Failed to apply folder redirection for Desktop and Start Menus Suddenly

[zag]

OK so this problem has been driving me mad for a few weeks!

 

Recently we keep getting students logging on without a desktop or start menu. The event log says "failed to apply policy and attempt to redirect "Desktop" to...

 

 

I can fix the problem by deleting their local profile and then deleting some registry keys HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\ but have no idea what that is actually doing :/

 

So what's causing the problem in the first place? and how do I fix it globally instead of on each machine? I've been messing with reg files and group policy for hours with no success!

[FN-GM]

Is it for all users on the computer? We get this every now and then on 1 or 2 machines. usually after Windows updates have been installed.

[3s-gtech]

We had this, drove me to distraction. In the end, I employed a permanently set GPO for all PCs which runs on startup every time (it's tiny so adds little time). Not had issues since.

 

You need a batch file to run on startup:

 

regedit /s \\server\install$\folderredirection.reg

 

And a reg file (folderredirection.reg)

 

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{2112AB0A-C86A-4ffe-A368-0DE96E47012E}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{2112AB0A-C86A-4ffe-A368-0DE96E47012E}\PropertyBag]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{491E922F-5643-4af4-A7EB-4E7A138D8174}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{491E922F-5643-4af4-A7EB-4E7A138D8174}\PropertyBag]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{7b0db17d-9cd2-4a93-9733-46cc89022e7c}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{7b0db17d-9cd2-4a93-9733-46cc89022e7c}\PropertyBag]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A302545D-DEFF-464b-ABE8-61C8648D939B}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A302545D-DEFF-464b-ABE8-61C8648D939B}\PropertyBag]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A990AE9F-A03B-4e80-94BC-9912D7504104}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A990AE9F-A03B-4e80-94BC-9912D7504104}\PropertyBag]

[zag]

Thanks @3s-gtech but I tried that as a user group policy login but it didn't work.

 

Do you apply the script to the machine logon or the user logon? Maybe thats what I got wrong!

Edited September 11, 2013 by zag

[FN-GM]

It will need to be a startup script. Users wont have permissions to change HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

[zag]

Thanks again, I had wondered why it didn't seem to apply.

 

Sorry if I'm being totally dumb here but could someone show me how to apply this to the computer using GP.

 

I know how to set a user start-up script just not one for the computer startup.

[FN-GM]

Go in the same place as you was on your screenshot but under the computer configuration section. Make sure you put this in a GP applying to your computers not users.

[zag]

Thanks, it all makes sense now!!

 

That solution appears to have worked. You are correct that the registry file was not applying when used against the student logins.

 

I actually hate Microsoft sometimes, how could they break folder redirection and not do anything about it, idiots!

[FN-GM]

Just checked the reg stuff its the same as the fix we apply.

 

Do your machines have KB980408 this seems to be the thing that breaks it.

[zag]

It seems this is probably our own fault for disabling the libraries

 

I ran a reg file from here a while ago to remove the libraries, apparently that KB intefers with the other reg file.

 

More info in the comments here:

 

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