How does one map network drive from windows service?

Question

I'm trying to map network drive from windows service, I use batch file for executing the following command

NET USE U: \\192.168.55.6\folder password

While executing batch file either in service constructor or in onstart event, drive is not mapped?

        Process process = new Process();
        process.StartInfo.FileName = System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location) + "\\MAP.BAT";
        process.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = false;
        process.Start();

How does one map network drive from windows service?

Answer 1

I think services can't map network drives unless they have the right "interact with desktop" ?

Try to run the service under the "Network Service" account, instead of "Local System" ?

Answer 2

Are you running the service under the user account that belongs to the password? The MAP USE command will use the current user, unless you pass /USER:anotheruser

Answer 3

It might be better to just call the right API function, instead of calling a batch file to call another executable. The function you're looking for is DefineDosDevice()

Answer 4

As far as I know, a mapped drive is only mapped for the duration of the user session. If your windows service is running on startup, or is otherwise not part of a user session, the drive mapping is lost.

This may or may not be true but it is worth looking into - I remember something about it from a similar scenario I had about 7 years ago.

Answer 5

There are two issues.

1) Mappings are only in use for the user session, which means that effectively you can't used a mapped drive for a Service. You would need to use the UNC path.

2) The second issue is that a service (using the local system account) does not have access to the network, or more specifically, to the resource required. To resolve this, you would need to, either: Give the 'computer' on which the service is running specific access to the folder, or, set up the service to use a network (DOMAIN) account that has access to the resource.

Answer 6

All issues solved by using Map Network Drive (API) to map network drive. I map required drives while OnStart event of service.

Answer 7

I tried to map the drive OnStart method of the windows service with the specified class but ... no success. Can you help me?