W7 + Folder Redirection problems

[ICTTechie]

Hi all

 

Have had a problem for a while now with Windows 7 and folder redirection. Have a trolley of laptops in a classroom connected to a wireless AP dedicated for them. The laptops used to be on XP and had no problems. Since sticking Windows 7 on them - I've had all sorts of problems.

 

Basically if i login more than 10 laptops at a time, it's almost guaranteed a random amount of laptops won't redirect folders. However if i then logoff and log straight back in, the folders redirect.

 

Have currently got Desktop, Start Menu and Document to redirect. If i login less than 10, they work every time, no problem.

 

It's also not specific to which laptops don't redirect, it's always random.

 

Any one had anything similar? Or anything you can suggest I try because i'm fresh out of ideas other than installing another AP and splitting the laptops between the two.

[sted]

hve yo got your gpos set to wait for network connection at startup? might just be the network isnt ready when it tries to do folder redirection so it fails

[ICTTechie]

Hi thanks for the reply. I certainly do use that policy - not a problem on that part!

[Jamo]

We have the same, I believe that it may be timing out, although how to solve it... Not sure!

 

I am looking into RES Workspace manager to replace some of this stuff and the Windows redirection just seems to be so slow compared to XP.

[ICTTechie]

Hi Jamo;

 

It does seem like it's timing out that's for sure. I also notice that the laptops that don't redirect tend to reach the desktop first, as if they just give up and go to the desktop. The ones that take longer actually seem to bother redirecting the folders!

[Jamo]

I haven't checked the event logs yet for folder redirection as its annoyingly intermittent!

 

Are the shares on 2003 or 2008? Ours are 2003, no idea if there is a connection, we get some really weird behaviour with shares becoming unavailable for some users when they wake up from sleep. Again its so intermittent that diagnosing it is incredibly difficult (ruled out DNS and issues with the server, pretty much only left with strange incompatabilities with 2003)

[ICTTechie]

Yep also on 2003 shares here. Do you find that logging in with less laptops the problem doesn't occur? Ours seems to be anywhere between 10-20 laptops logging in and say 6-7 won't redirect folders. But a simple log-off and log-on and they work fine. Also I haven't seen anything in the logs to suggest an obvious problem, but it's very annoying now! I've tried creating new profile (All using mandatory), creating a whole new GPO for folder redirection using Win 7 RSAT Tools, nothing!

[SYNACK]

Using DFS? How is the network backhaul, wireless?

[ICTTechie]

No not using DFS. And using Wireless yes. Have triple checked they are on latest drivers, have even tried a brand new Wireless AP with the same issue.

[SYNACK]

No not using DFS. And using Wireless yes. Have triple checked they are on latest drivers, have even tried a brand new Wireless AP with the same issue.

 

Split over two APs, depending on the APs wireless is almost always the weakest link.

[ICTTechie]

Yep that was definitely my next test . Wouldn't have thought that quantity of laptops should struggle with that though but it's definitely worth a try!

[Jamo]

We have them running off two which might he why we see it less often.

[Patrickv]

In my personal opinion Wireless is not a good practice for domain login from Alt+Ctrl+Del to desktop. Wireless has limits on distance and concurrent usage and which would lead to your problem. If you have issues when you have eth cables plugged in then it's another story. I am thinking what Synack said seems resonable, Don't forget to throw roaminng profiles in the mix if use those because they are the biggest data transfer issue.

[kestrel1]

I tend to Agree about using wireless for domain logins. I used to do this, but had no end of trouble. Took all laptops off the domain, much happier. Users would always complain about slow logins etc when on domain on wireless.

[psydii]

Never had problems that couldn't be fixed for Domain Logons over wireless. However, I've always used 'Managed Wireless' systems.

 

psydii's top tips for wireless logons:

 

1) Make sure you're full patched with the latest MS Hotfixes outlined in these articles:

List of Performance hotfixes post SP1 for Windows 7 SP1 - The troubleshooters and problem solvers... - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

List of currently available hotfixes for the Offline Files Feature in Windows 7 SP1 - Romania Networking Team Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

List of currently available hotfixes for the File Services technologies in Windows Server 2008 and in Windows Server 2008 R2

 

2) Make sure you've got a decent WiFi system, with no overlapping channels. (i.e. keep to the 1,6,11 rule. If you've got, or your clients can see, devices on say 1 and 3 you will have terrible performance issues, however if devices can see two BSSIDs on channel 1, they can often cope ok-ish).

 

I have had great success with Meru, and long ago I had great success with the product that Enterasys now sell.

 

3) Manage roaming profiles aggressively. Take steps to keep them small. Use FSRM to monitor sizes. Folder redirection and exclusions to reduce data transfer. Consider disabling roaming profiles for the wireless clients. Cookies roaming absolutely destroys wifi.

 

4) Folder Redirection and offline files.... Disable automatic caching of redirected folders- - this really really hurt wireless performance when you've got more than a few devices logging on through an AP. Try not to disable Offline Files completely. When running the latest hotfixes, it reduces the load on the network.

4.1) Do Not Redirect AppData to a network drive!

4.1) Do re-direct everything else that you can.

 

5) Exclude the roaming profile server share from client AV real time scanning.

 

6) Use FQDN for your servers in all scripts and settings in AD User properties etc. Ensure that they resolve correctly via DNS lookups and they are not falling back to broadcasts.

 

7) VLAN your wireless devices away from your wired devices. Keep the Layer 3/Layer 2 broadcast domains as small as possible. If you are seeing 100 packets per second on your main wired vlan that will really hurt performance on the wireless side as it will be multiplied by the number of clients connected!

 

If you haven't got managed wireless, try an Apple Airport Express.

 

 

Hope this helps.

Edited February 14, 2013 by psydii