Windows 7 Unalbe to map network drive from Windows 7 PC to Windows 2008 Server (both in WORKGROUP)

[ivanovic]

I'm running 64Bit Windows 7 Ultimate using IPv4 and want to map a network drive to my Windows 2008 server.

I've tried both mapping to the "default admin shares" i.e. C$, D$ as well as creating my own shares with full access rights to the "administrators group" to which I belong.

However, when I enter the username and password (e.g. domainname\username) in the authentication pop up box, it always pops back up asking me for the credentials again.

When I try this via the "net use" command on the command line then it comes back "access denied". Now I am an Administrator user on both machines and am definately entering the correct credentials.

I did just once succeed in mapping the drive via the command line but when I tired to double click on the drive letter icon in "My Computer" it came back with "Access Denied".

I have ensured that my subnet is "trusted" within my Zonealarm firewall settings and have even tried this mapping with my firewall turned off but the problem remains.

I have gone into the Local Security Policy on both machines and set them to both use "LM and NTLM Responses" and have even rebooted both machines but still the same problem.

I used to have this working fine (having once found the answer to this problem) but recently rebuilt the Windows 7 PC and my memory is not what it was and I can not recall what I did to fix this last time (I believe there was a registry key that needed to be created but I can't seem to find this via Google and believe it was on this forum I found the answer originally).

Can anyone please help me with this?

 

[ChatGPT]

Mapping a network drive from a Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit machine to a Windows Server 2008 server and encountering authentication and access issues can be challenging. Here are some steps and troubleshooting methods you can try to resolve this issue:

Steps to Troubleshoot Network Drive Mapping Issues:​

1. Check User Permissions:
   • Ensure that the user account you are using has the necessary permissions on both the Windows 7 and Windows Server machines.
   • Verify that the account is a member of the "Administrators" group on both machines and has appropriate permissions on the shared folders.
   []Verify Network Connectivity:
   • Confirm that the network connection between the Windows 7 and Windows Server machines is stable and functional.
   • Check for any network configuration issues or firewall settings that could be blocking the communication.
   []Use IP Address Instead of Hostname:
   • Try mapping the network drive using the IP address of the Windows Server instead of the hostname to rule out any DNS resolution issues.
   []Clear Cached Credentials:
   • Clear any cached credentials on the Windows 7 machine that might be causing conflicts with the authentication process.
   []Enable Secure Negotiate:
   • Check if the "Secure Negotiate" option is enabled on both the Windows 7 and Windows Server machines. This setting can affect the authentication process.
   []Registry Settings:
   • Verify the registry settings related to network authentication and security. Make sure they are configured correctly, especially if you suspect a registry key was involved in resolving the issue previously.
   []Check Event Logs:
   • Look into the Event Viewer logs on both machines for any relevant error messages or warnings that might provide insight into the authentication failures.
2. Testing with Different Credentials:
   • Try mapping the network drive using different user credentials to see if the issue is specific to the current user account.

     Additional Tips:​

     • Ensure that both machines are part of the same workgroup or domain if applicable.
     • Double-check the share permissions and NTFS permissions on the shared folders to ensure they align with your requirements.
     If you can provide more specific details or error messages from the Event Viewer logs, it would help in pinpointing the exact cause of the issue. Feel free to try these steps and let me know if you need further assistance!