Article ID: 158273
Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
This article was previously published under Q158273
SYMPTOMS
When a user runs a batch file or is performing a NET USE command with the
Remote Command Client application (RCMD) to a server running the Remote
Command service. NET USE initiates a remote connection to a file service on
a third system.
If the batch command or user does not disconnect the drive created with NET
USE before RCMD terminates, the connection remains as a resource
connection, but is not reported in the NET USE command on the RCMD client
or the Remote Command server. The drive letter is committed and cannot be
released or reused.
If a user then uses File Manager (in Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0), Explorer (in
Windows NT 4.0), or My Computer (in Windows NT 4.0) on the computer running
the Remote Command Service, they see the drive letter but when they try to
delete or open it the following messages appear:
In Windows NT 3.51 File Manager:
No drives to disconnect
In Windows NT 4.0 with X: being the drive letter that was created
during NET USE from the Remote client in Explorer, File Manager, and My
Compute:.
X:\ is not accessible.
Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password.
NOTE: A drive letter will appear on a Windows NT 4.0 computer running
the Remote Command service, but will not be accessible to the user of
that system. If a user tries to access it or remove it they will get the
error indicated above.
Also, when the connection is made, the drive letter will dynamically
appear in both Explorer and My Computer. If the connection is deleted,
it will dynamically disappear from each of these applications. File
Manager in Windows NT 4.0 will not dynamically add or remove the drive
letter. File Manager must be closed and restarted for any changes to
appear.
CAUSE
The REMOTE command is carried out in a different user context than that of
the NET USE command on the computer running the Remote Command service.
After the REMOTE command session is terminated, the drive designator
created by NET USE is orphaned with no further relationship to any user or
system context.
This is similar to use of the AT scheduling command. Unless the command is
configured properly, the AT service does not have access to resources
because the resources were available under another user context.
RESOLUTION
There are three possible resolutions:
- During the REMOTE command session, make sure to remove (delete) all
file resource connections before terminating the session.
-or-
- Restart the remote client application again, connect to the remote
command server, and delete the resource connection. Then close the
remote client application.
-or-
- If the remote command session has already been terminated (and can't
be restarted), restart the computer running the Remote Command service
and all orphaned connections will be cleared.
MORE INFORMATION
RCMD and the Remote Command service are included with the Microsoft
Windows NT Resource Kit version 3.5x and Microsoft Windows NT Server
Resource Kit version 4.0.
On Connections To Printer Resources
NET USE commands to print resources do not appear in Print Manager or the
Printers application (selected by clicking the Start button, pointing to
Settings, clicking Control Panel, and then clicking Printers) or from a
command line NET VIEW command on the Windows NT computer running the Remote
Command service.
Keywords: kberrmsg kbprb KB158273