Accessing Network Resources Without Mapping a Drive or Port (141941)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 98
  • Microsoft Windows 95

This article was previously published under Q141941

SUMMARY

This article describes how to use Universal Naming Convention (UNC) names with Network Neighborhood to access network resources without mapping a drive or port.

MORE INFORMATION

You can access a file on a shared network resource by entering the file's location in UNC format, or by browsing Network Neighborhood.

To specify a file using UNC format, use the following syntax:

\\computername\sharename\path\filename


For example, to access a file named Report.xls in the Current\Month folder on a share named Documents on a computer named Sales, you would use the following syntax:

\\sales\documents\current\month\report.xls


You can also use UNC names with NetWare servers. The NetWare syntax

Server/volume:folder


translates to the following UNC name:

\\server\volume\folder


If you know a file's UNC name, you can use the following steps to open it:
  1. In the program you are currently running, click Open on the File menu.
  2. In the Open box, type the file's UNC name.
To open a file whose UNC name you do not know, follow these steps:
  1. In the program you are currently running, click Open on the File menu.
  2. In the Look In box, click Network Neighborhood.
  3. Double-click the computer you want to access. If the computer is out- side your work group, double-click Entire Network and then double- click the appropriate workgroup. Then, double-click the computer you want to access.
  4. Double-click the folder you want to access, and then double-click the file.

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:12/16/2004
Keywords:kbhowto kbnetwork KB141941