When executing the net use command to map a network drive in Windows environments, particularly in virtualization scenarios with Hyper-V, users often encounter an inconsistent behavior where the mapped drive:

• Successfully connects via command line (Y:\dir works)
• Fails to appear in Windows Explorer GUI
• Exhibits intermittent visibility

Through extensive testing across Windows 8/10/11 environments, we've identified these primary culprits:

// Common scenarios triggering this behavior
1. Explorer.exe caching issues
2. Credential manager conflicts
3. Group Policy restrictions (particularly Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options)
4. Network provider order misconfiguration

Method 1: Force Explorer Refresh

Execute these commands in sequence:

net use Y: /delete
net use Y: \\10.10.18.104\c$ /persistent:yes
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe

Method 2: Registry Modification

Create this registry entry (backup first!):

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"EnableLinkedConnections"=dword:00000001

Method 3: PowerShell Alternative

For more reliable mapping:

New-PSDrive -Name "Y" -PSProvider "FileSystem" -Root "\\10.10.18.104\c$" -Persist
Get-SmbMapping | Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Unavailable"} | Remove-SmbMapping -Force

When basic methods fail, check these system components:

• Service: "WebClient" (set to Automatic)
• Registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\NetworkProvider\Order
• Group Policy: "Hide these specified drives in My Computer"

For VM-host communication, ensure:

1. vSwitch configuration allows host-guest traffic
2. Windows Firewall rules permit File and Printer Sharing
3. Credential delegation is enabled for virtual machines

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Many Windows administrators encounter this puzzling scenario where a network drive mapped via net use appears functional in command line but remains invisible in File Explorer. The issue becomes particularly frustrating when working with Hyper-V VMs where consistent network access is crucial.

When executing:

net use * \\\\10.10.18.104\\c$
Drive Y: is now connected to \\\\10.10.18.104\\c$.

The drive appears operational in CMD as demonstrated by:

Y:
dir

Yet File Explorer shows no trace of drive Y:. This inconsistency points to several potential underlying causes.

The intermittent nature suggests one of these typical issues:

• Explorer.exe caching outdated network drive information
• Group Policy settings hiding network drives
• Incorrect registry permissions for network provider order
• Credential manager conflicts
• Hyper-V networking peculiarities

1. Force Explorer Refresh
Kill and restart Explorer process:

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe

2. Registry Check
Verify network provider order in:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\NetworkProvider\Order

Ensure "lanmanworkstation" appears before webclient.

3. Permanent Mapping
Add the persistent flag to your net use command:

net use Y: \\\\10.10.18.104\\c$ /persistent:yes

4. PowerShell Alternative
Try mapping via PowerShell which often handles network drives better:

New-PSDrive -Name "Y" -PSProvider "FileSystem" -Root "\\\\10.10.18.104\\c$" -Persist

For Hyper-V environments, additional steps may be required:

Check-VMNetworkAdapter -VMName "YourVM" | Where-Object {$_.SwitchName -eq "External"}
Set-VMNetworkAdapter -VMName "YourVM" -DynamicMacAddress $true

To verify the actual drive mapping status:

net use
net config workstation
nltest /sc_query:domainname

Check Windows Event Viewer for related System logs under:

Windows Logs > System

Remember that mapped drives in Windows 8 sometimes require explicit reconnection after sleep/hibernate cycles. Creating a login script with your mapping commands can help maintain consistency.