Knowledge Base

Mapping a Network Drive


Mapped drive setup applicable for all versions of Windows
Program Examples given are for version 11.
Refer to your PowerChurch manual for information particular to your version.
  1. Starting with the server, open PowerChurch and go to Help and About PowerChurch Plus. Then click the System Information tab. Note the program directory (typically C:\PowerChurch\PCPLUS11 or C:\PCPLUS85) as seen below:

  2. Now close PowerChurch. Open My computer (in Vista & 7, this is referred to as Computer. In Windows 8 and 10, it is This PC) and then open Local Disk (C:). You should see the PowerChurch folder here (typically the folder is named PowerChurch, but your setup may be different if you changed something along the way). Right click on the PowerChurch folder and go to Sharing. Some Windows versions may be phrased differently.
  3. Choose to share the folder on the network. For access choose full control or allow network users to change my files. In Windows Vista and higher, share to other users as "Co-owner". Click Apply and then OK. The folder should have a hand icon under it showing that it is shared.

    Now go to a workstation.

  4. From the Desktop, open My Network Places or Network Neighborhood. Then, you will browse your Entire Network until you find the name of the server computer. Double-click the server to open it. Now you should be able to see the newly shared PowerChurch folder, open it. Now, take note of what the address bar says (\\server\PowerChurch from the below example - your server name will likely be different!). Highlight the address bar and right click on it, choose copy.

  5. Now minimize the window back to the Desktop. Right click on Network Places or Network Neighborhood (whichever you have) and choose Map A Network Drive.

  6. For the Drive, you can choose any available drive letter from the list. For the path, right click in the box and choose paste, it should paste the address that was copied in step 4 (\\server\PowerChurch).

    Reconnect at logon should be checked and then click OK.

  7. Now close everything and get back to your desktop. Open My Computer and you should see a new drive with the letter you just assigned. Open this new drive and you should be in the PowerChurch folder. Look for a file called Netsetup11 (possibly Netsetup.exe) and double-click it to run it. This is the network installer. In Versions 11 and higher, this file is inside the "Install" directoy. Click Next all the way through the installer.

    Once that is finished, close everything and get back to your desktop. You should see a new cross icon for PowerChurch Plus. You should now be able to access PowerChurch Plus on the network via this shortcut.

If you receive an error that reads "Cannot update the cursor" after this installation process, there is a problem in the sharing permissions on the server. PowerChurch Plus requires that network users have full control of the files. "Cannot update the cursor" refers to the server treating the PowerChurch Plus files as read-only for this user.


Created: 04/12/2004
Last updated: 01/22/2019