Re: Roaming Profiles and Folder Redirection

Thanks for the quick response.

1 - No, desktop is not set to auto arrange
2 - I set up offline folders for the desktop so if they do save something
there while roaming it would be available anywhere they logged in. All of
the redirections that I set up are set for offline access.
3 - I've tried the GPO for always wait for network, I'll try it again and
test though.
4 - You can tell users not to save things to their desktop, but they still
will. It's inevitable. Some of these guys couldn't find anything if a
shortcut hadn't been created on their desktop.

According to MS propaganda, roaming profiles ARE compatible between Op
Systems, but that's really not an issue here and I know that sometimes things
just don't work the way they're supposed to. And they erecoomend NOT
redirecting to the home directory (if I remember correctly).

Thanks!
--
JE


"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:

JE <Jeff7383@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I'm beginning to implement roaming profiles as well as redirecting
the My Documents, Desktop, and Application Data folders and have been
experiencing some unexpected results.

Note that you might post future questions such as this in a server, AD or GP
group for more expert help.

First, when my test user logs in, his desktop icons are never in the
same place that he has placed them. A minor inconvenience I know, but
it's driving him crazy.

Is it set to "autoarrange"?

He might check out the "Desktop Icons - Lock" section here:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_d.htm

Frankly, I usually set up users' initial profiles with "auto arrange" and
make anything else their problem, and tell them I don't want to hear about
it if they want to arrange 200 shortcuts in a ziggurat design. Oh, and I
also force Windows Classic, and the Classic Start menu via GPO, because it's
so much easier to find everything....and business users really don't need
the Fisher Price interface.


Second, when he logs in sometimes he gets an error that files are are
in use during synchronization (at this point I'm unsure of the exact
message, but I can get it).

Do you actually *need* offline files on your desktops? I don't see the
point - I'd disable them via group policy or on the share properties. But
read on....

When this happens, he doesn't get any of
his custom desktop shortcuts. It seemed to me like there was a timing
issue involved between loading the profile information and
synchronizing the folders.

Possibly - one thing you might want to set via GPO is "always wait for
network...."

Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / System / Logon.
Double-click Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon and
Enable this policy.

Would it be better to not sync the Desktop
and Application Data folders and just let the roaming profile take
care of that information?

Yes. Use folder redirection for My Documents and Desktop (or do what I do,
which is to tell users not to put anything but shortcuts on their desktops -
no files, or I'll holler at 'em). I only redirect My Documents. Application
Data can usually roam.

I'm waiting to get all of the kinks worked out before deploying on a
larger scale, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

the following is my boilerplate on roaming profiles -

General tips:

1. Set up a share on the server. For example - d:\profiles, shared as
profiles$ to make it hidden from browsing. Make sure this share is not set
to allow offline files/caching!
2. Make sure the share permissions on profiles$ indicate everyone=full
control. Set the NTFS security to administrators, system, and users=full
control.
3. In the users' ADUC properties, specify \\server\profiles$\%username% in
the profiles field
4. Have each user log into the domain once from their usual workstation
(where their existing profile lives) and log out. The profile is now
roaming.
5. If you want the administrators group to automatically have permissions to
the profiles folders, you'll need to make the appropriate change in group
policy. Look in computer configuration/administrative templates/system/user
profiles - there's an option to add administrators group to the roaming
profiles permissions.

Notes:

* Make sure users understand that they should never log into multiple
computers at the same time when they have roaming profiles (unless you make
the profiles mandatory by renaming ntuser.dat to ntuser.man so they can't
change them). Explain that the
last one out
wins, when it comes to uploading the final, changed copy of the profile.

* Keep your profiles TINY. Redirect My Documents; usually best done to the
user's home directory on the server - either via
group policy (folder redirection) or manually (far less advisable). If you
aren't going to also redirect the desktop using policies, tell users that
they are not to store any files on the desktop or you will beat them with a
stick. Big profile=slow login/logout, and possible profile corruption.

* Note that user profiles are not compatible between different OS versions,
even between W2k/XP. Keep all your computers. Keep your workstations as
identical as possible - meaning, OS version is the same, SP level is the
same, app load is (as much as possible) the same.

* Do not let people store any data locally - all data belongs on the server.

* The User Profile Hive Cleanup Utility should be running on all your
computers. You can download it here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=1B286E6D-8912-4E18-B570-42470E2F3582&displaylang=en




.

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