Re: Roaming Profiles and Folder Redirection

JE <Jeff7383@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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.

Well, since they should only log in to one computer at a time, and your
network/server should always be available, I wouldn't do that.

All of the redirections that I set up are set for offline
access.
I wouldn't do that, either. I have seen far too many problems w/offline
files in the gazillion years I've been working with Windows, to ever want
them on my networks again ....but I might make exceptions for laptops.
Never, ever for desktops.


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.

This is true. Hence, you can redirect Desktop. But that don't make offline
files a good thing. Roaming profiles <> offline files.

According to MS propaganda, roaming profiles ARE compatible between Op
Systems,

Hmmm. Got a link for that? I know for a fact that it causes problems, but
it'd be interesting to see something official that states the contrary.

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).

Yes, some articles say that - but I've been doing it that way forever, and
it always works. You don't have to have home directories at all, of course.

Thanks!

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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