If you issue the Start command at the commandline with a period suffix :

start.

NT Explorer will startup in the foreground and display the files in the current commandline directory. dot normally means current directory at the commandline. dotdot (..) means the parent of the current directory and that works similarly. start.. will bring up the contents of the parent directory.

explorer /e will bring up dual pane explorer in the current directory.

Issuing the Start command without a program to start must default to starting Winfile. If you issue the same commands with Winfile, you get same result. Try at command line:

winfile

winfile .

winfile ..

If you are trying to block the mapping of network drives, the winfile command provides a backdoor method which you will have to address.

winfile has another fundamental use. It can clear up sharing violation errors. I see it when I (or a web developer) needs to update or delete files. Sometimes NT will block this action stating that there is a sharing violation - you can't delete the file is someone else is using it. Winfile lets you find who has it opened and lets you disconnect them from the file:

• Find and highlight the file giving you the sharing violation
• Select File
• Select Properties
• Click Open by this will tell you who has the file opened
• Click Close All or Close Selected and you can disconnect users from the file

Tim Hill's text on command line scripting is outstanding. If you have an extensive background, writing bat files, forget it. Otherwise, get it.