CS SoftDent: SoftDent Cannot Connect to Mapped Drives

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Symptoms

When attempting to log into CS SoftDent Software versions 12.0.10 and higher, an error appears:

• "CS SoftDent software cannot connect to your mapped drives to access the database information. Rebooting the computer or reconnecting the network drives might resolve the issue"

When attempting to log into CS SoftDent Software versions 12.0.9 and prior, an error appears:
• "Database Directory is not Accessible. Please Check Your Mappings"
Clicking OK on the error causes SoftDent to close.

Product:
SD Version 11.0.5 and Higher

Diagnosis

• The mapped drive to the server is disconnected.
• The UNC path to the server's SoftDent folder is inaccessible.
• Password Protected Sharing is enabled on the server.
• The workstation has lost its connection to the network.
• The server is not on or logged in to Windows.
• A new Windows user is being used and mapped drives have not been set up under this user's Windows profile.

Solution

"Database Directory is not Accessible" errors refer to a lack of connectivity to the mapped drive (or "Start In" path). Generally this means that the connection to the mapped drive has been lost. This commonly occurs if the server is not on or logged in to Windows, if the workstation has lost it's network connection, or if a new windows user has been created and logged in to Windows. It is recommended to use a UNC path as a database directory path in versions 12.5 and higher.

This error is similar to a Timeout error in that it may occur when the mapped drives on the workstation have become disconnected.

Checking Mapped Drive Connectivity

1. Make certain the server is turned on and logged into Windows.
2. Open My Computer on the workstation(s) where the error occurs.
3. Look for the mapped drive to the server. It may appear with a red "X" over it.
4. Double-click the mapped drive to check and reestablish connectivity to the server. The network drive's contents will be displayed if the workstation can successfully make a connection to the server.
5. Open CS SoftDent Software to make certain the error is resolved.
6. If the mapped drive is accessible after double clicking on the mapped drive. Reboot the workstation and test again. If the mapped drive again shows that it is disconnected, the local tech will need to look into this issue.

Restarting the Workstation

1. Have the office restart the workstation(s) that the error is occurring on.
2. Once rebooted, open My Computer on the workstation(s) where the error occurs.
3. Look for the mapped drive to the server. It may appear with a red "X" over it.
4. Double-click the mapped drive to check and reestablish connectivity to the server. The network drive's contents will be displayed if the workstation can successfully make a connection to the server.

Note: If the Network drive's contents are still not displayed then it is the office's responsibility to correct their network connection issues. SoftDent Technical Support can not support faulty network connections.

1. Open CS SoftDent Software to make certain the error is resolved.
   
   

Verify the server's SoftDent folder is accessible from the workstation without issue

1. Right-click the CS SoftDent Software icon on the workstation's desktop, then click Properties.
2. Note the path displayed in the "Start In" field. This should be the UNC or mapped drive path to the server's shared SoftDent folder.
3. Open Windows Explorer.
4. Enter the path noted in step 2 in the Address bar at the top.

If the workstation is able to access the path without issue, the files and folders within the server's SoftDent folder should be displayed.
If a Windows Security prompt for a username and password appears, this indicates that Password Protected Sharing is enabled on the server (or possibly a permissions issue). Both of these are general Windows networking issues that should be addressed by the office's technician.

As a reminder, Password Protected Sharing should be disabled on the server, and the server's SoftDent folder sharing and security permissions should both be set to Everyone - Full Control.

If a Windows network error appears stating that the path is inaccessible, this indicates that the incorrect path has been entered as the "Start In" path, or that the workstation simply cannot find or access the share. Verify the "Start In" path is correct set to the UNC path or mapped drive to the server's SoftDent folder. If the Windows network error still appears after double-checking and confirming you are trying to access the correct path, this indicates a networking issue that is wholly unrelated to SoftDent. This would be the responsibility of the office technician to address, as the  workstation ultimately must be able to access the server's shared SoftDent folder without issue.

Windows Logins

When new Windows logins or usernames are created they do not initially have mapped drives set within their user profile. This commonly occurs when clients purchase new workstations. The connections to the server will need to be mapped independently by the office. If the Error Appears Immediately After Upgrading to SoftDent 16.x or 116.x:

The registry entries that point to the SoftDent folder on the server may have been changed to the local system folder. If this has occurred, the Database and Home Use paths in the error will be displayed as follows.

• On 64-bit machines:
  • "Database check: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\map.chk
  • Home Use Check (Alt.): C:\SoftDent\SDHomeData\map.chk"
• On 32-bit machines:
  • "Database check: C:\Windows\system32\map.chk
  • Home Use Check (Alt.): C:\SoftDent\SDHomeData\map.chk"

To resolve this issue, ensure the following registry entries are pointing to the UNC path of the server's

SoftDent directory:

• On 64-bit machines:
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Wow6432Node \ Carestream \ InstalledApplications \Carestream SoftDent Application Suite: "WorkingDirectory"
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Wow6432Node \ PWInc \ SoftDent \AppSuite: "WorkingDirectory"
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Wow6432Node \ PWInc \ SoftDent: "ServerExeDir"
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Infosoft \ SoftDent \ SD_PATHS: "COM_DB"
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Infosoft \ SoftDent \ SD_PATHS: "DATABASE"
• On 32-bit machines:
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Carestream \ InstalledApplications \ Carestream SoftDent Application Suite: "WorkingDirectory"
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ PWInc \ SoftDent \ AppSuite: "WorkingDirectory"
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ PWInc \ SoftDent: "ServerExeDir"
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Infosoft \ SoftDent \ SD_PATHS: "COM_DB"
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Infosoft \ SoftDent \ SD_PATHS: "DATABASE"

These registry keys can be corrected automatically by using the attached "v16 Mapped Drive Fix.bat" file. Please ensure the appropriate version of the file is used depending on whether the affected computer is 64-bit or 32-bit.