Folder Redirection and Public Desktop

[Willott]

Hi,

Does anyone know if this can be done:

I'm trying to redirect user's desktops to another place, but would also like to keep icons from the Public Desktop on there... is this possible? I know that for start menu you can allow "common start menu items", is there a setting for Desktop?

I'd like to make it possible so that staff can have access to things they have on their desktop on their laptops, available on our new TS, whilst making sure that the items they should have on the TS desktop do not disappear.

Cheers

Will

[sted]

anything in the all users desktop should show up

[dyoung5]

I *think* thats the default behaviour. But don't quote me on that. Best just to setup a test user, OU and GPO to try it out.

[Willott]

I thought that was the case, and after testing with a clean GP, it does work in that way, will see if I can find anything in the previously setup GP that would cause the problem. Tis very strange... but all working now

Thanks for your help

[Willott]

After gradually enabling GP settings, it seems that "remove common program groups from Start Menu" also removes them from the desktop... Can anyone confirm that behaviour? It's annoying to say the least if that's what it does. I don't want the common bits in the start menu, but do want them on the desktop!

Cheers

Will

[Michael]

Yes that's the policy that disables shortcuts from the 'All Users' profile. Unfortunately enabling it will remove shortcuts for both the Start Menu and Desktop.

[sted]

could you just write a script to copy from all user desktop to current user desktop?

[Willott]

could you just write a script to copy from all user desktop to current user desktop?

That would add it to the staff user's laptop desktop as well, which is not what I'm aiming for. I may have to allow that policy, and remove all items from all users start menu (copying them to the administrators start menu instead).

Thanks for the help

[sted]

That would add it to the staff user's laptop desktop as well, which is not what I'm aiming for. I may have to allow that policy, and remove all items from all users start menu (copying them to the administrators start menu instead).

Thanks for the help

what about doing a dir /s %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Desktop >c:\desktop.txt

and then a batch/vbs that deletes the files listed in the txt file on logout? Cant think how to do that off hand but im sure its possible

[Willott]

Staff may have their laptops on at the same time as being logged on to the desktop, so this isn't really an option, as the shortcuts would appear on their laptop desktop (and probably scare some of our staff).

I may put a deny on the all user's start menu for staff users, or hide all the items on it... will let you know what method I come up with. Seems rather silly of Microsoft not to split desktop and start menu for this when they do for a lot of other things!

[Willott]

Removed permissions from all user's start menu, to only allow admins to see it, and it seems to be working as required

Thanks to everyone for suggestions