365 where the server does an automatic disconnecting LAN connections. I've changed the Autodisconnect parameter fron a default of 15 to 4294967295 as stated in Q138365 and I'm now evaluating the results. Please let me know how it works for you...

The NIC and network related disconnections aside, I have seen two types of OS disconnections. The first is when I had XPsp1 with 2000. The disconnection appears with the red X over the drive, and is related to dual mappings. The problem was solved as LMON discribed above.
The second, is with XPsp2 and 2003. I have "Disconnected Network Drive" as the name of the share. I am not sure what causes the problem. Only some shares on the same server are affected. I am using UNC path connections when possible, but have not figured out the problem.

I had this problem for months and the solution ended up being to map drives via user configuration, not computer configuration. Resolved it after the requisite 2 logons (or a gpupdate /force /boot on XP workstations).

So, I ran into the same issue with a Windows XP Pro SP2 client connecting to a $ share on one of my domain controllers. What I found was that the user had a mapped network drive, and then created a shortcut to the mapped network drive on her desktop. Until I removed the shortcut from her desktop I would get the "Disconnected Network Drive" and not be able to get rid of them. Once I deleted the shortcut, everything was fine. I then recreated the shortcut via the UNC path rather than a shortcut to the mapped network drive, and no more disconnected network drives.

Hope this helps!!

This has been a major problem for me. XP PRO service pack 1/2. Drive letter is mapped but shows as disconnected network drive. Disabled power save on the NIC. Used a .bat file. Tried Manage passwords in Advanced tab User Accounts. The fix seems to be answer 15 in this string. If you have a shortcut on the desktop change the shortcut target from a drive letter to \\server\share.

we use static not dhcp and have similar problems.
I am using XP pro clients and Win 2003 server (not in a domain.) A tech had tried the \\unc path for the icon and no good.

Basically if you log in, go to my computer, click on the map drive, eventually the drive contents will come up. Once the map drive is 'restored', everything good. This does not happen on the win2k machines, just the XP. I have seen this with different apps/servers.

XP pro is broken as regards mapped drives in a non-domain setting. No real solution yet except stay with win2k if can. Hopefully someone will come up with a gpedit or registry setting change to make it work right, but have not been able to find one yet.

(probably moot to answer now, but just in case someone else needs the info...)

Are the drive connections strictly connected to Windows 2000 Server?

At a command prompt on Windows 2000 Server, try:

net config server /autodisconnect:0

RE: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/138365/EN-US/

Reggie