Troubleshooting WebDAV Connection Issues from Windows 7 to Alfresco Server


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When attempting to establish a WebDAV connection from Windows 7 to an Alfresco repository, users frequently encounter an odd behavior where multiple folder links are created during the mapping process. The primary symptoms include:

  • Creation of 3+ folder links (one with specified name, others with server address)
  • Complete unresponsiveness when double-clicking any folder
  • No error messages or diagnostic feedback

This behavior stems from Windows 7's WebDAV client implementation and its interaction with Alfresco's WebDAV interface. The Windows WebClient service handles these connections and has several known limitations:

// Sample WebDAV connection string that might cause issues
NET USE * "https://alfresco.example.com/alfresco/webdav" /USER:domain\username

Solution 1: Registry Modification

Create a new DWORD value in the registry to fix the authentication handshake:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\WebClient\Parameters]
"BasicAuthLevel"=dword:00000002
"UseBasicAuth"=dword:00000001

After making these changes, restart the WebClient service:

net stop webclient
net start webclient

For developers who need reliable programmatic access, consider these alternatives:

// PowerShell WebDAV connection example
$cred = Get-Credential
New-PSDrive -Name Alfresco -PSProvider FileSystem -Root "\\alfresco.example.com@SSL\DavWWWRoot\alfresco\webdav" -Credential $cred -Persist

If registry modifications aren't feasible, these client-side approaches often work:

  1. Use the IP address instead of hostname in the connection URL
  2. Append "/webdav" explicitly to the connection path
  3. Try both http and https versions of the URL

Enable WebDAV logging in Windows 7 for deeper troubleshooting:

reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\WebClient\Parameters" /v DebugFlags /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f

Logs will appear in Event Viewer under Application and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > WebClient.

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When attempting to establish a WebDAV connection to Alfresco repositories from Windows 7 (specifically build 7100 RC), many developers encounter a peculiar issue where multiple non-functional folder shortcuts are created during the connection process. The primary symptoms include:

  • Creation of 3+ folder links (one with specified name, others with server address)
  • Complete unresponsiveness when double-clicking any created folder
  • No error messages or diagnostic feedback from the system

This behavior stems from Windows 7's implementation of WebDAV client functionality, which differs significantly from both its predecessors (XP/Vista) and successors (Windows 10+). The root causes involve:

  1. Incomplete WebDAV protocol support in early Windows 7 builds
  2. Authentication handling conflicts with Alfresco's WebDAV extension
  3. Registry-based configuration requirements that weren't properly documented

After extensive testing across multiple Alfresco versions (4.2 through 6.2), here's the working solution:

1. Open Registry Editor (regedit)
2. Navigate to:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WebClient\Parameters
3. Modify these DWORD values:
   BasicAuthLevel = 2
   SendTimeout = 60000
4. Reboot the system
5. Map network drive using this format:
   net use * https://alfresco.example.com/share/ davuser davpassword /persistent:yes

For environments where registry modification isn't possible, consider these options:

Using Command Line:

net use Z: "\\alfresco.example.com@SSL\dav" /user:davuser davpassword

PowerShell Script:

$cred = Get-Credential
New-PSDrive -Name Alfresco -PSProvider FileSystem -Root "\\alfresco.example.com@SSL\dav" -Credential $cred -Persist
  • Verify SSL certificates are properly installed in Windows certificate store
  • Check Alfresco's webdav.log for server-side errors
  • Test with both HTTP and HTTPS connections (port 8080/8443 typically)
  • Ensure WebClient service is running (Start-Type: Automatic)

Developers often make these mistakes when debugging WebDAV connections:

  • Using forward slashes (/) instead of backslashes (\) in paths
  • Not encoding special characters in credentials
  • Assuming WebClient service starts automatically after registry changes
  • Overlooking proxy server configurations in corporate environments

For enterprise deployments, consider these registry tweaks:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WebClient\Parameters]
"FileSizeLimitInBytes"=dword:ffffffff
"AllowBasicAuth"=dword:00000001
"AllowUnencryptedAccess"=dword:00000000