automatically connect to office server

I’ve looked through many posts on network connecting but perhaps just don’t know what to search for.

I just changed the system specs form to describe this work computer that I’m trying to fix.

A few days ago, I followed the forum instructions on how to update from Win7 to Win10.
Version 1909 build 18363.592

Under Win7 the PC automatically connected to the office server (via ethernet) so that the entry/update programs installed on the PC can use the customer files on the server (client programed in MS Access).

After updating to Windows 10 via the Media Creation Tool, the system no longer automatically connects to the server.

The Access program gives an error message about service being interrupted but it is most likely not very relevant as the program probably doesn’t really know what is going on.

Via a shortcut on the desktop, I can access the server files directly. Now, if I click on the shortcut, I get a sign-on screen where I can enter ID and password.

Then I restart the Access program which now loads its files, and everything works normally. The credentials used are the same ones I use to sign onto the PC to begin with. Checking the “Remember my credentials” box accomplishes nothing for the next time I get onto the PC.

I suspect the problem came about when, right after updating to Win10, I went into the Settings/Privacy section and made things as private as I know how, without thinking that this PC might need to be different than my home PC. I most likely changed some settings elsewhere too. However, I have not been able to find any setting or combination of settings which changes this situation.

There are some peculiar messages which are shown here.


The first is the message in the sign-on screen I get when I click on the desktop shortcut to access the server files. It is shown in red. It is incorrect. Once I put in the ID and password it immediately displays the desired files in a Windows Explorer like window.


The second message is what I get by looking at the shortcut Properties. When I request Properties, hey are opened displaying the Shortcut tab. If I click on any other tab, I get the message shown in the second attachment. The message is incorrect, the path is correct. If I click on the Open File Location button on the Shortcut tab, I get the sign-on screen as shown on the first attachment. Entering ID and password gives me the files.

Yes, that is what I meant by
"Checking the “Remember my credentials” box accomplishes nothing for the next time I get onto the PC."

I updated a second computer from Windows 7 to Windows 10. This time I left all Settings at MS default. The automatic sign-in to the server files, by simply logging onto the PC, continued to work as it always had before. This strongly suggest that one or more of the settings under Privacy that I changed on the first PC are responsible for requiring the separate sign-in to the server.

Can anyone approach this from the other direction: in order to have the PC log-on also automatically log one onto the server, what would be necessary?

How have you mapped a drive you need to set it as persistent

I haven’t mapped any drive, I don’t know what that involves but it should not be necessary in this case.

The automatic connection worked fine for years under Windows 7. I updated the OS to Wi10, in place, supposedly saving everything.
I changed Settings, for Privacy, almost immediately after the update to Win10 was done, just as I have done on several personal computers. I suspect that caused the problem. Some setting I don’t recognize as significant is preventing the automatic connection and initiating the peculiar (WRONG) error messages.

I can still access the server files, I just need to use a Windows Explorer link to the server, which gives me a second sign-in screen where I enter the identical credentials I use to get onto the PC. Once that is done, everything works as before. Thus, it isn’t exactly an emergency, it is more an irritation that the thing isn’t doing what it is supposed to do.

I updated another office Windows 7 PC to Windows 10 this last Friday. It was operating the same way as this computer: logging on provided automatic connection to the server data base for the Access programs on the PC.

I made no changes to any Windows 10 settings; everything is MS default. That PC still automatically connects to the server files. Therefore no mapping, or any such thing, is necessary. However, if there is a reason to find out what mapping involves, and then do it, I will. I would like to believe I am doing something significant before I undertake that task. As noted, there is a functioning connection to the server files already.

Mapping is the way to go and very simple How to Map a Network Drive in Windows 10 | Laptop Mag

Mapping a drive failed on two counts.

First, see the first error message (in red) in the first post. While the message is not true, it is basically the problem. The PC is set up as part of the office domain. The system does find the domain server when I put credentials into that screen, so really the message means the system is simply refusing to acknowledge the connection to the domain server (the office server) based on the identical credentials used to start the PC session.

I believe this is because of some setting I made in regard to privacy or for personalization, immediately after updating from Win7 to Win10. The second Win7 PC that I updated to Win10 in the same manner still works as it did under Win7. The difference is (most likely) that I left all Win10 settings at MS default. I just can’t figure out what setting(s) changes are responsible for the problem.

Anyway, back to the first problem with mapping. When Windows boots up it should automatically make the connect to the new mapped drive. I did check the boxes for this to be done. However, when Windows comes up there is a message waiting that it (the system) was unable to make connection to a drive. That drive turns out to be the mapped drive. It shows with a big red X over it in Windows Explorer.

If I click on it I get that sign-on screen (first post) with the same red error message. As before, putting in my credentials a second time makes the connection. This is not any better than before mapping; it is exactly the same filldey de doup dance (post Win10 update) as I have to do in order to connect to the files through the shortcut.

Second, The Access programs that use the files have the path hard coded into them. The domain server’s name, not a drive letter, is the first part of that path. That doesn’t work with the files identified to the system as being on a new (from the mapping) drive, so the mapped drive is useless even after I sign on to make it accessible via Windows Explorer.

A work around was devised. It now works but why it is necessary is still a mystery and I still believe it is because of some setting change(s) I made, right after updating to Win10, that tell the system not to connect automatically (in spite of other settings), or that interferes with the process of connecting.

If anyone is interested, I can provide more detail but the basics of the workaround is hard coding an IP address for the computer and for the Domain server into Internet Protocol Version 4. This points the necessary components to the right place unconditionally, things that used to be, and still should be, done just by signing onto the PC with both address being set automatically at that time.