Hello,

I'm having an issue with a few different PCs running 8.1 (and now 10 as well) where our mapped drive will get this error message:

"[Mapped Drive Location] is unavailable.  If the location is on this PC, make sure the device or drive is connected or the disc is inserted, and then try again.  If the location is on a network, make sure you're connected to the network or Internet, and then try again.  If the location still can't be found, it might have been moved or deleted."

This happens at random intervals and I'm not able to replicate it besides just leaving a folder open to a location within a mapped drive.  

The contents of the folder will disappear, but you can navigate right back to the location without any issues.  This was not an issue in 7 or 8, but when upgrading to 8.1, it began happening.  Windows 10 machines have this issue as well.  

I've tried adding different registry keys such as adding the key EnableLinkedConnections to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System and also changing an autodisconnect key, but I can't recall where that was.  

Since this is happening to some version of Windows and not others, I'm assuming there is some sort of tweak to fix this and I'm hoping someone has come across it here.

Thanks!

I also wanted to add that the mapped drive is a share located on a server running 2012 R2 and the drives are located in an SA120 Lenovo storage array.

Are the Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 computers joined to the domain?

You may also want to make sure that they are on Private network in the Network and Sharing Center. 

There could be an issue with the DNS. Try using the IP address of the server instead of by name.

You could also open the command prompt and run ipconfig /flushdns then run ipconfig /registerdns.

Yes, they are both joined to a domain.  They are currently on Domain network and there isn't a way to change it.

Flushdns and registerdns did not resolve the issue. 

I've noticed that using the "Add Network Location" and adding the UNC path to the server works fine and it never disconnects.

see this:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2019185

try to remap the location.

see this:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2019185

try to remap the location.

• Proposed as answer by Kate LiMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator 18 hours 33 minutes ago