Connect to Windows server with different credentials

[bthylafh]

We've got a Server 2003 R2 fileserver in an Active Directory environment. It's got several different shares on it, one of which is limited to support-tech accounts.

Problem is that in order to access the share, we have to log off from our users' accounts and log into Windows as ourselves, then connect. We'd like to have Windows prompt us for different credentials instead, as it does when we talk to my Samba server. Our Windows admin can't find any setting to change this, and suspects that no such setting exists.

We could map a drive with our credentials, but that's inconvenient and we have to remember to delete it when we're done.

Any suggestions?

[mattshwink]

Let me first clarify what you are saying:
You are logged into a Windows 2003 domain. You are trying to access a share that has an ACL for privileged (support-tech) accounts.

If this is the case, Windows will not prompt you. It tries to authenticate you using your current credentials, which do not have access, and denies you access.

It will pop-up asking for credentials if you attempt to authenticate using an account that is not in the trusted domain/forest.

So, in short, if the assumption I make is correct what you want to do is not possible. As you suggested, you can map a drive using alternate credentials. You could also write a small VB script/applet that would pop-up credentials while mapping the drive and then when closed would delete the connection (and credentials).

[drsauced]

Yeah, this is a feature, apparently. There might be a group policy for this, but I think the workaround is to drop to a command prompt and NET USE the file share. NET USE will let you enter different credentials, and you can also make a batch file to automate it somewhat.

[bthylafh]

Good to know. Guess I'll be virtualizing my Samba server instead of converting to Windows when it's time to replace that old Pentium-III, then.