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How to Map a Network Drive

In addition to the Group Directory (G: drive) and Home Directory (H: drive), you may have access to other shared network folders (also called drives) on a Library server. For example, if you maintain your unit's web pages, you have access to a folder on one of the Library web servers.

Unlike the G: drive and H: drive, the other network folders do not automatically appear in the Network Drives list in My Computer. To see the drives that are already "mapped" to your computer, click My Computer from your computer desktop, and view the Network Drives section of this page.

When Library IT gives you access to another network folder, you can make it appear in the Network Drives section by "mapping" it.

Note: the following guide uses the Library's Cooper server as an example. Depending on what projects you are involved in, the folder you want to map might be on a different server, but the process is the same. You can use the following steps to map any network folder.

A Step-By-Step Guide to Mapping A Drive

Open My Computer from your computer desktop.

At the top of the page click Tools and then Map Network Drive. This window will pop up.

Click the arrow button in the Drive drop down list, and select a letter to identify the new drive. Do not choose H:, G:, E:, or F:. ( H: is reserved for Home directory and G: is reserved for Group directory. E: and F: are commonly used for removable devices such as flash drives.)

• While assigned drive letters are completely arbitrary, some units keep their letters consistent across their staff computers for commonly used file locations. You may want to inquire in your unit to see if there is a standard letter used for accessing Web pages.

Type in \\cooper.library.uiuc.edu\sharename--where sharename = your library's Web folder. Make sure "Reconnect at logon" is checked, then click "Finish".

Please note: you can click the "Browse" button to locate the folder you want to map (select "UIUC", then Cooper, then a specific folder.) but browsing does not always work, so typing in the direct path is a preferred method.

Access Your "New" Drive

Click My Computer on your computer desktop.

Find the drive in the Network Drives section, and click it to open it.

For comments on this page contact: IT Help Desk

Last modified by: Helen Zhou on 4/6/09