Mapped network drive shows no drive letter or will not allow you to create new long-named files or folders (831998)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional

SYMPTOMS

When you try to open a mapped network drive from your Microsoft Windows XP Professional-based client computer, you may find that there is no drive letter in the address bar. Or, when you try to create a file or folder by using a long name on a mapped network drive from your Windows XP-based client computer, you may receive the following error message:
The drive that this file or folder is stored on does not allow long file names, or names containing blanks or any of the following characters: \ / : , ; * ? < > |
You cannot create the long-name file or folder on the mapped drive.

These issues may occur intermittently and do not occur on Microsoft Windows 2000-based client computers.

CAUSE

These problems may occur if you start Microsoft Windows Explorer before a logon script has completed.

Windows XP uses Fast Logon Optimization to process logons more quickly than previous operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows 2000. By default, Windows XP allows the logon to continue, even while Group Policy (including logon scripts) is still being processed.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, turn off Fast Logon Optimization. To do this, enable the following policy on the Windows XP-based client computer:

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon\ Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon

When this policy is enabled, a Windows XP-based client computer behaves in the same manner as a Windows 2000-based client computer at both system startup and at user logon.

Note A similar problem can be resolved if you enable the following policy:

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Scripts\Run logon scripts synchronously

For additional information about a similar problem that has a different cause, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

328003 Windows Installer requires a path to the RTL8139.sys file during Windows XP S about a similar problem that has a different cause installation

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about the Windows XP Professional Fast Logon Optimization feature, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

305293 Description of the Windows XP Professional Fast Logon Optimization Feature

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/22/2003
Keywords:kbprb KB831998 kbAudEndUser kbAudITPRO
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.