Cannot Use Subst.exe with UNC Path (218740)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

This article was previously published under Q218740

SYMPTOMS

Subst.exe is used to associate a path with a drive letter.

If you use Subst.exe to connect to a network resource using a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path, the command runs successfully, but when you try to gain access to the new drive letter you receive an error message similar to:
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

RESOLUTION


To work around this behavior, use the NET USE command to connect to network resources instead of the SUBST command. For example, the command

net use * \\fileserver\share\path1\path2

Results in the next available drive letter being mapped to the root of path2.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/21/2003
Keywords:kberrmsg kbnetwork kbprb KB218740