Mapping drives in a school

leroypatches

Hi,
I bought a WD My Cloud hard drive so people can share / add files from all around a school.

The Hard drive is connect to the network switch and can be found at \\share/public

Does anyone know how to create a file that I could but on a USB key that will allow me click on it and it will map the drive on all the different computers in the school?

Thanks a mil,
Brian

ressem

Not if file sharing and remote management between the PCs restricted by the windows or 3rd party firewall.
Is there a user name and password used for IT work that's common to all computers that would allow you to enumerate machine names and place a file onto the file system of each computer?


Most non-technical way...


For your USB key, You can create a batch file that maps the drive, and copy the batch file into the "Start-up" of All Users. Where this is exactly depends on the windows version.
E.g. windows 8 would be
C:\Users\All Users\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp

The batch file would contain a line like
net use g: \\share\public /user:domain\userid "password" /PERSISTENT:yes

e.g.

net use g: \\share\public /user:MyWdDeviceName\MyWdShareUser "WDSharePassword" /PERSISTENT:yes

Each person's login stores it's own set of mapped drives.

This batch file would have to be placed onto each computer. It's location would be different if using Windows XP computers.

If you google NET USE or type "NET HELP USE" into a command window, you'll see more options.

leroypatches

Hi,
Thanks a mil.

There is no username/password system set up in the school to add the script to all computers. The internet comes in through a router and a big switch sends ethernet cables to all the rooms. That is the extent of the "network".

I thought there might be a simple way that I could create a bat file that you could just click on once and after that the computer would mount the drive anytime the network connected instead of adding to start up procedures.

I think it might be better for me to go to each computer individually and go to "my computer", click "map a network drive" browse and save?
Will this do what I want? Will it cause problems when the laptops are disconnected from the network?
Thanks again

ressem

The mapped drive isn't created until the user logs in.

The "/PERSISTENT:yes" bit of the command should mean that it has the same effect as the saved "Map a network drive".

But if you have more than one login to the computer you'll have to run it for each profile where the mapped drive is wanted.

If you only need it for a single person or Student login on each computer then just putting the batch file on your USB or network drive and running it once will work.

When not connected to the network, they'll appear with red X through the drive.
It'll only be a problem if you have shortcuts to applications.

leroypatches

Great stuff.

So does this sound right?
two options:
Create a bat file with
net use g:\\share\public/PERSISTENT:yes (Is this exactly right? and does it matter about different operating systems?)
and run it on each computer once

or

Map each computer through My Computer in the start menu.

Will give it a go tomorrow if so!

ressem

That's it but the command you have in the last post is mucked up.

The version of the command

net use g: \\share\public /user:MyWdDeviceName\MyWdShareUser "WDSharePassword" /PERSISTENT:yes

That's a space between the "g:" and the "\\share\public"
And a space before "/PERSISTENT:yes"

You'll find out whether the /user and password are required for your device.

You can just type the command into a Start \ Run \ cmd ("black window") command prompt if it doesn't work first time, to display error messages or typos.

It'll work on XP, Vista, 7, 8, 2003, 2008, 2012. Microsoft think that everyone should be using full names rather than the old drive letters, but they don't have to explain URLs to 60 year olds.