Windows `pushd` on network paths


Contents

The pushd/popd commands in Windows batch or Powershell can be used to move around the directory stack, like in *nix systems:

C:\Windows> pushd .\Users\Bob
C:\Windows\Users\Bob> popd
C:\Windows> 

It supports moving into UNC network paths, and will automatically assign them a drive letter, starting from Z: backwards.

C:\Windows> pushd \\myhost\networkfolder
Z:\+> echo "I'm on a network mapped drive!"

However, running out of drive letters will lead to the cryptic error

C:\Windows> pushd \\anotherhost\ponies
CMD does not support UNC paths as current directories

So don’t forget to run popd after you are done with your tasks on your 23 network drives–it will free the drive letter that was allocated by pushd.