A-Z List


Subst

Updated: April 17, 2012

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista, Windows XP

Associates a path with a drive letter. If used without parameters, subst displays the names of the virtual drives in effect.

For examples of how to use this command, see Examples.

Syntax

subst [<Drive1>: [<Drive2>:]<Path>] 
subst <Drive1>: /d
Parameters

 

Parameter Description

<Drive1>:

Specifies the virtual drive to which you want to assign a path.

[<Drive2>:]<Path>

Specifies the physical drive and path that you want to assign to a virtual drive.

/d

Deletes a substituted (virtual) drive.

/?

Displays help at the command prompt.

Remarks

  • The following commands do not work and should not be used on drives that are specified in the subst command:

    chkdsk

    diskcomp

    diskcopy

    format

    label

    recover

  • The Drive1 parameter must be within the range that is specified by the lastdrive command. If not, subst displays the following error message:

    Invalid parameter - drive1:

Examples

To create a virtual drive Z for the path B:\User\Betty\Forms, type:

subst z: b:\user\betty\forms 

Instead of typing the full path, you can reach this directory by typing the letter of the virtual drive followed by a colon as follows:

z: 
Additional references

Command-Line Syntax Key

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Community Content

ghowriter
Is it a bug?
The command completes successfully in the command prompt, but the letter is not in Computer. Thus, outside the command prompt the drive letter is not accessible. I have a customer usng an Access DB which was hard coded to access the drive by letter (m:) and unless I can get this working outside the command prompt I will be forced to create a networked drive. I have no experience with Access so I cannot update the letter. Any way to make this letter work in Computer like it did on Windows XP???
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Graham Smith of Sleaford Lincolnshire UK
Issue with SUBST on Windows Server 2008
<p>Anyone know why in Windows Server 2008 you cannot run an executable file on, say, Drive K: created using the subst command?</p>

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