New-PSDrive
Creates temporary and persistent drives that are associated with a location in an item data store.
Syntax
New-PSDrive
[-Name] <String>
[-PSProvider] <String>
[-Root] <String>
[-Description <String>]
[-Scope <String>]
[-Persist]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[-UseTransaction]
[<CommonParameters>]Description
The New-PSDrive cmdlet creates temporary and persistent drives that are mapped to or associated
with a location in a data store, such as a network drive, a directory on the local computer, or a
registry key, and persistent Windows mapped network drives that are associated with a file system
location on a remote computer.
Temporary drives exist only in the current PowerShell session and in sessions that you create in the
current session. They can have any name that is valid in PowerShell and can be mapped to any local
or remote resource. You can use temporary PowerShell drives to access data in the associated data
store, just as you would do with any mapped network drive. You can change locations into the drive,
by using Set-Location, and access the contents of the drive by using Get-Item or
Get-ChildItem.
Because temporary drives are known only to PowerShell, you can't access them by using File Explorer,
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), Component Object Model (COM), Microsoft .NET Framework, or
with tools such as net use.
The following features were added to New-PSDrive in PowerShell 3.0:
- Mapped network drives. You can use the Persist parameter of
New-PSDriveto create Windows mapped network drives. Unlike temporary PowerShell drives, Windows mapped network drives aren't session-specific. They're saved in Windows and they can be managed by using standard Windows tools, such as File Explorer and net use. Mapped network drives must have a drive-letter name and be connected to a remote file system location. When your command is scoped locally, no dot-sourcing, the Persist parameter doesn't persist the creation of a PSDrive beyond the scope in which the command is running. If you're runningNew-PSDriveinside a script, and you want the drive to persist indefinitely, you must dot-source the script. For best results, to force a new drive to persist indefinitely, add the Scope parameter to your command, and set its value to Global. For more information about dot-sourcing, see about_Scripts. - External drives. When an external drive is connected to the computer, PowerShell automatically adds a PSDrive to the file system that represents the new drive. You don't have to restart PowerShell. Similarly, when an external drive is disconnected from the computer, PowerShell automatically deletes the PSDrive that represents the removed drive.
- Credentials for Universal Naming Convention (UNC) paths.
When the value of the Root parameter is a UNC path, such as \\Server\Share, the credential
specified in the value of the Credential parameter is used to create the PSDrive. Otherwise,
Credential isn't effective when you're creating new file system drives.
Some code samples use splatting to reduce the line length and improve readability. For more information, see about_Splatting.
Note
Unless you use the Scope parameter, PSDrives are created in the scope in which the
New-PSDrive command is run.
Examples
Example 1: Create a temporary drive mapped to a network share
This example creates a temporary PowerShell drive that's mapped to a network share.
New-PSDrive -Name "Public" -PSProvider "FileSystem" -Root "\\Server01\Public"
Name Provider Root
---- -------- ----
Public FileSystem \\Server01\PublicNew-PSDrive uses the Name parameter to specify PowerShell drive named Public and the
PSProvider parameter to specify the PowerShell FileSystem provider. The Root parameter
specifies the network share's UNC path.
To view the contents from a PowerShell session: Get-ChildItem -Path Public:
Example 2: Create a temporary drive mapped to a local directory
This example creates a temporary PowerShell drive that provides access to a directory on the local computer.
$parameters = @{
Name = "MyDocs"
PSProvider = "FileSystem"
Root = "C:\Users\User01\Documents"
Description = "Maps to my My Documents folder."
}
New-PSDrive @parameters
Name Provider Root
---- -------- ----
MyDocs FileSystem C:\Users\User01\DocumentsSplatting creates the parameter keys and values. The Name parameter specifies the drive name,
MyDocs. The PSProvider parameter specifies the PowerShell FileSystem provider. Root
specifies the local computer's directory. The Description parameter describes the drive's
purpose. New-PSDrive uses the splatted parameters to create the MyDocs drive.
To view the contents from a PowerShell session: Get-ChildItem -Path MyDocs:
Example 3: Create a temporary drive for a registry key
This example creates a temporary PowerShell drive that provides access to a registry key. It creates
a drive named MyCompany that is mapped to the HKLM:\Software\MyCompany registry key.
