Refresh Mounted Drive Connections?

[sdlloyd]

We have a peer-to-peer XP network. I run a routine from my laptop via scheduler which extracts data from colleagues laptops connected to the p2p network. I have set the relevant shared directories on the laptops as mapped network drives Z: X: Y: etc. (This is a programme requirement as it will not recognise network names e.g. \\PC1\mydirectory)

My problem is that unless the laptops are connected when my system boots up the mapped drives are shown as disconnected for the entire day even though people log-on with the laptops.

It is possible to activate the drive manually (provided the laptop is connected) by double clicking on the drive icon in the "My Computer" window but I would like to automate the process (Other than by rebooting my machine!) as this is a daily process.

I have tried using a Command window dos command to open the drive i.e. DIR X: but this doesn't work. I get a response that the drive is not connected.

So friends! how can I refresh all my mounted drive connections automatically?

 

[bcastner]

Network Places, View, Refresh

 

[sdlloyd]

bcastner

How do you do that from scheduler? i.e. how can I get it to happen without my personal intervention every time?

PS Mounted drives are under MY COMPUTER not network places.

 

[bcastner]

Network Places, View, Details

 

[sdlloyd]

Thanks for your illuminating and fuuly detailed response that will surely be the saviour to world hunger.

I am writing this in the full and certain knowledge that bcastner will not read it as he has obviously failed to read my previous text and response and either does not understand the question or is blind and is reading the brail version.

All other correspondents please feel free to respond.

 

[bcastner]

Said by sdloyd: " Mounted drives are under MY COMPUTER not network places."

This is simply not true.

 

[bcastner]

My personal belief is that you cannot automate the process. The reason being that something like this could be scheduled as a .CMD:

echo off
net use /persistent:yes
net use * /delete /y
net use x: \\servername\share
net use y: \\servername\share
net use z: \\servername\share

But if the scheduled time hit when you were using a mapped drive you would be disconnected and then reconnected.

You could preface a program with this script, but you cannot automate the process safely.

 

[sdlloyd]

Thank you, answer, details.