Map drive at system startup (without login)

Orion

I need to map two drives on a Windows 2003 server that are available to the backup service (Commvault) - this means mapping them without any user logged in.

I've tried using a scheduled task which is set to run at System Startup but, although the pipep output to a text file says it is mapping them, the drives aren't available to any user.
I also tried HKLM/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Run but this only maps them when any user logs in. The server is going to be sitting there logged out so this is no use either.

Anyone know of a way to do this in Win2K3?

In case it makes a difference the mapping command is

NFS LINK X: \\SERVERNAME\var [USERNAME] [PASSWORD]

(Yes this is in Windows - I'm using Hummingbird NFS Maestro to connect to two VMS Alpha servers)

Static M.e.

Have you thought about mapping the drives as a GPO (if on Active Directory) or if not using a local system policy to map the drives.

You should be able to get either to run from the system account so both drives would be mapped even without anyone being logged in.

I haven't actually done this but I know it should be possible.

If your not a windows person, let me know (PM me) and I'll post detailed explanation on how to do it (This would have to be tomorrow aswell, out of the office today)

Static M.e.

Just thought of something else, why dont you create a service account and map the drives using that?

NFS LINK X: \\SERVERNAME\var [USERNAME] [PASSWORD]

Orion

I hadn't actually thought of that. I've added the script to map them into the Startup scripts in the Local Policy. Again the logfile says it's mapping them. I log in interactively and it shows the two drives there but as "disconnected drive". If I try to access them I get "Parameter is not correct". I don't think there's any way to run Startup scripts as anybody other than SYSTEM. So back to the drawing board

Orion

Static M.e. wrote:

Just thought of something else, why dont you create a service account and map the drives using that?

NFS LINK X: \\SERVERNAME\var [USERNAME] [PASSWORD]

We do use a service account. The problem is that Commvault connects to the media agent server using a new process. Even if you log in as the service account and map the drive it still is not available to the Commvault connection. That's why I need the mapping available to all processes.

Ginger

Use SUBST to mount the drive as a physical disk rather than as a netowrk path and this will mean that the person doent have to be logged in to use it