# Annoying problem with network drives in XP/Vista

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-problem-with-network-drives-in-xp-vista/520087>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 5, 2009, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-problem-with-network-drives-in-xp-vista/520087 "2009-12-05T10:20:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-problem-with-network-drives-in-xp-vista/520087/1 "2009-12-05T10:20:42Z")

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I have file server that runs 24/7. The server contains some files that are accessed by the client computers.

Now this strange thing happens: Whenever I turn on the client computer and run the application that retrieves the files from the server, I get an error that the files are not found.

The solution: I go to My Computer, double click on the mapped drive, close the window and then the application runs with no problems. This is annoying. Is there anyway to fix this?

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**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-problem-with-network-drives-in-xp-vista/520087/2 "2009-12-05T10:23:21Z")

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Have you mapped network drives with “reconnect on logon” checked?

> **[Do You Know How to Map a Network Drive in Windows XP?](https://www.lifewire.com/map-a-network-drive-in-xp-818248)**
>
> Windows XP can use a network drive to have easier access to shared folders on a network. Here's how to map a network drive with a custom drive letter.

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**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-problem-with-network-drives-in-xp-vista/520087/3 "2009-12-05T10:25:51Z")

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If you’ve already done that, maybe run a batch file on boot up or on launch to do a dummy dir listing or something:

[http://msmvps.com/blogs/kwsupport/archive/2004/11/03/17830.aspx](http://msmvps.com/blogs/kwsupport/archive/2004/11/03/17830.aspx)

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**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-problem-with-network-drives-in-xp-vista/520087/4 "2009-12-05T18:10:12Z")

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Yes, I have “reconnect on logon” checked. It is very strange because the two client computers are identical. Same hardware, same windows version, same software. One never has any problem, the other always has.

Also the Windows 7 machine I have at home does it but only occasionally.

I’ll try the bat file trick.

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**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-problem-with-network-drives-in-xp-vista/520087/5 "2009-12-05T21:50:25Z")

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In Windows Explorer, a network drive that is “reconnected on logon” that gets interrupted temporarily appears as a “disconnected drive” even after the connection is restored (but before a re-logon or a manual mapping). Yet, if you try to open that “disconnected” drive, it works, and the “disconnected” status indication disappears. Perhaps your software and Windows Explorer use the same leaky method of determining if the drive is available?