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Ok, I have seen: Change working directory to network share - however, it does not seem to work for me on Windows 10.

At work, I have a network share, let's say, at local IP address 20.0.0.1; so, first I go to a Windows Explorer window, type there \\20.0.0.1\, I get asked for a login and password; when I enter my credentials, I get a directory listing, no problem. (and I even get \\20.0.0.1\ as a node under Network in the tree view pane on the left of the Windows Explorer window.)

So, now I open Powershell as administrator, and try this:

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> cd \\20.0.0.1\ cd : Cannot find path '\\20.0.0.1\' because it does not exist. At line:1 char:1 + cd \\20.0.0.1\ + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + CategoryInfo : ObjectNotFound: (\\20.0.0.1\:String) [Set-Location], ItemNotFoundException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : PathNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SetLocationCommand

Same for cmd.exe, ran as Administrator:

C:\WINDOWS\system32>pushd \\20.0.0.1\ The network name cannot be found.

Net use does not work either:

C:\WINDOWS\system32>net use Y: \\20.0.0.1\ System error 67 has occurred. The network name cannot be found.

... and yet, the server is fully pingable:

C:\WINDOWS\system32>ping 20.0.0.1 Pinging 20.0.0.1 with 32 bytes of data: Reply from 20.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64 Reply from 20.0.0.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64 Ping statistics for 20.0.0.1: Packets: Sent = 2, Received = 2, Lost = 0 (0% loss), Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds: Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms Control-C ^C

How can I cd into this network share from a terminal (either cmd, or Powershell)?

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    20.0.0.1 is only the machine, you need to tell the command where to go on the machine, e.g if it's a windows computer \\20.0.0.1\c$. also, only PowerShell supports UNC Path in cd Commented Nov 4, 2019 at 12:09
  • Many thanks @SimonS - I was persuaded that \\20.0.0.1\` would mount the "root" folder (that is, the "folder" that contains the collection of folders that I see, when I enter \\20.0.0.1\` in Windows Explorer)! Feel free to post this as an answer, I'll accept it ... Commented Nov 4, 2019 at 12:13
  • The folders you see if you enter \\20.0.0.1 are the shares that are enabled on that machine, excluding the standard ones like c$. So it is not a real folder, it's only there to help you navigate through windows explorer / networks Commented Nov 4, 2019 at 12:34

2 Answers 2

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1: You've got the syntax wrong: \\servername\ specifies a server, not a UNC-PATH.
You need to use \\servername\sharename as a minimum.
2: You can't do this with the command-prompt. You must map a network drive to it and use the drive letter in CMD.exe. It will work in PowerShell.

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    Thanks for that, @Tonny - just to note, the question I linked to in the OP already notes you cannot cd into a network share using cmd.exe - which is why it recommends pushd for cmd.exe instead (also what I used in my OP too) Commented Nov 4, 2019 at 12:16
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    Pushd won't do it either: Unless command-extensions are enabled: In that case it will allocate a drive-letter, map the share and then CD to that drive-letter. It will NOT really cd to the UNC-path. Commented Nov 4, 2019 at 12:19
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What about a PowerShell Core solution? I was successfull using

cd Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::\\servername\sharename
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  • For a chance please: Have you managed this only with PS? I tried your solution which worked but only for 50%. I have a computer in the network. When I executed the command, it tried for a while and then resulted in an error stating that the path cannot be found. Then, I have entered the path to the explorer, filled in the prompt for credentials (but I haven't mounted it, just accessed it), but then, the PS command worked when I tried. Is there any PS way to do even the accessing/credentials stuff directly by command? I work on a computer, where I have terminal (PS) access only. Thanks! Commented Sep 26, 2022 at 14:28
  • @zorak Adding credentials for the share can be done with CMD and with PowerShell. I can't recall the PowerShell version from the top of my head and I don't have a Windows system nearby. But in CMD you can just add the parameter "/user:youryuserid" to the NET USE command and it will prompt you for the password. Like "net use x: \\myserver\myshare /user:zorak" Commented Sep 30, 2022 at 8:52

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