SIMS error when using GPP drive mapping - solution?

[3s-gtech]

Bit of a head scratcher this one, but it seems to be working now, just posting it up if anyone else finds this problem.

 

I have moved from a logon script mapping drive letters to using Group Policy Preferences on Server 2008 R2. For staff, I have SIMS setup as the S: drive, so I used the 'Create' option, set the network location for connect.ini, and logged on as a user.

 

Under these circumstances, when SIMS is run, it checked for updates and installed one that was pending. It then brought up the classic 'Incorrect S:\SIMS connect.ini' error, which you get if you try running SIMS without the drive mapped. However, the drive appeared to be there, and would open fine when double-clicked on. Once it had been opened in Explorer, SIMS would then load.

 

Turns out this is due to using the 'Reconnect' tick box in the Drive Mapping popup. It doesn't actually seem to properly reconnect the drive when using this, but instead just maps the letter ready to be connected. By turing off the tick box, SIMS now loads fine.

 

Another note is that after moving from .kix scripts for printer assignment on logon, and GPP for drive letter mapping, my logon times seem to have dropped dramatically, so a positive step.

[rh91uk]

Do you delete all drives before remapping on the next logon? That's what we do here and doesn't seem to cause an issue.

[3s-gtech]

I tried that, it just caused logons to take longer with no other benefit that I could see - problem still persisted. I even tried using the 'Replace' option, which deletes then remaps existing drives. The 'reconnect' button was the thing that worked for me.

 

Do you find any other advantages to deleting first? We also use Successmaker which uses a mapped drive P:, not tested it but I'm guessing it'd get the same problem as SIMS.

[Gatt]

Trty changing the action from "Create" to "Update"

 

 

This is how I map our SIMS drive and I dont get this issue

[RobFuller]

That’s interesting about the reconnect issue, I was having problems with CallParents and TruancyCall complaining about cannot connect to the mapped drive until I have used explorer. I ended up using UNC paths which is much better anyway.

On another note, does the 'Hide' drive work for anyone, I tried using this setting but nothing happened. I know I can do it other ways but strange why it didn’t work. Anyhow overall a good improvement MS!

[3s-gtech]

Yup, hide drive works perfectly here, just turned off Hidecalc and setup the GP setting to hide drives to test it on our SIMS and Successmaker drives.

[RobFuller]

Don’t know if the GP setting to hide the system drive might be conflicting. Not too worried at this stage.