Mapped drive error with wireless network

I have a windows98SE computer with a D-Link 520+ PCI wireless card that
connects to a D-Link wireless router. I have also mapped drive 'E' to a
folder on a computer on this network that is always on. All other computers
on this network boot up OK and can connect to this mapped drive but this one
(the only one with a PCI wireless card - all others are laptops or ethernet
connected) will not boot without the error "unable to connect to mapped
drive".

I can manually select the button to keep the connection available in the
future, then boot continues OK, I open explorer and the mapped drive has a
red cross on it but when I click it the connection works so there is
apparently nothing wrong with the setup - all computers can see each other
and communicate once boot has completed.

My problem is that the error stops the boot until a user intervenes and I
can't be sure all users will click the correct response.

How do I get it to boot without an error? It seems to me the problem is an
attempt to read the mapped drives before loading the drivers for the
wireless card so I either need to get windows to load the card drivers
earlier or get it to look for mapped drives later in the boot process but I
do not see how to do it. The problem does not occur if I connect this
computer by ethernet, nor does it occur on laptops with the D-Link650 card
in them.

Many thinks in advance for any help.

Disconnect the mapped drive and reboot so that it's not mapped when you
start up the computer. Then put a batch file similar to the one below in
the Startup program group:

net use z: /d
net use z: \\servername\sharename

Putting it in the Startup group should allow the wireless drivers to load
before the mapping batch file runs.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (E-Mail Removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Lorne" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:uG75DYb%(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a windows98SE computer with a D-Link 520+ PCI wireless card that
>connects to a D-Link wireless router. I have also mapped drive 'E' to a
>folder on a computer on this network that is always on. All other
>computers on this network boot up OK and can connect to this mapped drive
>but this one (the only one with a PCI wireless card - all others are
>laptops or ethernet connected) will not boot without the error "unable to
>connect to mapped drive".
>
> I can manually select the button to keep the connection available in the
> future, then boot continues OK, I open explorer and the mapped drive has a
> red cross on it but when I click it the connection works so there is
> apparently nothing wrong with the setup - all computers can see each other
> and communicate once boot has completed.
>
> My problem is that the error stops the boot until a user intervenes and I
> can't be sure all users will click the correct response.
>
> How do I get it to boot without an error? It seems to me the problem is
> an attempt to read the mapped drives before loading the drivers for the
> wireless card so I either need to get windows to load the card drivers
> earlier or get it to look for mapped drives later in the boot process but
> I do not see how to do it. The problem does not occur if I connect this
> computer by ethernet, nor does it occur on laptops with the D-Link650 card
> in them.
>
> Many thinks in advance for any help.
>

"Richard G. Harper" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:u2HKnRg%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Disconnect the mapped drive and reboot so that it's not mapped when you
> start up the computer. Then put a batch file similar to the one below in
> the Startup program group:
>
> net use z: /d
> net use z: \\servername\sharename
>
> Putting it in the Startup group should allow the wireless drivers to load
> before the mapping batch file runs.

Thanks - the batch files works but only if I put it on the desktop and click
it a short while after boot has finished - it seems I have to wait for the
wireless to initialise and find other computers before I can execute it and
the start menu executes it too soon (I presume startup items must be
threaded so they run in parallel rather than sequentially).

I am going to play with the registry to see if I can put the wireless card
in run or runservices and hope it is enabled before Windows gets to the
startup group but it is still not clear to me why Windows tries to connect
to a mapped drive before loading the network service.

Windows 98 does not have the ability to "wait" for a network as Windows 2000
and XP do. It's odd that the wireless NIC startup is taking that long, even
if it's not running at machine start-up it should be initialized by the time
the Startup group runs.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (E-Mail Removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Lorne" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%23uPDtg%23%(E-Mail Removed).. .
>
> "Richard G. Harper" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:u2HKnRg%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Disconnect the mapped drive and reboot so that it's not mapped when you
>> start up the computer. Then put a batch file similar to the one below in
>> the Startup program group:
>>
>> net use z: /d
>> net use z: \\servername\sharename
>>
>> Putting it in the Startup group should allow the wireless drivers to load
>> before the mapping batch file runs.
>
> Thanks - the batch files works but only if I put it on the desktop and
> click it a short while after boot has finished - it seems I have to wait
> for the wireless to initialise and find other computers before I can
> execute it and the start menu executes it too soon (I presume startup
> items must be threaded so they run in parallel rather than sequentially).
>
> I am going to play with the registry to see if I can put the wireless card
> in run or runservices and hope it is enabled before Windows gets to the
> startup group but it is still not clear to me why Windows tries to connect
> to a mapped drive before loading the network service.
>