Network Drives Are Mapped in Reverse Alphabetical Order (286827)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Datacenter Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Enterprise Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Premium Edition
Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q286827

SYMPTOMS

When you map a network drive in Windows Explorer or My Computer, or when you use the net use * command at the command prompt, the drive is not automatically mapped to the next available drive letter in alphabetical order. Instead, the drive is mapped to the next available driver letter in reverse alphabetical order. For example, the drive is mapped to drive Z by default. If drive Z is already being used, the drive is mapped to drive Y, and so on.

CAUSE

If you do not specify a drive letter when you map a network drive, it is mapped to a drive that uses the last letter in the alphabet that is not currently being used.

WORKAROUND

To map a network drive to a specific drive letter, specify the drive letter in the net use command, or click the drive letter in the Map Network Drive window. For example, to map \\server\share to drive G, type the following command at the command prompt:

net use g: \\server\share

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

By default, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 assign mapped network drives to the highest available drive letter, starting with drive Z, to avoid drive letter collisions. Earlier versions of Windows assign mapped network drives to the next available drive letter that occur after the drive letters that are assigned to local volumes and CD-ROM drives. This behavior may cause issues in some cases. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

297694 New Drive or Mapped Network Drive Not Available in Windows Explorer

Modification Type:	Minor	Last Reviewed:	1/15/2006
Keywords:	kbnetwork kbprb KB286827