Local devise name already in use

[FrankFarah]

I have a number of desktops running win2000 pro netowrked into a 2000 server. Recently the 2000 desktops have been getting the following error every time they try to save a new word or excel file to the server. "" The local Device name is already in use. The connection has not been restored" but the file actually does get saved. Any idea what may be causing this error?

 

[Bob Cerelli]

Sounds like you have tried to map a network drive with a letter of a device that is already on the computer. For example, if you have a CD ROM as drive D: and try to map a drive using that same letter, you will get this message.

You can either assign a different drive letter for the network share or change the drive letter on the device. Depending on your situation, one solution is not necessarily better than the other.

 

[FrankFarah]

This is not the case. The only mapping is to the server using drive letters M and N. Noe of which are in use locally

 

[Bob Cerelli]

What service pack do you have on the Windows2000 computers?

Here are some articles that may have a solution:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=271183
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q308337
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q303339/
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/810401

 

[FrankFarah]

Service pack4

 

[Bob Cerelli]

And nothing in any of those articles applied? Have you also tried searching MS KB articles. That's what I came up with from just a quick browse.

 

[Bob Cerelli]

And you are also not trying to map a drive that is already mapped?

 

[Bob Cerelli]

You might:

Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters

To disable autodisconnect, set it to: -1.

 

[FrankFarah]

Hi Bob. Was reading the artiuoles you listed. Its gotta be something to do with the mapping. The articlues describe almost the identical issue that we are having. There is a net use command called on the server but I did not think it applied to local network users. The net use was sopposed to only be called for remote users. Im looking at this now

 

[Bob Cerelli]

I've seen where the Windows Explorer has a drive mapped which is the same as something like a logon script or batch file to map a network drive.

Might want to go into the Windows Explorer, un-map all drives, log off and then back on again. This will clear any mapped drive it has and just use the one from the net use command.

 

[Bob Cerelli]

Another possible solution is to include a:

Net use * /d /y

Line before the actual network drive connections are made. This way it will disconnect anything that may be made beforehand.

 

[WebGuy16]

Hey,
I recieved that same error on a several windows xp machines in my lab ( i use a batch file when they log in to map all drives) so i dissconected all of the drives and restarted. It still didnt work so i took my tester/remote and found out that one of the cables was loose in my wiring closet....
I know that your problem may be more difficult then that, but this is what happened to me so i thought i should share.....

 

[FrankFarah]

Thanks guys for all your ideas and help. it turned out that the server had a second hard drive "M" and the desktops that were connecting to the server were mapping to the "M" drive on the server as mapped "M" I removed the mapped drive from the desktops and used server name to access the "M" drive on the server and all is well now.
Thanks again guys

 

[FrankFarah]

Damn. I am running into a similar type problem again with the same two Win2000 machines. Now they are getting the message every time they log on. But the drives are still getting mapped correctly. The error message is:
"Error while reconnecting N: to \\server\apps. Local device name is already in use"
I am running a bat file at logon to disconnect any drives then map the drive ie.
net use * /d /y
net use n: \\server\apps
I am lost for a solution
Appreciate any help
frank