How to Create a "Map Network Drive" Shortcut in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8

   Information
Using the Map Network Drive wizard, you can create a shortcut to a shared folder on your computer or shared network folder from a computer on a network (also called mapping a network drive). This will allow you to access the mapped network drive with a drive letter in the Computer (Windows Vista,7,8) or This PC (Windows 8.1) window.

This tutorial will show you how to create or download a Map Network Drive shortcut that opens the Map Network Drive wizard in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.


EXAMPLE: Map Network Drive
Map Network Drive Shortcut - Create-map_network_drive_wizard.jpg



OPTION ONE

To Download "Map Network Drive" Shortcut

1. Click/tap on the download button below to download the
Map_Network_Drive.zip file. 2. Save the .zip file to your desktop.

3. Open the .zip file and extract the Map Network Drive shortcut to your desktop.

4. Unblock the Map Network Drive shortcut.
Map Network Drive Shortcut - Create-unblock.jpg
5. In Vista and Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar (Windows 7 only) or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

6. In Windows 8, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .zip file if you like.



OPTION TWO

To Manually Create "Map Network Drive" Shortcut

1. Right click or press and hold on an empty area on your desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut. (See screenshot below)
Map Network Drive Shortcut - Create-right_click.jpg
2. Type the location below into the location area, and click/tap on the Next button. (See screenshot below)

Code:
RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,SHHelpShortcuts_RunDLL Connect
Map Network Drive Shortcut - Create-step1.jpg
3. Type Map Network Drive for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You can name this anything you would like though.
Map Network Drive Shortcut - Create-step2.jpg
4. Right click or press and hold on the new Map Network Drive shortcut, and click/tap on Properties.

5. Click/tap on the Shortcut tab, then click/tap on the Change Icon button. (See screenshot below)
Map Network Drive Shortcut - Create-step3.jpg
6. In the line under "Look for icons in this file", type in the location below, and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll
Map Network Drive Shortcut - Create-step4.jpg
7. Select the icon highlighted in blue above, and click/tap on OK. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: You can use any icon that you would like instead though.

8. Click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below)
Map Network Drive Shortcut - Create-step5.jpg
9. In Vista and Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar (Windows 7 only) or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

10. In Windows 8, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
That's it,
Shawn