Redirected Staff "Desktop"

[burgemaster]

Currently staff have roaming profiles. Their desktop items get saved back to thier roaming profile. When users use their desktop as a dump for files, logging on around the school can take alot longer.

 

The way I see it theres four options:

 

1) One fixed redirected desktop for all users (just like students)

 

2) Desktop stays roaming in their profile

 

3) Desktop is redirected to their homedrive.

 

4) Desktop is redirected to a dedicated desktop share on the file server.

 

What do you guys do please?

Option one is a little limiting, we currently using option two but that causes log in times and network strain. Option three is being tested now and does work (but everything deleted goes to a recycle bin that they can see/empty.

Option 4 might a better option as they cant accidently delete the "Desktop" folder in their homedrive? ??

 

Am I right in thinking that only option 2 actually copies all the files to the local machine on logon?

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited June 13, 2013 by burgemaster

[TechSupp]

We now use the option that all have the same desktop, was roaming staff but found same as you..issues, so took executive decision to go same for all. No problems or complaints and thats since September.

[6Foot2]

We currently have a Desktop/Start Menu shares on the server [and mandatory profiles] but we are moving away from that over the summer break to icons copied to the local HDD and roaming profiles for staff.

 

I can see the situation you have described developing and then staff complaining about the time it takes to logon.

 

BTW: The decision to move to this new arrangement was not mine it comes with our new network. Waiting to see how it works out. Could be good...?

[burgemaster]

So Dave, you are using option 1 and moving to option 2? Why not go for option 3 or 4?

[mrbios]

Personally all standard staff (and students) have mandatory profiles with redirected fixed desktop and start menus. Admin staff have everything redirected to their home folders except no start menu redirection.

 

Looking at their profiles on machines only shows the ntuser files and appdata folder and that's it. Reimaging a PC means no loss of data and no loss of settings bar some simple things like desktop wallpaper for an admin member or their pinned start menu icons.

 

....Then for laptops i have a policy set so that teachers profiles stick to the laptops rather than being wiped off on logoff, using offline files for their home folders so everything that's redirected still exists.

 

I can't fault the way i've got it setup, but at the same time there's other options which are just as functional and work best for other users. So option 1) here basically, what do you find limiting about it? Personally i like to think of it as tidy

[6Foot2]

So Dave, you are using option 1 and moving to option 2? Why not go for option 3 or 4?

 

The design and deployment of the network is all being handled by our LEA support team. I will just have to wait and see how things pan out when we go live in September.

[Mr.Ben]

I handle things a little differently.

 

We use roaming profiles in the school, and redirect all folders within the roaming profile to the users home drive, which is stored on a separate file server.

 

The start menu is redirected to a local folder on the C drive of the machine (it loads faster from here), users have no permissions to edit the start menu.

 

This allows me to delete a profile when it has corrupted, without worrying about the contents of directories.

[burgemaster]

Thanks Ben,

So that's option 3? Do you have a problem with the recycling bin? Do staff see the "desktop" in there home drive.?

Does the start menu loading from c: really make a difference to login times?

[mattianuk]

We use option 1 based on experience of slow logins, it works well, icons don't disappear, so staff know what is where as well.

[burgemaster]

Thanks, Technically I cant see why 3&4 would be any slower than 1.

 

They are both just redirecting from a folder on the same server etc. Nothing gets copied on log on (i think? Correct?)

 

Will try and do some testing/timing in the morning.

 

Unless maybe the addition of the %username% causes a delay at some point?

[Mr.Ben]

We don't have a recycle bin, and staff are aware that we can only recover items created in the last 3 hours (this is when VSS shadow copies run).

 

As for the icons, we use GPP to force out a copy of the shortcuts that are deemed as essential. If staff delete those, the next time they log in they are recreated.

 

P.S it is option 3 :-)

[burgemaster]

We don't have a recycle bin, and staff are aware that we can only recover items created in the last 3 hours (this is when VSS shadow copies run).

 

Exact same here Ben, but ive found that a hidden recycle bin gets created on the server in the desktop folder in their homedrive. Apparently MS say it happens to all redirected folders?

 

Does no-one use option 4 even though the recommended setup from ms?

[timbo343]

We use option 3 where the desktop is redirected to the desktop folder in their userarea. Makes things a lot cleaner than when we had the desktop point to their profiles. Staff have a limit of 7gb on their userareas, some of which think copying the contents of their External drive to their userarea is acceptable then complain that they cannot save things.

 

As for the recycle bin, this is disabled in group policy for everyone.

[Mr.Ben]

Exact same here Ben, but ive found that a hidden recycle bin gets created on the server in the desktop folder in their homedrive. Apparently MS say it happens to all redirected folders?

 

Does no-one use option 4 even though the recommended setup from ms?

 

I don't, because it would mean having to administer two sets of quotas - one quota for everything is easier for staff to understand.

[burgemaster]

As for the recycle bin, this is disabled in group policy for everyone.

 

Thankyou ! Now sorted, Just checked and we had only removed the recycle bin from the desktop. so just also added:

 

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer - "Do not move deleted files to the Recycle Bin"

[burgemaster]

After a lot of testing, ive gone for option 3...

 

Ive knocked up a log on script that will copy all the teachers current desktop items and favorites and copy them to their N: drive in the correct folders. There is also a 30sec wait to allow the log on to finish and settle down before its starts the copy. This can be run before the profiles are redirected to the new locations.

Next time they log in if the desktop folder is already there the script will stop to avoid copying over and over...

 

Assuming the home drive is N: and that is where your are redirecting both to there:

 

on error resume next
Set wshShell = WScript.CreateObject( "WScript.Shell" )
strUserProfile = wshShell.ExpandEnvironmentStrings( "%USERPROFILE%" )
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

wscript.sleep(30000) '30 second

source = strUserProfile & "\Desktop"
dest = "N:\Desktop"
source2 = strUserProfile & "\Favorites"
dest2 = "N:\Favorites"

If objFSO.FolderExists("N:\Desktop") then
Wscript.Quit
Else

objFSO.CopyFolder source, dest, overwrite = False
objFSO.CopyFolder source2, dest2, overwrite = False

End if