Question *RESOLVED* Disconnected network drives after windows update

[Xpoisonxdartx]

I was on win ver 1908 and updated to latest version. I know that there was an update in 20h2 that changed policies and management of network drives and this rendered all network drives unconnectable. Back about a year's ago I used to use a script to restore the connection. I can't find the script for the life of me and the drives and previously used network locations show up but Windows just gives an error saying that the network location cannot be found.


Edit : my main rig: R7 5800x, 16 gb ddr4, rtx 3070, b550a strix.
As mentioned before I was running windows 10 ver 1908 and didn't update for quite a while for "high seas" reasons.

I updated to the latest build, 2h22 and now I'm getting Error Code 0x80070035. The error code is for missing network locations but the locations and drives are right there! Windows just refuses to connect to the drives or other local network pc's.

Nothing changed on the network or hardware wise, just 1 router with 2 usb drives used as a NAS and a secondary pc with a 12tb drive that I use as a file server and plex server.

The bug is definitely linked to some policy changes made by M$ on how it handles mapped drives. The thing is, this started with update 20h2 (I know because I used to work in IT support and we were swarmed with tickets with this issue). We used to use the "netuse" command to identify the affected drives and then another command that restored connectivity. We even had a powershell script for it that automated this but I can't find it.


Now here are some steps I tried and sadly didn't work. I'm really stumped... I deleted the mapped drives except the one from my nvidia shield internal that oddly seems to keep working. I wanted to re-map the problematic drives but was greeted by the above mentioned error code and thus here I am..lol

 

[Ralston18]

Much more information needed.

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

And include modem and router information - make and model? May be combined so if only one device then post the applicable make and model.

How many network drives?

What specific error messages are presented when attempts to connect to network drives fail?

This:

"I know that there was an update in 20h2 that changed policies and management of network drives and this rendered all network drives unconnectable."

Reference(s)?

Take some screenshots of the error messages and post the screenshots here via imgur (www.imgur.com).

Also, as a starting point, run "ipconfig /all" (without quotes) via the Command Prompt.

Post the results herein. You should be able to copy and paste the results without needing to retype everything.

 

[Xpoisonxdartx]

Much more information needed.

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

And include modem and router information - make and model? May be combined so if only one device then post the applicable make and model.

How many network drives?

What specific error messages are presented when attempts to connect to network drives fail?

This:

"I know that there was an update in 20h2 that changed policies and management of network drives and this rendered all network drives unconnectable."

Reference(s)?

Take some screenshots of the error messages and post the screenshots here via imgur (www.imgur.com).

Also, as a starting point, run "ipconfig /all" (without quotes) via the Command Prompt.

Post the results herein. You should be able to copy and paste the results without needing to retype everything.

Please check my updated post. Thank you

 

[Ralston18]

Make and model: modem, router, or modem/router if combined?

Run "ipconfig /all" (without quotes) via the Command Prompt.

Post the full results herein.

You should be able to copy and paste the results without needing to retype everything.

Post screenshots of failures etc. to access targeted disk drives.

 

[Xpoisonxdartx]

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : NEXUS4
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter VirtualBox Host-Only Network:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : XXXXXXXXX
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : XXXXXXXXX(Preferred)
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : XXXXXXX(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 487194663
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . :XXXXXXXXXXX
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Ethernet 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Ethernet Controller (3) I225-V
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : XXXXXXXXX
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : XXXXXXXXXX(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.50.250(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, October 31, 2023 5:00:17 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, November 3, 2023 3:37:01 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.50.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.50.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 600342356
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : XXXXXXXX
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.50.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Unknown adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : TAP-Windows Adapter V9
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : XXXXXXX
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : TunnelBear Adapter V9
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : XXXXXX
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : XXXXXXXXX
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Router is Asus RT-AX56U with Merlin CFW.