New-PSDrive -Name "MyCompany" -PSProvider "Registry" -Root "HKLM:\Software\MyCompany"
Name Provider Root
---- -------- ----
MyCompany Registry HKLM:\Software\MyCompanyNew-PSDrive uses the Name parameter to specify PowerShell drive named MyCompany and the
PSProvider parameter to specify the PowerShell Registry provider. The Root parameter
specifies the registry location.
To view the contents from a PowerShell session: Get-ChildItem -Path MyCompany:
Example 4: Create a persistent mapped network drive using credentials
This example maps a network drive that's authenticated with a domain service account's credentials. For more information about the PSCredential object that stores credentials and how passwords are stored as a SecureString, see the Credential parameter's description.
$cred = Get-Credential -Credential Contoso\ServiceAccount
New-PSDrive -Name "S" -Root "\\Server01\Scripts" -Persist -PSProvider "FileSystem" -Credential $cred
Net Use
Status Local Remote Network
---------------------------------------------------------
OK S: \\Server01\Scripts Microsoft Windows NetworkNote
Remember, if you use the above snippet in a script, set the Scope parameter value to "Global" to ensure the drive persists outside the current scope.
The $cred variable stores a PSCredential object that contains the service account's
credentials. Get-Credential prompts you to enter the password that's stored in a SecureString.
New-PSDrive creates the mapped network drive by using several parameters. Name specifies the
S drive letter that Windows accepts. and Root defines \\Server01\Scripts as the location on
a remote computer. Persist creates a Windows mapped network drive that's saved on the local
computer. PSProvider specifies the FileSystem provider. Credential uses the $cred
variable to get the service account credentials for authentication.
The mapped drive can be viewed on the local computer in PowerShell sessions, File Explorer, and with
tools such as net use. To view the contents from a PowerShell session: Get-ChildItem -Path S:
Example 5: Create persistent and temporary drives
This example shows the difference between a persistent mapped network drive and a temporary PowerShell drive that is mapped to the same network share.
If you close the PowerShell session and then open a new session, the temporary PSDrive: isn't
available, but the persistent X: drive is available. When deciding which method to use to map
network drives, consider how you'll use the drive. For example, whether it has to be persistent, and
whether the drive has to be visible to other Windows features.
# Create a temporary PowerShell drive called PSDrive:
# that's mapped to the \\Server01\Public network share.
New-PSDrive -Name "PSDrive" -PSProvider "FileSystem" -Root "\\Server01\Public"
# Use the Persist parameter of New-PSDrive to create the X: mapped network drive,
# which is also mapped to the \\Server01\Public network share.
New-PSDrive -Persist -Name "X" -PSProvider "FileSystem" -Root "\\Server01\Public"
# Now, you can use the Get-PSDrive drive cmdlet to examine the two drives.
# The drives appear to be the same, although the network share name appears only
# in the root of the PSDrive: drive.
Get-PSDrive -Name "PSDrive", "X"
Name Provider Root
---- -------- ----
PsDrive FileSystem \\Server01\public
X FileSystem X:\
# Get-Member cmdlet shows that the drives have the same object type,
# System.Management.Automation.PSDriveInfo.
Get-PSDrive "PSDrive", "x" | Get-Member
TypeName: System.Management.Automation.PSDriveInfo
Name MemberType Definition
---- ---------- ----------
CompareTo Method System.Int32 CompareTo(PSDriveInfo drive),
Equals Method System.Boolean Equals(Object obj),
GetHashCode Method System.Int32 GetHashCode()
...
# Net Use and Get-CimInstance for the Win32_LogicalDisk class,
# and Win32_NetworkConnection class find only the persistent X: drive.
# PowerShell temporary drives are known only to PowerShell.
Net Use
Get-CimInstance Win32_LogicalDisk | Format-Table -Property DeviceID
Get-CimInstance Win32_NetworkConnection
Status Local Remote Network
--------------------------------------------------------
OK X: \\contoso-pc\data Microsoft Windows Network
deviceid
--------
C:
D:
X:
LocalName RemoteName ConnectionState Status
--------- ---------- --------------- ------
X: \\products\public Disconnected UnavailableExample 6: Create persistent drive in a script
PSDrives are created in the scope in which the New-PSDrive command is run. When the command is run
within a script, the drive mapping is local to the script. When the script exits, the drive is no
longer available.
