Map Network Drives with PowerShell - A Simple Guide
Automating Network Drive Creation with PowerShell
Historically, the process of automating the creation of network drives involved utilizing basic batch files. Fortunately, modern system administrators now have a more robust solution available through PowerShell.
Prerequisites
It's important to note that this guide is specifically designed for users operating with PowerShell version 3.0 or later. Ensure your system meets this requirement before proceeding.
This scripting method offers a significant improvement over older techniques, providing greater flexibility and control over network drive mapping.
PowerShell’s capabilities allow for streamlined deployment and management of network resources across an organization.
The following steps will demonstrate how to leverage PowerShell to efficiently automate network drive creation.
Mapping Network Drives with PowerShell
Before the advent of PowerShell scripting, mapping network drives was commonly achieved through batch files utilizing the net use command.
For example:
net use M: \\touchsmart\Share /Persistent:Yes
Now, to accomplish this task within PowerShell, initiate a PowerShell session by pressing the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
Then, type "powershell" and press Enter to launch the PowerShell environment.
The primary cmdlet for this purpose is New-PSDrive. Crucially, the -Persist switch must be included to ensure the mapping is retained across sessions.
The command structure is as follows:
New-PSDrive –Name “K” –PSProvider FileSystem –Root “\\touchsmart\share” –Persist
Simply modify the drive letter ("K" in this example) to an available designation.
Ensure the -Root parameter accurately points to the desired network share location.
This method provides a streamlined and efficient way to manage network drive mappings.
The process is remarkably straightforward and requires only a single command.