Can't Access NAS Drive From One Of The Computers On My Network

Question

_{Wednesday, July 8, 2020 10:16 PM}

I have a network consisting of a server, a workstation and three independent PCs.  I have a large RAID 1 NAS attached directly to a port on my router which is especially for that, which is mapped as Drive Z: to all but one of the network computers.  For some reason that one computer can't access the Z: drive on the network even though the computer is connected to and available on the network and can even sign in to the router directly by opening my browser and navigating to 192.168.1.1 (i.e. the routers address), but can't access the NAS (Z:) drive.  When I'm logged in to the router I can even see the device, but can't access it.

Could anyone tell me what could be causing this and how to correct it???

All replies (9)

_{Monday, July 13, 2020 3:39 PM ✅Answered | 1 vote}

We do see many people getting this problem after Windows update. Make sure the SMC is enabled. Please refer to this post for more details:

Fixing Windows 10 mapping problem: “The specified network name is no longer available”

Bob Lin, MCSE & CNE Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net How to Install and Configure Windows, VMware, Virtualization and Cisco on http://www.HowToNetworking.com

_{Thursday, July 9, 2020 5:52 AM | 1 vote}

Hi ,

Based on my understanding, you mapped NAS as Z drive and one of your windows 10 computer can't access this Z drive. Is that right? Please feel free to let me know if my understanding is wrong.

Before we go further, I would like to confirm the following questions:

Could you see the mapped drive Z from Windows Explorer on your windows 10 computer ? If yes, what' the error message when you cannot access the Z drive?

It would be helpful for us to identify the problem if you could upload the screenshots.

Best Regards,

Candy

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_{Sunday, July 12, 2020 2:17 AM}

I've been getting something similar since installing the update to Win 10 version 2004 with the message:

"Z:\ is not accessible
The specified network name is no longer available"

when I try to access Z: (mapped to \NAS_NAME\Public) from Explorer.  It shows up in Windows Explorer (without the display of disk space used) but can't be accessed.  The web interface to the NAS works fine.  If I remove Z:, either from Windows Explorer or the command line (NET USE Z: /DELETE), I can then remap it manually and it works until the next reboot.  On the system still running W10 version 1909 Z: behaves as expected.

Turning SMB v1.0 off and on again from Control Panel had no effect; neither did a network reset from Settings nor mapping Z: to the NAS' IP address.  But I found that mapping V: to \NAS_NAME\Public reconnects after a restart (W:, X: and Y: are already in use). And - and this is the really odd thing - if I map both V: and Z: to \NAS_NAME\Public then they both work, even after a restart.  Remove the mapping of V:, though, and Z: stops working after the next reboot.

The NAS in question is a somewhat elderly 3 TB Seagate Central attached via a switch; the Windows PCs all have wired connections.

_{Monday, July 13, 2020 1:54 AM}

Hi ,

Just want to confirm the current situations.

Please feel free to let us know if you need further assistance.                   

Best Regards,

Candy

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_{Monday, July 13, 2020 3:13 PM}

Hi Candy, and thank you for your response.  Sorry I didn't get back sooner, but I had to go away for a few days.  Please see my replies below

Based on my understanding, you mapped NAS as Z drive and one of your windows 10 computer can't access this Z drive. Is that right? Please feel free to let me know if my understanding is wrong.

Yes that's correct.  I can access it from all my other computers except that one.

Before we go further, I would like to confirm the following questions:

Could you see the mapped drive Z from Windows Explorer on your windows 10 computer ? If yes, what' the error message when you cannot access the Z drive?

**No it can't be seen at all.  On the other computers, under the "Network" section in the left sidebar it shows **
**"CreaconRouter" with an arrow, and when I click the arrow it opens showing "RAID1-Array A" which is the NAS.  On those computers I was able to map "RAID!-Array A (\CREACONROUTER) (Z:) along the other drives on those computers.  HOWEVER, on the problem computer, "CreaconRouter" doesn't appear in the Network section of the left sidebar to allow me to map it. I've tried highlighting the "NETOWRK" entry in the left sidebar, than click on the address bar and type "\CreaconRouter", and all I get is an error message **

It would be helpful for us to identify the problem if you could upload the screenshots.

I hope this gives you what you need to solve my problem, and thank you for your help.

P.S.  FWIW, I CAN access the network router and the other computers on the LAN and connect to the Internet from that computer.

Best Regards,

Candy

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_{Monday, July 13, 2020 4:50 PM}

Hi, WOW and Holy Moly;  That worked.  I enabled SMP - it took all three of the sub options - and then after a restart, there was the "CreaconRouter" entry in the "Network" section of the left sidebar, with its NAS subentry, and I was then able to map it as my Z:\ drive on that computer.

Thank you for your response.

_{Monday, July 13, 2020 7:22 PM}

Thank you for the feedback that will help other too!

Bob Lin, MCSE & CNE Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net How to Install and Configure Windows, VMware, Virtualization and Cisco on http://www.HowToNetworking.com

_{Tuesday, July 14, 2020 6:30 PM}

Disabling and then re-enabling SMB was one of the first things I tried, but sadly it made no difference.

Also the "mount V: and Z:" trick works on the laptop but not the afflicted desktop.  Confusing...

_{Thursday, July 16, 2020 6:07 PM}

I seem to have fixed the problem by buying a new NAS, which seems to mount quite happily as Z: from the laptop (Not tried it from the afflicted desktop yet).  Though the old NAS still mounts OK on startup if it's mapped to V: instead,