Mapped Drive Not Connected but is Connected????

Windows XP
Network drive is mapped and set to connect at boot.
The Network drive / computer is alive

When the XP system boots, the network drive shows as not connected.
(Red X)
However, if one double clicks on that drive, the folders show up just fine.
And, the Red X remains sometimes.

In the mean time, applications that point to that mapped drive's
folders/files are led to believe that the drive is not available.

Browsing the drive's file folders seems to make the problem go away.
Removing and remapping the drive seems to make the problem go away for a
single boot session. At reboot the problem repeats and the fix actions have
to be taken once more.

I find no reason for this behavior so far.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Fred