How to Force Windows to Clear Cached UNC Credentials and Reconnect with Different User Account

When working with Windows UNC paths, the credential caching mechanism can be both a convenience and a frustration. Here's what happens in the scenario:

# Initial connection (creates credential cache)
net use \\DS412\IPC$ /user:username1 *
# Disconnect attempt
net use \\DS412\IPC$ /delete

Windows maintains multiple credential stores that aren't always cleared by simple net use commands:

Credential Manager (Windows Vault)
Session-level cached credentials
Persistent connection history

Method 1: Command Line Nuclear Option

# List all connections (even hidden ones)
net use * /delete /y

# Alternative using PowerShell
Get-SmbConnection | Remove-SmbConnection -Force
Clear-SmbClientNetworkConnection -Force

Method 2: Credential Manager Cleanup

For Windows 7 specifically:

# Via command line (requires elevation)
cmdkey /list | findstr DS412
cmdkey /delete:DS412
cmdkey /delete:TERMSRV/DS412

Method 3: Registry Edit (When All Else Fails)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Network\DS412]
"ConnectionType"=dword:00000001
"DeferFlags"=dword:00000004

After clearing cached credentials, establish new connection properly:

# Explicit credential specification
net use \\DS412\share /user:domain\username2 * /persistent:no

# PowerShell alternative
New-SmbMapping -RemotePath \\DS412\share -UserName "domain\username2" -Password "P@ssw0rd"

For developers needing frequent credential switches:

function Reset-NetworkCredential {
    param(
        [string]$ComputerName,
        [string]$SharePath
    )
    
    try {
        net use \\$ComputerName\IPC$ /delete /y
        cmdkey /delete:$ComputerName
        net use $SharePath /user:$env:USERDOMAIN\$env:USERNAME /persistent:no
    }
    catch {
        Write-Warning "Credential reset failed: $_"
    }
}

When troubleshooting stubborn connections:

Use klist purge to clear Kerberos tickets
Check Event Viewer for System log errors
Test with IP address instead of hostname

Windows aggressively caches network share credentials, which becomes problematic when you need to:

Switch between different user accounts on the same NAS/SMB server
Test permission configurations with various credentials
Troubleshoot authentication issues

While NET USE /DELETE works for active connections, Windows maintains credentials in these locations:

1. Credential Manager (Control Panel → User Accounts → Credential Manager)
2. Security Support Provider (SSP) cache
3. Server-side session cache

For Windows 7/10/11, use this PowerShell script to fully clear cached credentials:

# Method 1: Clear specific credential
cmdkey /delete:TERMSRV/DS412

# Method 2: Nuclear option - clear all stored credentials
cmdkey /list | ForEach-Object {
    if($_ -match "Target: (.*)"){
        cmdkey /delete:$($matches[1])
    }
}

# Flush DNS and NetBIOS cache
ipconfig /flushdns
nbtstat -R

After clearing cached credentials, use these methods to establish a fresh connection:

Command Line Approach

NET USE \\DS412\IPC$ /DELETE
NET USE \\DS412\ShareName /USER:domain\username password

Programmatic Access (C# Example)

using System;
using System.Net;

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        NetworkCredential credentials = new NetworkCredential(
            "newuser", 
            "password", 
            "domain");
            
        CredentialCache credCache = new CredentialCache();
        credCache.Add(
            new Uri(@"\\DS412\ShareName"),
            "Basic",
            credentials);
            
        // Use with System.IO or other file operations
    }
}

For one-off access without credential caching:

runas /netonly /user:domain\username "explorer.exe \\DS412\ShareName"

When troubleshooting persistent connection issues:

Check active sessions with: NET SESSION
View server-side connections: NET FILE
Inspect Kerberos tickets: klist purge

For automation scenarios, create this .reg file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa]
"DisableDomainCreds"=dword:00000001
"RestrictAnonymous"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters]
"AllowInsecureGuestAuth"=dword:00000000

Remember to restart the workstation service after changes:

NET STOP WORKSTATION /Y
NET START WORKSTATION

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