New-PSDrive -Persist -Name "X" -PSProvider "FileSystem" -Root "\\Server01\Public" -Scope GlobalTo ensure that the drive is available outside of the script you must use the Scope parameter to create the drive in the Global scope.
Parameters
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Aliases: | cf |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | False |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Credential
Specifies a user account that has permission to do this action. The default is the current user.
Since PowerShell 3.0, when the value of the Root parameter is a UNC path, you can use credentials to create file system drives.
Type a user name, such as User01 or Domain01\User01, or enter a PSCredential object
generated by the Get-Credential cmdlet. If you type a user name, you're prompted to enter the
password.
Credentials are stored in a PSCredential object and the password is stored as a SecureString.
Note
For more information about SecureString data protection, see How secure is SecureString?.
| Type: | PSCredential |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | Current user |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Description
Specifies a brief text description of the drive. Type any string.
To see the descriptions of all the session's drives, Get-PSDrive | Format-Table Name, Description.
To see the description of a particular drive, type (Get-PSDrive <DriveName>).Description.
| Type: | String |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Name
Specifies a name for the new drive. For persistent mapped network drives, use a drive letter. For temporary PowerShell drives, you aren't limited to drive letters, use any valid string.
| Type: | String |
| Position: | 0 |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Persist
Indicates that this cmdlet creates a Windows mapped network drive. The Persist parameter is only available on Windows.
Mapped network drives are saved in Windows on the local computer. They're persistent, not session-specific, and can be viewed and managed in File Explorer and other tools.
When you scope the command locally, without dot-sourcing, the Persist parameter doesn't persist
the creation of a PSDrive beyond the scope in which you run the command. If you run
New-PSDrive inside a script, and you want the new drive to persist indefinitely, you must
dot-source the script. For best results, to force a new drive to persist, specify Global as the
value of the Scope parameter and include Persist in your command.
The name of the drive must be a letter, such as D or E. The value of Root parameter must be
a UNC path of a different computer. The PSProvider parameter's value must be FileSystem.
To disconnect a Windows mapped network drive, use the Remove-PSDrive cmdlet. When you disconnect a
Windows mapped network drive, the mapping is permanently deleted from the computer, not just deleted
from the current session.
Mapped network drives are specific to a user account. Mapped drives created in elevated sessions or sessions using the credential of another user aren't visible in sessions started using different credentials.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | False |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-PSProvider
Specifies the PowerShell provider that supports drives of this kind.
For example, if the drive is associated with a network share or file system directory, the
PowerShell provider is FileSystem. If the drive is associated with a registry key, the provider is
Registry.
Temporary PowerShell drives can be associated with any PowerShell provider. Mapped network drives
can be associated only with the FileSystem provider.
To see a list of the providers in your PowerShell session, use the Get-PSProvider cmdlet.
| Type: | String |
| Position: | 1 |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Root
Specifies the data store location to which a PowerShell drive is mapped.
For example, specify a network share, such as \\Server01\Public, a local directory, such as
C:\Program Files, or a registry key, such as HKLM:\Software\Microsoft.
Temporary PowerShell drives can be associated with a local or remote location on any supported provider drive. Mapped network drives can be associated only with a file system location on a remote computer.
| Type: | String |
| Position: | 2 |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Scope
Specifies a scope for the drive. The acceptable values for this parameter are: Global, Local, and Script, or a number relative to the current scope. Scopes number 0 through the number of scopes. The current scope number is 0 and its parent is 1. For more information, see about_Scopes.
| Type: | String |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | Local |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-UseTransaction
Includes the command in the active transaction. This parameter is valid only when a transaction is in progress. For more information, see about_Transactions.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Aliases: | usetx |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | False |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet isn't run.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Aliases: | wi |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | False |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
Inputs
None
You can't pipe objects to this cmdlet
Outputs
This cmdlet returns a PSDriveInfo object representing the created drive.
Notes
Windows PowerShell includes the following aliases for New-PSDrive:
mountndr
New-PSDrive is designed to work with the data exposed by any provider. To list the providers
available in your session, use Get-PSProvider. For more information about providers, see
about_Providers.
Mapped network drives are specific to a user account. Mapped drives created in elevated sessions or sessions using the credential of another user aren't visible in sessions started using different credentials.
Related Links
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