Article ID: 178405 - Last Review: January 22, 2007 - Revision: 1.2

WD: Workgroup Templates Show UNC Path Not Drive Letter Path

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SYMPTOMS

When you specify the Workgroup templates file location in Microsoft Word using a path similar to the following:
E:\<ShareName>
where <ShareName> is the name of the share, the path actually stored is a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path for that file location (similar to the following):
\\ServerName\ShareName
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CAUSE

By design, when you save a document or change a setting to a network location specified using a mapped logical drive letter, Microsoft Word converts the path from one containing a logical drive letter to a UNC-style path.
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WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods appropriate for your situation:
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Method 1: Use the DontUseUNC Switch

Microsoft Word 97 SR-1 allows you to use drive letter mappings and disable Universal Naming Convention (UNC) by using the "DontUseUNC" registry switch.

For additional information about using the DontUseUNC switch, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
171406  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/171406/EN-US/ ) WD97: How to Disable the Use of UNC
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Method 2: Modify the Workgroup Templates Path

To display and use a path with a logical drive letter and not the UNC file location for Workgroup templates, follow these steps:
  1. Double-click a blank area of the Microsoft Office Shortcut toolbar to display the Customize dialog box (or right-click the shortcut bar and click Customize on the shortcut menu).
  2. Click to select the Settings tab.
  3. Click to select Workgroup Templates, and click Modify.
  4. Type the path using a logical drive letter for the templates in Setting (Word 7.0, Office 7.0) or Folder name (Word 97).
  5. Click OK.
The path is displayed as the following:
E:\\ShareName
The path with the drive letter appears on the File Locations tab of the Options dialog box (on the Tools menu, click Options) in Microsoft Word. However, if you modify the path on the File Locations tab in Word, the path reverts to UNC.

NOTE: When a logical drive letter is used in the path, the network share must be mapped to that logical drive letter at all times for Word to be able to use the path. This is why the default method is UNC, which enables Word to find a network location without having to map a drive.
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STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.  This problem was corrected in Microsoft Word 2000.
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APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Word 95 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Word 95a
  • Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition
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Keywords: 
kbprb KB178405
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Retired KB ArticleRetired KB Content Disclaimer
This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.
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