How to configure and to troubleshoot mapped network drives that connect to SharePoint Online sites in Office 365 for enterprises

Article ID: 2616712 - View products that this article applies to.

Not sure what release of Office 365 you're using? Go to the following Microsoft website:
Am I using Office 365 after the service upgrade?
(http://office.microsoft.com/redir/HA103982331.aspx)
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INTRODUCTION

This article describes how to configure mapped network drives to connect to Microsoft SharePoint Online sites in Microsoft Office 365 for enterprises. This article also contains info about how to troubleshoot issues with mapped network drives.

Note This article doesn't apply to Microsoft Office 365 for professionals and small businesses.
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PROCEDURE

After you configure a mapped network drive to connect to SharePoint Online sites, you can perform the following actions by using Windows Explorer:
  • Drag files into libraries
  • Create folders
  • Move and copy files
  • Delete multiple files at one time
Note Before you map a network drive, follow these steps:
  1. Sign in to the SharePoint Online site by using your Office 365 credentials. Make sure that you click to select the Keep me signed in check box.
  2. Open a document library in Explorer View. For example, follow these steps:
    1. From your Team Site, select Shared Documents.
    2. Under the Library Tools section in the Ribbon, click the Library tab.
    3. In the Actions group, click Open with Explorer.

Windows XP

To set up My Network Places to connect to SharePoint Online sites, follow these steps:
  1. Sign in to the SharePoint Online site by using your Office 365 credentials. Make sure that you click to select the Keep me signed in check box.
  2. Click Start, and then click My Network Places.
  3. Under Network Tasks, click Add a network place. The Add Network Wizard starts.
  4. On the Welcome page of the Add Network Place Wizard, click Next.
  5. Select Choose another network location, and then click Next.
  6. In the Internet or network address box, type the URL of the site to which you want to connect, and then click Next.
  7. Specify a name for the network place, and then select Next.
  8. Click to clear the Open this network place when I click Finish check box, and then click Finish.

Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8

To map a network drive to a SharePoint Online site, follow these steps:
  1. Sign in to the SharePoint Online site by using your Office 365 credentials. Make sure that you click to select the Keep me signed in check box.
  2. Right-click Computer from the Desktop, or within Windows Explorer, and then click Map Network Drive.
  3. Click the Connect to a Web site that you can store your documents and pictures link, and then click Next two times.
  4. Type the site URL, click Next, and then follow the instructions in the wizard. For example, type https://contoso.sharepoint.com.

How to troubleshoot mapped network drive issues

When you browse to a mapped network drive, you may receive an error message that resembles the following:
\\Path is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.

Access Denied. Before opening files in this location, you must first add the web site to your trusted site list, browse to the web site, and select the option to login automatically'
Note If you're using Internet Explorer 10 with Windows 7, go to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:
2836021
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2836021/ )
"Mapped network drive could not be created" error when you try to map to SharePoint Online
Make sure that you're authenticated to Office 365. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Sign in to the SharePoint Online site by using your Office 365 credentials, and make sure that you click to select the Keep me signed in check box.
  2. Open a document library in Explorer View.
  3. Try to access the mapped network drive.
Make sure that the SharePoint Online URLs have been added to your Trusted sites zone in Internet Explorer. For more info, go to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:
2828701
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2828701/ )
How to add a SharePoint Online site to the "Trusted sites" zone in Internet Explorer

To keep the connection after you restart the computer, make sure that the WebClient service is running. (Be aware that the cookie will eventually time out.) To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Follow the appropriate step for your operating system:
    • For Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then press Enter.
    • For Windows 8, click Start, type services.msc, and then press Enter.
  2. In the list of services, locate the WebClient service, and then make sure that its status in the Status column is set to Started. If it isn't set to Started, double-click the WebClient service, click Start, and then click OK.
Make sure that the latest Windows updates are applied. If all the latest updates are applied, and the issue persists, make sure that the WebClient service is running.
  1. Follow the appropriate step for your operating system:
    • For Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then press Enter.
    • For Windows 8, click Start, type services.msc, and then press Enter.
  2. In the list of services, locate the WebClient service, and then make sure that its status in the Status column is set to Started. If it isn't set to Started, double-click the WebClient service, click Start, and then click OK.
If you've run the Microsoft Online Services Diagnostics and Logging (MOSDAL) Support Toolkit, you can determine whether the WebClient services has been running. From the MOSDAL logs, in the System Diagnostics folder, open Tasklist_svc.txt and search for WebClient. If you can't find it, the WebClient services weren't running.

Additionally, you can verify Trusted Sites. From the MOSDAL logs, in Registry folder that's contained in the Internet Explorer folder, search in the Internet Settings ZoneMap registry keys files for the trusted sites.

  For more info, go to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:
960625
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/960625/ )
The Microsoft Online Services Diagnostics and Logging (MOSDAL) Support Toolkit
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MORE INFORMATION

Video: Troubleshoot Mapped Network Drive Issues with SharePoint Online in Office 365 for Enterprises

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(http://aka.ms/n5dazn)
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For more info about how to work with the WebClient service, go to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:
  • 2548470
    (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2548470/ )
    A WebClient service crashes on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 when you connect a WebDav resource
  • 943280
    (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943280/ )
    Prompt for Credentials When Accessing FQDN Sites From a Windows Vista or Windows 7 Computer
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Still need help? Go to the Office 365 Community
(http://community.office365.com/)
website.
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Properties

Article ID: 2616712 - Last Review: May 17, 2013 - Revision: 20.0
Applies to
  • Microsoft Office 365 for enterprises (pre-upgrade)
  • Microsoft Office 365 for education  (pre-upgrade)
  • Microsoft SharePoint Online
Keywords: 
o365 o365a o365e mosdal4.5 o365m o365062011 pre-upgrade o365022013 after upgrade KB2616712
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