VBS Logon Scripts - RemoveNetworkDrive

Introduction to RemoveNetworkDrive

Guy recommends:
VBScript Training Video on CD

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Guy's Top 10 Free Tools

1) FreePing
2) Network Monitor
3) Xobni
4) PuTTY (UNIX)
5) IP SLA Monitor
6) BgInfo
7) Net-SNMP
8) CatTools 
9) Exchange Monitor
10) WinDiff

Your logon scripts gain two benefits from RemoveNetworkDrive.  Firstly, preventing errors when you are trying to map a network drive that's already connected.  Secondly, removing an existing network drive is particularly useful when your scripts are at the testing stage and you don't want to keep going to explorer, and clicking disconnect.

Topics for RemoveNetworkDrive

• Remove Network Drive Scenario
• RemoveNetworkDrive Arguments
• Example 1 - Simple RemoveNetworkDrive
• Example 2 - Full RemoveNetworkDrive Syntax
• Summary

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Remove Network Drive Scenario

For me, the situation is that I am testing a script that maps a network drive, when I run the script for a second time, I get an error message.  Now I could use On Error Resume Next, but that may mask other problems with the script, so I add a RemoveNetworkDrive statement.  My friend 'Barking' Eddie love logoff scripts, and he includes a RemoveNetworkDrive in his tidy-up routine.

RemoveNetworkDrive Arguments

Normally, you just need two elements, the method, RemoveNetworkDrive and the drive letter.

objNetwork.RemoveNetworkDrive "H:" or
objNetwork.RemoveNetworkDrive strDriveLetter

Mastering the basics of RemoveNetworkDrive are easy.  If there is a danger it's what I call 'over think'.  You do not need a comma before the drive letter, and you do not need the name of the network share.  What you do need is - just the plain drive letter.

Even mastering the advanced arguments is not difficult, just watch out for the commas, here is the full syntax:

RemoveNetworkDrive strDriveLetter, bForce, bUpdateProfile

The b in bForce and bUpdateProfile means Boolean, this helps us by knowing that we should just add true or false.  bForce means remove the drive even if its in use.  (Rather like 'coming ready or not' in hide and seek.)

Setting bUpdateProfile to true tells VBScript to update the user's profile.

Example 1 - Simple RemoveNetworkDrive

Even though RemoveNetworkDrive is easy, we need preparation in the form of drive that has already been connected.  Otherwise there would be nothing to remove and all you would get is Error: 'This network connection does not exist'

1. You need an H: drive before the script has any network drive to remove.

Instructions to RemoveNetworkDrive

1. Copy and paste the script below into notepad or get a script editor such as OnScript (free download).
2. Save the file with .vbs extension e.g. RemoveNetworkDrive.vbs.
3. Double click and check in your Windows Explorer.  There should be no H:\

VBS Learning Points

Note 1: The basic RemoveNetworkDrive is a simple command with no commas and only one argument - the drive letter.

Note 2: Surprisingly, you do not need the network path.

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Example 2 - Full RemoveNetworkDrive Syntax

Just in case you need the bForce or the bUpdateProfile switch here is an example for the full RemoveNetworkDrive Command.

Pre-requisites

1. This is a preliminary script to create an H: drive.  My point is the main script needs a mapped drive to exist, before RemoveNetworkDrive can remove it!
2. To get the full effect of bForce, try opening the mapped networkdrive with Windows Explorer, now try Example 1.  Almost certainly, you got an error message.  Try again but this time with Example 2 and its extra bForce command.

Instructions to RemoveNetworkDrive

1. Copy and paste the script below into notepad.
2. Save the file with .vbs extension e.g. RemoveNetworkDrive.vbs.
3. Double click and check in your Windows Explorer.  There should be no H:\

Learning Points

Note 1: Spot the bForce, and bUpdateProfile commands, true, true.

Note 2: To test these extra RemoveNetworkDrive arguments, open a mapped network drive.  Now try running the script with and without the bForce.

Note 3: The bonus part of this script is the error correcting code.  Take the time to see how the If ... then, end if construction works.  Also the objShell Run, which opens the Explorer.

Summary of RemoveNetworkDrive

RemoveNetworkDrive is a handy VBScript method for those times when you want to delete a network drive letter.  If you want to prevent error messages when you run a test script for a second time, then just include a RemoveNetworkDrive command to roll back the MapNetworkDrive command.

See Also

● Logon Script Home  ● MapNetworkDrive   ● EnumNetworkDrives  ● AddWindowsPrinterConnection

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