# Substance Painter - Working from the Storage server

Because of some obscure reason Substance Painter can't load files from a network share, like our `\\nfa-vfxim-storage.stud.ahk.nl\` storage server. The fix for this is to mount the storage server using windows explorer, which causes the storage server to appear as a windows "letter drive", like how you have a C: and a D: drive. To do this, go over to windows explorer and open the storage server folder. There, select the folder you want to mount, right click and press *Map network drive*...

[![explorer_TEndMelNB5.png](https://docs.vfxim.nl/uploads/images/gallery/2024-10/scaled-1680-/explorer-tendmelnb5.png)](https://docs.vfxim.nl/uploads/images/gallery/2024-10/explorer-tendmelnb5.png)

Select an available drive that isn't `Z:`, then press *Finish*.

<p class="callout info">The `Z:` drive is reserved for our ShotGrid integration, which mounts the storage server automatically.</p>

[![explorer_aYXW0MQKsr.png](https://docs.vfxim.nl/uploads/images/gallery/2024-10/scaled-1680-/explorer-ayxw0mqksr.png)](https://docs.vfxim.nl/uploads/images/gallery/2024-10/explorer-ayxw0mqksr.png)

Now you can use our network storage in Substance Painter by using the mounted drive instead of the regular network location!

[![Adobe_Substance_3D_Painter_9BtPLe0HcR.png](https://docs.vfxim.nl/uploads/images/gallery/2024-10/scaled-1680-/adobe-substance-3d-painter-9btple0hcr.png)](https://docs.vfxim.nl/uploads/images/gallery/2024-10/adobe-substance-3d-painter-9btple0hcr.png)