Re: Users Shared Folders

Rick <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I am pretty new to SBS 2003 Server.
My question is about the folder structure called "Users Shared
Folders", which contain subfolders named after the user.
Is this the location where people normally setup roaming Profiles, or
do they setup a new different location.

If roaming profiles are normally pointed to another location, then
what is "Users Shared Folders" generally used for? Can everyone see
data in these folders by default?

Thanks

No. Roaming profiles should be in their *own* share. I use Users Shared
Folders for folder redirection by a custom (not built in) group policy - so
My Documents, Application Data, and Desktop, are folders under each user's
folder...

\\server\users\%username%\My Documents
\\server\users\%username%\Application Data
\\server\users\%username%\Desktop

Users won't be able to see each others' folders. However, I don't like to
tick "grant exclusive access...." in these policies. Ensure that your NTFS
permissions are correct after you do the redirection; IIRC it'll be fine
(Administrators & System & %username% = full control).

My boilerplate on roaming profiles is below....hope it helps.


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! (that's on by default - disable it)

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 not 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. Via group policy, redirect My Documents at the
very least - to a subfolder of the user's home directory or user folder.
Also consider redirecting Desktop & Application Data similarly..... so the
user will have:

\\server\home$\%username%\My Documents,
\\server\home$\%username%\Desktop,
\\server\home$\%username%\Application Data.

Alternatively, just manually re-target My Documents to
\\server\home$\%username% (this is not optimal, however!)

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


Roaming profile & folder redirection article -
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Profile-Folder-Redirection-Windows-Server-2003.html


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: GPO - Getting rid of My Documents
    ... If you have a PC where the My Docs folder is not redirected, ... It seems like roaming profiles would still point to the redirected My Docs ... If the local PC contains My Documents directories after redirection, ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: Moving Roaming Profile
    ... Browse to network share where roaming user profiles exist ... And i'm hoping this will then give me, a domain admin, the ability to move these folders off to the new location... ... Just the redirected folders are fine... ... because all my redirection settings and roaming profiles locations are done ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.terminal_services)
  • Re: Moving Roaming Profile
    ... Browse to network share where roaming user profiles exist ... Just the redirected folders are fine... ... because all my redirection settings and roaming profiles locations are done ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.terminal_services)
  • Re: Cant stop my documents redirection??
    ... them from 2k to xp and setting up roaming profiles. ... loss the previous admin setup my documents to be redirected to a ... The problem is I can't seem to turn off the my documents redirection. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: Roaming profile versus Redirected folder
    ... computers that are shared during prep periods by the eight math teachers. ... I find that teachers often have problems with roaming profiles becoming ... it's not a good idea to use Redirection with Home ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)