Hi Brian, thanks for your input. While it did not solve my query, it did lead me to where the issue was. In this instance, the client was using a bootworks automation partition which used a local admin account to create the mapped metwork drive to the DS. The HQ IT implemented a GPO which prevented local admin accounts from accessing the network. Solution: create a domain service account and reconfigure the bootworks partition image and redeploy.
Regards
Jacques