Remove recent mapped drive list

[gtstangman35]

Hello Everyone,

Is there a way to remove or clear the list of network drives that you have mapped in the past? These are drives that are not connected now, but you once had mapped them, and they are still in the pulldown when you go to map a new drive? Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,
Wes

 

[bcastner]

Clear them from Network Neighborhood in Explorer.

 

[gtstangman35]

No, I want to be able to clear the list of "recently mapped drives" if you will. When you go to map a new drive, there is a drop down box in the "folder" part and you can just choose the destination without typing it in again if it was a drive you mapped recently. Any ideas how to clear this list?

-Wes

 

[bodie3]

If you open My Computer you will see all the mapped drives. Right click the drive you want to remove and select disconnect. Do this for all drives that you want removed. Reboot. If you go to map a new drive all should be clear in the list.

 

[gtstangman35]

Actually I don't have any drives mapped currently, but the list has about 25 entried in it of drives I HAD mapped at one time. How do I get rid of them?

-Wes

 

[bodie3]

See if there are any keys located at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER - Network" in the registry. If so you can try deleting them IF you feel confident messing in the registry. ALWAYS create a backup copy of the registry before editing it.

 

[bcastner]

In Win2k/XP when you visit shares then they get listed in "My Network Places".

In Win2k one can prevent this behavior by changing the following user policy:
Run the program MMC using "Start Button" -> "Run..."
In the program menu select "Console" -> "Add/Remove Snap in"
Press the button "Add" and select "Group Policy" and press "Ok"
In the Console Window go to this folder "Local Computer Policy" -> "User Configuration" -> "Administrative Templates" -> "Desktop"
Go to the entry "Do not add shares of recently opened documents to My Network Places" and double click it and set to "Enabled"
In WinXP one can prevent this behavior by changing the following user policy:
Run Gpedit.msc using "Start Button" -> "Run..."
In the Console Window go to this folder "User Configuration" -> "Administrative Templates" -> "Start Menu and Taskbar"
Go to the entry "Do not add shares of recently used documents to Network Places" and double click it and set to "Enabled"
It is the same as setting this DWORD registry key :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER \Software \Microsoft \Windows \CurrentVersion \Policies \Explorer]
NoRecentDocsNetHood = 1 (Default = 0)

Note after disabling this feature one has to manually remove the listed share-shortcuts in NetHood.

 

[gtstangman35]

Will that remove the pulldown list in Windows Explorer of the last couple pathes of drives that I have mapped as well as remove them from the "My Network Places" area?

-Wes

 

[John Lewis]

You might also check out TweakUI, part of the power toys collection. See

http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/downloads/PowerToys/Networking/NTTweakUI.asp

After you install, TweakUI is an option in the control panel. On the Paranoia tab, Clear Network Connection history at logon should get you what you want. Note that this is per user, and the setting will clear the list every time you log on. Lot's of other neat stuff in TweakUI, as well.

 

[Blakjac71]

Run regedit
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Map Network Drive MRU
and delete the values for all the drive mappings you don't want to see.

 

[gtstangman35]

Excellent! The last one worked! Thanks for the help!!

-Wes