Goal

• Using a logon script to automatically map a drive when a user logs on.
• Scripts can be DOS .BAT files or .VBS files.

The NET USE Command

• Net Use is a command line operation that can be used to map a network drive or disconnect a previously mapped network drive.
• It can be executed from a Command Prompt (DOS box), or it can be executed from a script batch file (a .BAT file).
• Syntax for mapping a network drive:
  • NET USE devicename \\computername\sharename /PERSISTENT:{YES|NO}
  • devicename  - are any unused drive from D: through Z:
  • persistent - yes means "reconnect at logon" and no means don't "reconnect at logon"
  • Examples:
    • NET USE U: \\A247Server\data\users /PERSISTENT:NO 
      maps the U: drive to the users share and without reconnecting at next logon
    • NET USE F: \\A247Server\data /PERSISTENT:YES 
      maps the F: drive to the data share and reconnects F: to it at subsequent logons
• If you want/need to learn more about NET USE, start a Command Prompt and type the command:
  NET HELP USE 
• If you place a NET USE command in a .BAT file (a batch file), then the batch file can be executed as a user's logon script and automatically map a network drive each time the user logs on.  Multiple network drives can be mapped if the batch file contains more than one NET USE command.  .BAT files are plain ASCII text files and can be created and edited with any editor.

Using Group Policy to Set Up a Logon Script -

• The answer is to set a Group Policy for the SoftwareUnit OU
  • A logon script is one of the policies that we can set in a Group Policy Object (GPO).
  • A GPO applied to an OU will have an effect on all users in the OU (and no one else).
  • Therefore, by setting up a logon script in a GPO linked to the SoftwareUnit OU, we can give every user in the OU a logon script.
  • If the logon script is a .BAT file that executes a NET USE command, then we can make it so that all SoftwareUnit OU users will automatically have a drive mapped to the SWUnitFolder shared folder.

Working on the Server Computer

Edit the SoftwareUnitGPO

• Click: Start | Administrative Tools | Group Policy Management
  This will bring up the Group Policy Management Tool.
• Navigate To: Forest: bailiwick.local | Domains | bailiwick.local | Group Policy Objects | SoftwareUnitGPO
• Right Click: the SoftwareUnitGPO
  This will bring up the context menu.
• Click: Edit...
  This will bring up the Group Policy Management Editor.

• Right Click: in the Browse dialog's white area (underneath "Name").
  This brings up the context menu.
• Choose: New | Text Document
  Name the document: script.bat
• Right Click: script.bat and choose Edit from the context menu.
• Add one line to the file:
  • Utilize the NET USE command that maps the S: drive to \\A247Server\SWUnitFolder shared folder
  • Set persistence to no.
    
    NET USE S: \\A247Server\SWUnitFolder /PERSISTENT:NO
 
• Save the file and exit back to the Browse dialog.
• Make sure the new script.bat file is selected and click OK, this will take you back to the "Add a Script" dialog.
• In the "Add a Script" dialog, script.bat should be the only file listed, click OK to exit.  This will take you back to the "Group Policy" administrative tool.  Close this window, which should return you to the "Active Directory Users and Computers" administrative tool.

Working on the Client Computer

Test the SoftwareUnit OU's Group Policy

• On your client machine, logout and then logon as any one of the users in the SoftwareUnit OU.
• Use Windows Explorer to see if the S: drive has been automatically mapped to the shared SWUnitFolder folder. 
  Also, the H: drive should still be mapped to the user's home folder.
• Do something on the S: drive (e.g., create a file) to make sure the user still has the rights to this shared folder.
• Logout and logon as lowdog and see if the S: drive automatically gets mapped.

Finally

• Show me that the S: drive is mapped correctly for one of the SoftwareUnit OU users.