Applies to: Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022, and Windows Server 2025.
Drive Map preferences provide centrally managed SMB mappings with item-level targeting and update behavior.
Prerequisites
- Administrative access to the affected Windows Server hosts.
- A tested backup or documented rollback point.
- An approved maintenance window for production systems.
Step-by-step configuration
- Confirm the UNC path and share permissions.
- Create a user-side Drive Maps preference item.
- Choose Update action and an available drive letter.
- Apply item-level targeting to an approved security group.
- Pilot mapping, reconnection, and removal behavior.
PowerShell and command-line procedure
Test-Path "\\files01\Departments"
gpupdate /force
Get-SmbMapping
gpresult /scope user /r
Verification
Authorized pilot users receive the mapping and unauthorized users do not.
Rollback
Set the preference item to Delete for the pilot scope, refresh policy, and then remove the item.
Security and operational guidance
- Apply least privilege and document every production change.
- Test the procedure in an isolated environment before broad deployment.
- Replace all example names, paths, and TEST-NET addresses with approved production values.
- Monitor relevant Windows event logs after the change.
Related resources
Deploy or manage Canadian Windows VPS infrastructure with networkmanager.info. Validate production decisions against the official Microsoft Windows Server documentation.
