WinNT Err: No Drives to Disconnect After RCMD Session (158273)

SYMPTOMS

When a user runs a batch file or is performing a NET USE command with the Remote Command Client application (RCMD) to a server running the Remote Command service. NET USE initiates a remote connection to a file service on a third system.

If the batch command or user does not disconnect the drive created with NET USE before RCMD terminates, the connection remains as a resource connection, but is not reported in the NET USE command on the RCMD client or the Remote Command server. The drive letter is committed and cannot be released or reused.

If a user then uses File Manager (in Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0), Explorer (in Windows NT 4.0), or My Computer (in Windows NT 4.0) on the computer running the Remote Command Service, they see the drive letter but when they try to delete or open it the following messages appear:

In Windows NT 3.51 File Manager:

No drives to disconnect

In Windows NT 4.0 with X: being the drive letter that was created during NET USE from the Remote client in Explorer, File Manager, and My Compute:.

X:\ is not accessible.
Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password.

NOTE: A drive letter will appear on a Windows NT 4.0 computer running the Remote Command service, but will not be accessible to the user of that system. If a user tries to access it or remove it they will get the error indicated above.

Also, when the connection is made, the drive letter will dynamically appear in both Explorer and My Computer. If the connection is deleted, it will dynamically disappear from each of these applications. File Manager in Windows NT 4.0 will not dynamically add or remove the drive letter. File Manager must be closed and restarted for any changes to appear.

CAUSE

The REMOTE command is carried out in a different user context than that of the NET USE command on the computer running the Remote Command service. After the REMOTE command session is terminated, the drive designator created by NET USE is orphaned with no further relationship to any user or system context.

This is similar to use of the AT scheduling command. Unless the command is configured properly, the AT service does not have access to resources because the resources were available under another user context.

RESOLUTION

There are three possible resolutions:

During the REMOTE command session, make sure to remove (delete) all file resource connections before terminating the session.

-or-
Restart the remote client application again, connect to the remote command server, and delete the resource connection. Then close the remote client application.

-or-
If the remote command session has already been terminated (and can't be restarted), restart the computer running the Remote Command service and all orphaned connections will be cleared.

MORE INFORMATION

RCMD and the Remote Command service are included with the Microsoft Windows NT Resource Kit version 3.5x and Microsoft Windows NT Server Resource Kit version 4.0.

On Connections To Printer Resources

NET USE commands to print resources do not appear in Print Manager or the Printers application (selected by clicking the Start button, pointing to Settings, clicking Control Panel, and then clicking Printers) or from a command line NET VIEW command on the Windows NT computer running the Remote Command service.