Users unable to permanently delete files.

[secman]

Chaps,

Here's the scenario....

User logs onto an XP PC, (W2K Server, roaming profiles, re-directed "My Documents") and accesses files in My Documents. The user then deletes a file. The file has gone when you look at the user's folder on the server however, when they log off, the file magically re-appears. I know this is great for stopping some one accidentally deleting files but there are times when a file just needs to be deleted!!!.

All the permissions look OK, user has full control of their home drive down the tree etc.

Any Ideas???

Alan :?

[Geoff]

Is there any 3rd party software on either the server or the client PC(s) that might be 'helping'?

[secman]

The PCs have Winsuite Enterprise Edition installed although staff users (who have reported the problem) are not subject to the restrictions it imposes (at the moment)

Alan

[secman]

.... But it also happens on a few PCs in the staff room that don't have Winsuite installed!!

Alan;?

[Geoff]

I'd still be suspicious of WinSuite. Does it run anything on the server? Because there's no client on the Staff PC's would that confuse it?

[secman]

Winsuite is basically a desktop management system. It uses policies to control what users can access/run. There is no server backend as such but it is installed on the server.
The desktops without winsuite have been around some while and have not exhibited the problem until we implemented roaming profiles.

Alan

[Geoff]

So perhaps WinSuite is putting something in the profiles which then causes a problem when they roam to machines where it isn't installed?

[secman]

Think I've found the problem. Cos we are using the home drive to store the profile, the system is copying the home drive contents to the "Docs and Settings" area. As we also redirect "MY Documents" to the Home drive, when you delete a file on the home drive (My Documents) then log off, the system copies back the contents of "Docs and Settings" and recovers the deleted files. MAgic eh! Now I have to reconfigure 400+ uses to point their profiles at a separate folder on the server. (Should have done this in the firstplace I suppose)

Thanks for the suggestions anyway

Alan

[Jon]

Now I have to reconfigure 400+ uses to point their profiles at a separate folder on the server. (Should have done this in the firstplace I suppose)

Thanks for the suggestions anyway

Alan

If you are using a windows 2003 this is no problem.
Highlight all the users in ad users and computers, Right click and select properties, select the profile tab and enter the new path for your profiles folder, Somthing like this should do.

\\Servername\Profiles$\%username%

Job done

[secman]

Unfortunately it's a W2K server!!
Anyone know of a free utility that might do the job? Not a script as we haven't got round to sorting out how to use them yet.

Ta

Alan

[Geoff]

Not free but a 30 day timed demo.

http://www.systemtools.com/hyena/

Works the same way as 2k3. Just highlight all the users and go to the properties and change it.

[CyberNerd]

Unfortunately it's a W2K server!!
Anyone know of a free utility that might do the job? Not a script as we haven't got round to sorting out how to use them yet

Just copy into notepad, edit to suit your domain, save as .vbs then double click

Set objParent =GetObject("LDAP://OU=Year 04,DC=domain,DC=college,DC=internal")

for each objUser in objParent
  Wscript.Echo "Modifying " & objUser.Get("sAMAccountName")
    	objUser.put "homedrive", "H:"
	objuser.profilepath = "\\server\profiles$\xp\04"	
	
	objuser.Setinfo
 
    
next

and make sure you only have users in the OU you run it

[NetworkGeezer]

CyberNerd beat me to it. The vbs script is good but you can also do it with a batch file or on the command line

 for /f %u in (userlist.txt) do net user %u /profilepath:\\server\share$\%u

Alternatively look at the GPO settings that created the redirected folder. What does it say in the policy removal section. Is the redirect back to local profile selected?
Is the move contents check box also ticked?
Was the policy created after users had been using local My Documents for a while ?

[DMcCoy]

The old nt user manager works too, although I don't know if there are any side effects, didn't seem to be when it was just used to set this attribute though. What about the 2003 admin pack, does that work with 2000 to set multiple user properties? I've not tried it.