Map Network Drives With Group Policy

Garnock12 · 2019-01-11T15:51:12.000Z

I found the guide below and am learning how to map drives with GPO. I’m trying it first in my lab but I am having issues getting off the ground. He has his users in their own OU but mine are in the default OU called users. Below is an image with my config and his

Active Directory Pro – 13 Jul 18

How To Map Network Drives With Group Policy (Complete Guide)

In this guide, I’ll show you step by step instructions on how to map network drives with Group Policy. If you’re still using login scripts then it’s time to switch to Group Policy.

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tonydarsey · 2019-01-11T15:53:55.000Z

What problems are you having?

Garnock12 · 2019-01-11T15:57:25.000Z

Where to place the new GPO. In the example the author has all his users in a specific organizational unit but in my domain the users are in the default “users” container

tonydarsey · 2019-01-11T16:02:13.000Z

You can either do it there or at the top of the domain. If you put it at the top, all users will get the GPO no matter what OU they are located in. Or you can create a new OU and place the users in it and place the GPO for that OU.

Garnock12 · 2019-01-11T16:03:49.000Z

Tallygeek:

You can either do it there or at the top of the domain. If you put it at the top, all users will get the GPO no matter what OU they are located in. Or you can create a new OU and place the users in it and place the GPO for that OU.

Which would be best practice? If the later will it cause any temporary issues?

tonydarsey2 · 2019-01-11T16:06:55.000Z

If you want it to apply to everyone in the domain, place it at the top. If you only want it for a specific OU place it there. Either place is fine.

semicolon · 2019-01-11T16:15:40.000Z

Best practice would most assuredly be creating a new OU-based structure, not using any of the default/builtin containers or OUs (save the Domain Controllers OU). This allows for delegated administration.

Generally speaking, rarely should one find a need to link GPOs at the domain root.

Best practice is also probably to test this in a separate environment (good job on the lab!!!); failing that with a GPO or GPP that is specifically targeted to test users (either by a test OU, security filtering, or Item Level Targeting in the GP Preference Item).

Garnock12 · 2019-01-11T16:29:36.000Z

Oh wow that is SO much easier that my old method!!

justin1250 · 2019-01-11T16:34:35.000Z

Keep in mind that the default “Users” location is a container and not an OU and that you cannot apply GPOs directly to a container.

I would recommend following SemiColons advice and creating your own User OU structure. As linking all your GPOs to the domain root can get clunky and messy.

Garnock12 · 2019-01-11T16:36:52.000Z

Justin1250:

Keep in mind that the default “Users” location is a container and not an OU and that you cannot apply GPOs directly to a container.

I would recommend following SemiColons advice and creating your own User OU structure. As linking all your GPOs to the domain root can get clunky and messy.

Thank you for the advice. It is what I did.

Garnock12 · 2019-01-11T16:43:37.000Z

OK I hit a snag. I created 2 mapped drives but when I for and update then log in only one of the drives show up. The mappings are correct so I’m thinking I missed a step?

Edit: found the issue had a typo

I’m trying to map user specific drives now \server\share using %UserName% but it’s not working

Garnock12 · 2019-01-11T17:04:06.000Z

Fixed that error also. I was pointing to the wrong share