Fix 0x000004B2: Device Already Remembered Error

Quick Answer

Run net use * /delete in an admin command prompt, then reconnect the drive fresh.

Why This Happens

You're trying to map a drive letter — say Z: — to a network share, but Windows remembers that same drive letter was already connected to a different network path. This usually happens after a server migration, a VPN disconnect, or a network card swap. I had a client last month whose entire print queue died because of this — the IT guy before me had mapped Z: to a share on an old server that got decommissioned. Every time the user rebooted, Windows tried to reconnect that old path, and boom, error 0x000004B2.

The error message is misleading. It says "device name has a remembered connection" — which is exactly the problem. Windows stores these mappings in the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Network\Z: (or whatever drive letter). When you try to map that same letter again, it sees the old entry and throws this error.

Step-by-Step Fix

1. Open Command Prompt as Admin. Hit Start, type cmd, right-click it, and choose "Run as administrator".
2. Kill all stale connections. Type net use * /delete and press Enter. Confirm with Y when it asks. This deletes every mapped drive. If you want to be surgical, use net use Z: /delete to kill just the one drive.
3. Check for leftover entries. Run net use to confirm the drive is gone. If it still shows up, skip to the registry step below.
4. Reconnect the drive. In File Explorer, right-click "This PC" > "Map network drive". Pick your drive letter, enter the full UNC path (like \\server\share), check "Reconnect at sign-in", and finish.
5. Test it. Open the drive in File Explorer. Should work now.

If That Doesn't Work

Sometimes the net use command won't clear it because the entry is deeply baked into the registry. Here's the nuclear option:

1. Open Regedit (Win+R, type regedit).
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Network.
3. Find the key matching your drive letter (like Z:).
4. Right-click that key and delete it.
5. Close Regedit, reboot.
6. Map the drive fresh.

I've seen cases where the registry key just won't delete because another process has a handle on it. In that case, boot into Safe Mode with Networking (hold Shift while clicking Restart) and delete it there.

Prevention Tip

Always unmapped drives before making network changes. If you're moving a file server, run a script on all clients to delete the old mappings beforehand. Something like:

net use Z: /delete /y
net use * /delete /y

Put that in a login script or push it via Group Policy. Saves you from chasing this error across a hundred workstations.