Unable to connect to the UNC share name because the credentials differ from other uses

This article discusses the cause of the "unable to connect to the UNC share name because the credentials differ from other uses" message when synchronizing a UNC path.

When trying to configure a UNC path root path in a Job, you may encounter the following error:

Unable to connect to the UNC share name because the credentials differ from other uses.

Windows does not allow a particular UNC path to be accessed as multiple users in the same session. All UNC access under that user account to the same computer must use the same user credentials.

This error is presented when you're attempting to define a credential for a UNC path that is different from one already used in:

  • Another SureSync Job
  • A saved credential in Windows
  • A mapped drive in Windows

To resolve this error, you must go through your SureSync Jobs and look for references to the machine in question via UNC path. To do so, click on each Job and look at the Root Paths tab. Click on each UNC path to that machine and click Edit. On the Browse Folders dialog, click on the Options tab. The credential for the UNC path is defined in "User Id for UNC Path Access." All references must use the same account.

Once done, restart the Communications Agent service and try again.

The other option is that you have a mapped drive or a saved Windows credential for the UNC path that conflicts. Check for mapped drives. Also, check in Control Panel under User Accounts and then Credential Manager for any saved Windows credentials for the UNC machine in question. You can either remove the saved credential or modify it to match the credential you're using with the SureSync Job.