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How to Create a Mapped Drive (shortcut) to Akka on WinXP/Vista

This procedure will walk you through the steps to create a new icon on your Windows XP desktop that can be used to quickly access your files on Akka, the Genetics File Server.

  • Step 1:

    Disconnect any mapped drive found in My Computer created prior to January 2005 by right-clicking on the drive icon.

    Note for Vista users only (XP users do not need to do this):

    To enable Windows Vista to connect to Mac OS X with Windows File Sharing enabled, you will need to change the following policy in Windows Vista:

    Start>Run>secpol.msc [enter]
    Click on "Local Policies" --> "Security Options"

    Navigate to the policy "Network Security: LAN Manager authentication level" and double-click it to get its Properties. By default Windows Vista sets the policy to "NTVLM2 responses only". Use the drop-down arrow to change this to "LM and NTLM use NTLMV2 session security if negotiated".

    In Vista Home Premium, you won't have this tool so do:
    1. Run the registry editor (type "regedit" in search window) and open this key:
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa
    2. If it doesn't already exist, create a DWORD value named
      LmCompatibilityLevel
    3. Set the value to 1
    4. Reboot
  • Step 2:

    To create a new mapped drive, right-click My Computer and select Map Network Drive.

  • Step 3:

    In the dialog that appears, change the Folder to:

    \\akka.genetics.wisc.edu\Groups\[LabName]

    replacing [LabName] with your lab.

    Example: \\akka.genetics.wisc.edu\Groups\Anderson

    If you want the drive to be mounted each time you log in, leave the box Reconnect at Logon checked.

    **Users with their own home directories: please see the note at the end of this document.

  • Step 4:

    Click Connect using a different user name. Enter your Username and Password, and Click OK.

    Username: First three letters of lab name and_lab.

    Example (Prolla Lab): pro_lab

  • Step 5:

    Click OK, then Click Finish

    **Note: Users who have their own home folders should repeat steps 2-4 using their username. In step 3 the User Folder Path is:

    \\akka.genetics.wisc.edu\Users\[username]

    Example: \\akka.genetics.wisc.edu\Users\panderson