# Windows 7 - Need to Map A Drive (offline)



## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

Is there a way to setup a mapped network drive in Windows 7 without being on that particular network?

I'm setting up a laptop for someone and they're going to pick it up and take it back to their office.
They wanted me to setup their mapped network drive, but I'm not going to be there when they connect to the office LAN.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

By map, do you mean drive letter? Not exactly but it's more common to use network locations. You can add a network location by rightclicking in my computer and choosing add a network location. At that point you can specify the location as \\server\share (substituting the actual information of course) and it will add it for you.


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

Do you know the path to the drive?

You could write a batch file for them to run when they get there, or even set it to run whenever the computer boots, but make sure you have an "escape clause" that skips the mapping if they are not where the drive is available.


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

Yes, a drive letter is needed.
I believe they are running some shared databases in programs that are configured to use Drive X for the location of the data files.

I may just walk them through it on the phone or via sharemypc.

Not crazy about the script.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

You don't need a script if you map the drive as a letter. If it's not connected to the network it will simply ignore the mapping, I'm pretty sure. This would be a good case for LogMeIn or GotoMyPC or whatever your favorite remote control software is.


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## HDJulie (Aug 10, 2008)

Stuart Sweet said:


> You don't need a script if you map the drive as a letter. If it's not connected to the network it will simply ignore the mapping, I'm pretty sure. This would be a good case for LogMeIn or GotoMyPC or whatever your favorite remote control software is.


I just tried it on my Windows 7 PC & it would not create the mapping since it could not find the network specified.


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

I just make a shortcut to the network drive.. will open right to correct place and won't care if network goes MIA


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## xzi (Sep 18, 2007)

If you can't contact the drive you won't be able to set it up. If you can't at least VPN in you're stuck until it's back in the office unless you absolutely know the path in which case you need a batch file like this they can run when they get there.

net use Z: \\servername\sharename /persistent:yes

Once it's mapped to Z:\ (for example) you can make it available offline if you'd like--then it will work even when it's not connected to the network anymore.


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## xzi (Sep 18, 2007)

xzi said:


> If you can't contact the drive you won't be able to set it up. If you can't at least VPN in you're stuck until it's back in the office unless you absolutely know the path in which case you need a batch file like this they can run when they get there.
> 
> net use Z: \\servername\sharename /persistent:yes
> 
> Once it's mapped to Z:\ (for example) you can make it available offline if you'd like--then it will work even when it's not connected to the network anymore.


Actually if they are running applications over the mapped drive, especially database stuff (an awful idea by the way) then stay away from the make available offline. Hopefully the server administrator at least has it disabled if that's the case as that sounds like a recipe for rolled-back data


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