Screenshot :

https://imgur.com/a/i3kFyqX

View: https://imgur.com/a/i3kFyqX

 

[Ralston18]

This router?

https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-AX56U/E16832_RT-AX56U_UM_WEB_V3.pdf?model=RT-AX56U

= = = =

Run "ipconfig /all" on NEXUS3 (not accessible) and compare the results to NEXUS4's (accessible) "ipconfig /all".

Check that NEXUS3 is obtaining its' DHCP IP address via the router (Gateway) at 192.168.50.1 and using Subnet mask 255.255.255.0

192.168.50.1 being a default IP address for the Asus RT-AX56U.

NEXUS4 is doing so and (at the time "ipconfig /all" was run) received a DHCP IP address of 192.168.50.250

NEXUS3 should be configured the same way but should be receiving a DHCP IP address that is different from NEXUS4.

Or any other network devices for that matter.

Are there still two USB drives plugged into either one or both of the the router/gateway's USB ports?

Noted from your original post: "2 usb drives used as a NAS". And it appears that you have been attempting to assign drive letters to the drives.

Unfortunately, the window is not fully visible and I cannot see the path names being used to map the drives and folders.

What folders, by name, are being shared and on what device? What letters are being used?

Make a list of computers, drives, and folders being shared across the network as you envision it all to be configured. Include assigned drive letters.

For the moment I believe that the problem is just an error of omission or commission.

And possibly within the full path name to the target folder being shared.

Use "net share" and "net use" via the Command Prompt (as admin) to discover what Windows is "seeing" with respect to drives and shares.

Compare NEXUS3 and NEXUS4 accordingly. And your list.

= = = =

Side note: It has been my experience that creating a shared drive via a router's USB port(s) significantly slowed my network.

That may or may not be problem within your network. However, if performance is being slowed then the end result may simply be that the drive is "not found" in some alloted amount of time and thus the drive deemed inacessible.

 

[Xpoisonxdartx]

Yes that is the exact router that you mentioned. I have a custom firmware on it for ad filtering, better firewall etc... and yes the usb drives are still attached .

I have not noticed any slowdown or performance issues accessing shared drives from my phone or other devices, there are like 3 or 4 devices that have access to the shared drive from Nexus 3 or the hdd's attached via USB to router.

The DHCP assignment is working correctly, here is the ipconfig from nexus 3, I only use static ip for my consoles for easy FTP access.


Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : XXXXXXXX
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : XXXXXX(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.50.120(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, November 1, 2023 6:09:05 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, November 3, 2023 5:23:52 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.50.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.50.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 102285389
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : XXXXXX
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.50.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled


Here is the path to the drive from Nexus3 :

\\Nexus3\e

and the paths from the drives attached to the router:
\\RT-AX56U-6168\Local_Disk
\\RT-AX56U-6168\Seagate_Backup_Plus_Drive

I have re-enabled SMBv1 because it seems the update disabled it and attempted to re-map the drives and got this :

https://imgur.com/a/SmwYWMh

View: https://imgur.com/a/SmwYWMh




I am 100% certain there's nothing wrong with how the network is setup, its a policy that is preventing me from accessing the drive and I have no clue what policy . I was aware of this issue because this happened at large scale when I used to work and all the systems have been updated to 20H2 and people went nuts because they lost access to their shared drives. We used to have a powershell script to fix the issue but even if I found it, it would be of no use to me because I have removed the shared drives and tried to remap them and the script needed windows to see the disconnected drives when using "net use " .


Also thanks for the patience and help so far dude!

 

[Xpoisonxdartx]

I found the culprit ! Windows was not allowing me to connect to the shared drives because they changed the policy on connecting to unsecured guest logon in SMB2 and 3 it does not matter if the host allows guest logon. I changed the policy and re-connecting pretty much worked instantly didn't even need a reboot or GP update. Christ on a bike that was annoying af was worried I might need to reinstall windows . Anywho I'm going to mark the thread as resolved and here is the solution for future reference : https://www.syxsense.com/wp-content...tyarticles/cis_benchmarks/syx-1033-12369.html



A big thanks @Ralston18 for helping me !

 

[Ralston18]

You are welcome.