We have a share called \\dataserver\cubes this holds data cube files which need to be updated daily. To prevent people locking the files we take the share off to do the changes and then put the share back on. What we are finding is that some users PC's don't like this. The user’s PC will show a blank folder and no matter how many F5's you do it will be blank. We have to remove the mapped drive and attach it back again. While investigating this issue we found that this server (windows 2003 sp2 std) will allow any share even ones that don't exist. So for example we can enter \\dataserver\FAKESHARE and on the client PC it will display a blank folder and if we do this as a mapped drive it will map the drive to a letter. We attempt to do this on another server so for example \\fileserver\FAKESHARE it will come back with the correct response of the network path cannot be found. There is some issue with this server (DATASERVER) and the client (XP to 7 have this issue) for me personally (Win7) I don't have the issue, I get an error that I would expect but other people have a blank folder and mapped drive appear. This issue has only been happening for the last 6 months, but is becoming more widespread Can anyone help with this???

Any clues????

Hi, Thanks for the post. Does this issue occur when creating a new shared folder on \\dataserver ? Please also disable shared folder caching for check: 1. Right-click the folder for which you want to disable caching, and select Properties. 2. On the Sharing tab, click the Caching button. 3. Deselect the Allow Caching Of Files In This Shared Folder option, and click OK. 4. Close the Properties dialog box. Does it work? If this problem continues, please use the following tool to monitor it while reproducing this issue on the problematic client machine. Step 1: Download Process Monitor ====================== 1. Please download the Process Monitor at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx 2. Extract the zip file to Desktop. Step 2: Clean Boot ============= Let's disable all startup items and third party services when booting. This method will help us determine if this issue is caused by a loading program or service. Please perform the following steps: 1. Click "Start", go to "Run", and type "msconfig" (without the quotation marks) in the open box to start the System Configuration Utility. 2. Click the "Services" tab, check the "Hide All Microsoft Services" box and click "Disable All" (if it is not gray). 3. Click the "Startup" tab, click "Disable All" and click "OK". 4. Click "OK" to restart your computer to Selective Startup environment. 5. When the "System Configuration Utility" window appears, please check the "Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts" box and click OK. 6. Check whether or not the issue still appears in this environment. Note: Temporarily disabling the Startup Group only prevents the startup programs from loading at startup. This shouldn't affect the system or other programs. We may still manually run these programs later. Step 3: Collect the Information ===================== 1. Open Procmon.exe (Process Monitor). 2. Reproduce this issue. 3. After that, please click Capture in the tool bar (or directly press Ctrl+E) in Process Monitor. 4. Click Save, in the prompt window, selects “All Events”. 5. Click Browser Button (The button is right to “Path”), in the prompt window, click Desktop, type “test” (without the quotation marks) in the File Name box and press Enter. 6. Find the file, right-click on this file, click "Send To", and click "Compressed (zipped) Folder". Please send the files to me directly at tfwst@microsoft.com MilesPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Hi, If there is any update on this issue, please feel free to let me know. We are looking forward to your reply.Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Hi, Just to clarify as your first post doesn't seem to quite understand the issue (I see your an Assasins Creed fan! Great game(s)). I also find the caching issue confusing when we are finidng users can type in anything on this server to create a mapped drive. Here are the highlights: 1. We have about 15-20 servers on our network and we can only get this issue to happen on one server (DATASERVER) 2. The client machine can be any Operating System as we have experinced the issue with XP,Vista and 7. 3. A client with the issue can type in \\dataserver\aserglsdvghdgvasd and it will give the user a folder which is blank. They can also map that drive and it will appear like a mapped drive. If they try and do this on another server so: \\dataserver123\ahvdrfhbvliabv it will give the correct response that it cannot find the path. I'm totally confused by this issue!

Just to add further comment. I have just formatted a machine down to just Windows XP. Added the machine to my domain and then logged in as a the domain admin. I attempted to access a fake share on the server (\\dataserver\qabglgib) and it came back saying it could not find the path which is great. I then added in a user that has been complaingin about the issue as admin of the machine. I logged in as her and then tried again with another fake share \\dataserver\sgoedswgboe but this time it gave me the blank folder and lets me map it as a drive! For completeness I added the domain admin to the local machines user accounts like I did for the user but it still refuses the fake shares that I attempt Does this help at all????

Hi can anyone help with this issue? Or do I need to talk to MS again? Thanks

Hi Rob, Thanks for the update. So sorry for the late reponse, the empty folder will show up no matter if the shared folder is avaialble and this issue occurs with specific domain users. Now I would like to confirm if this issue will occur if we log on to the problematic client with the newly created domain user. Please use Process Monitor to collect the relevant infomation in the following two scenarios. 1. Keep Process Monitor running on \\Dataserver and client machine when reproducing the issue with the domain admin. 2. Keep Process Monitor running on \\Dataserver and client machine when reproducing the issue with the problematic user. After that, please send these four log files to me. For your convenience, I have created a workspace for you. You can upload the information files to the following link. (Please choose "Send Files to Microsoft") Workspace URL: (https://sftasia.one.microsoft.com/choosetransfer.aspx?key=f1cf3648-bb8c-4b04-91e4-c24695b94d64) Password: 3TlGRr+F4-t Note: Due to differences in text formatting with various email clients, the workspace link above may appear to be broken. Please be sure to include all text between '(' and ')' when typing or copying the workspace link into your browser. Thanks, Miles Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Hi Miles, I have sent you those files last week. Let me know how you get on. Thanks

Any joy with this Miles!