Mapped Drive - Security Token Expires - Users Loose Access

[Lex O'Connor]

I am using Mapped Drive to SharePoint Documents. Users lose access when their Security Token expires. Is there a simple method to resolve this?

[#2]

Unfortunate there is no simple solution. The ticket will end if there is no traffic and renewal of it. One of my customers has a software that is installed on their Remote Desktop solution that takes care of the problem. unfortunate I cannot remember the name. But it handles the refreshing of the ticket.

[#3]

You could consider using ZeeDrive.: http://www.thinkscape.com/Map-Network-Drives-To-Office-365-OneDrive/

[#4]

Hello Thanks for the feedback

I think this is an issue that Microsoft needs to address.

It is very hard to put the cost of ZeeDrive to SME clients. The response is generally "Why do I need to pay more to make Office 365 SharePoint work for me".

[#5]

Hi there. Out of curiosity, is there a business or technical reason for using mapped drives versus the Groove.exe sync client?

[#6]

Hi Mo,

I was just about to create a new discussion about this very issue.

I have a very small company (<30 Users) who wanted to get rid of some of their infrastructure and get some cloud gains (like anywhere access)

Initially their two main Network shares were migrated into SharePoint document Libraries and the Mapped Drives were set up so that the users have a very similar familiar experience to work with whilst at the same time the remote users have better than ever access.

The reason for not using the ODFB Sync Client has a few reasons.

• Old Sync Client is extremely unreliable and multiple users inputs and syncs would cause some massive sync conflicts
• It would require much user training on making sure they all went to the new libraries and initiated the sync (or we could roll out some logon script I guess)
• We'd have to split down the document libraries much further to make sure it met the 5000 item limit

For smaller companies like this adding an additional subscription for them to pay for them just to have the same functionality they previously had is just not acceptable for them. Thus why we try and use mapped Drives and have to deal with the token expiry consequences.

I do imagine some of the need could easily be resolved if Outlook included the same SaveAs functionality as Word/Excel etc. Because then we could train the users to work from the open/save menus of the applications.

We've toyed with the idea of putting the data into OneDrive and then using the NGSClient to Sync to a Server and then Map to there (Better Sync Client, No auth issues from clients to Server) but that also means we're still reliant on infrastructure.

We're about to do some testing around using Azure Authentication on the Computer to see if this solves the token expiry issue without having to involve another third party tool.

Any insight you can provide on accomodating for these habitual mapped drive users, ODFB failings and lack of saveas functionality in Outlook would be appreciated without using additional third party software would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Antony

[#7]

I would also add this is a problem for software other than Microsoft like Adobe or even uploading something to an online website.   Users have to save to desktop or upload etc.   We use Zee drive for these special use cases. 

[#8]

Zee drive is the stock answer.

I am currently researching this for a client. Once connected its fine. 

Providing you have added your domain to Trusted sites and set autologin  in the options then the only other thing to do is set Sharepoint as a homepage, once the Sharepont home page has authenticated your good to reconnect. 

The users are going to have to do this so I'm working on the easiest way.

It may mean Zee Drive

[#9]

I am also looking into to Azure authentication for a possible solution. I have a vanilla computer with W10 Pro1803 with all updates.

It's added to the domain and so far so good, its loading with connected mapped drive from initial login. Its  not a great test as it isn't time for the cookie to expire yet. The only thing for sure is that the mapped drive is available sooner.

[#10]

Have you seen that if you syncronize the folder nowadays that it is native in Windows and many of the problems are gone?

[#11]

Has anyone found a solution to this?

I'm at the point where writing a program to load IE on startup and reconnect the drive if necessary to make sure mapped drives are connected seems like the only option here, but I'm sure there must be another way.

My company needs the drive to be mapped as:

1) You can't create folders when saving to SharePoint via the office desktop apps, which a lot of staff need to do, and

2) We have a lot of vba macros which open/save/delete/create files and folders which again, don't all work using only network connections.

I've seen Zee Drive mentioned a lot but its highly unlikely my bosses would authorise extra spend for office.

If no one has found a work around I'll write the program, just pickles my brain that Microsoft essentially prevent you from mapping SharePoint to a drive.

[#12]

You can create an IE shortcut to Office.com which loads at startup and authentcates Sharepoint which then allows the mapped drives to work.

1. Make sure IE is default browser
2. Create shortcut to sharepoint library and add it to start up
3. Make sure you have the office office 365 work and school connector active per user in thier respective user account.
4. Create icon on desktop to mapped drive. Double click once sharepoint is active in browser. Then open the mapped drive. This refreshes its connection.

This worked for a small office however in the 10 user offices I use ZeeDrive for perfect conectivity, superior search, centralised management.

Its an easy sell