Automate Network Drive Map at Boot not login

Automate Network Drive Map at Boot not login

Although this is a nice writeup. It does not work. When I originally created this process, I tested several times with success. Somewhere over time, critical updates and service packs broke this process. I will leave this article as is as it may help in some other design.

Support
AutoIT v3 (Freeware) Download: http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/downloads.php

Purpose
Map a drive and pass appropriate credentials without compromising security. Use AutoIT, a script language, to compile into executable. Run the executable through a Scheduled Task.

Security
AutoIT offers some security, and it is better than most. Also note that there is a decompiler that does exist for many versions of AutoIT, however is quite rare and with little visibility. AutoIT also appears to operate in memory rather than writing to temp folder unencrypted like many other script compilers.

Testing
After a couple of hours of testing, the conclusion is that whatever account that accesses the Scheduled task, it should have administrator rights, either local or domain. I tested with local administrator account to launch the scheduled task, which will launch the executable with success. The test not only mapped the drive, but to copy a file to that mapped drive. The test included rebooting the workstation and checking the network drive for the copied file. The test was a success, so I removed that one line of code to copy the file.

Solution
Note: The solution assumes that AutoIT is installed. Install the latest version of AutoIT v3 by following the setup instructions.

The Script

Launch SciTE4AutoIT3 (Start -> All Programs -> AutoIT v3 -> SciTE Script Editor)
Type in the following lines in the script editor

; Map X drive to \\myserver2\stuff2 using the user "username" from "domainx" with password "userpassword"
DriveMapAdd("h:", "\\nasserver\share", 0, "domain\username", "password")

Save file
Create an executable (Tools -> compile) Note: You should now have an EXE.

The Task

Create a Scheduled Task (Control Panel -> Scheduled Tasks)
Click on Add Scheduled Task and the Scheduled Task Wizard window will appear.
Click Next -> Browse? (to your EXE)
Select When my computer starts , Next
Use an account with either local or domain administrator rights (to execute your executable)
Next
Select Open advanced properties … , Finish

The Schedule

Go to Schedule Tab, Select Multiple Schedules
New, 2. Run at user logon, apply
Go to Settings Tab, uncheck all, apply
Done