Folder Redirection

[yhttech]

I have recently taken over a small domain with both XP and W7 clients. Is there a simple way to redirect documents folders? The domain is a functional 2003 domain, I have a W7 workstation with the RSAT, so I have access to the Server 2008 GPOs. Can anyone help me configure this so I do not have to distribute a memo asking the users to compare contents? I know it can be a pain with folder redirection when you have a mixed domain. I am planning a W7 deployment soon.

[mrbios]

Group policy, very straight forward.

 

Edit or create a policy, user configuration > windows settings > folder redirection > right click on documents > properties.

 

In most circumstances i'd assume that the "redirect to the user's home directory" will apply but there's other customisable options in there if you so wish. Then in the settings tab you've got the option to "Also apply redirection policy to windows 2000, xp etc machines"

 

One thing to be careful of...I'm not sure if this is still an issue but in the early days of windows 7 it was a big problem....untick "Move the contents of Documents to the new location" UNLESS you actually want that to happen. Quite a few people here had some rather unfortunate moments of redirection wiping out the existing folder and overwriting it with the one it moved, which when moving from XP > 7 meant losing lots of work. It hasn't been an issue i've heard mentioned in a few years now though so it might have been one that was fixed, I'm not really sure.

 

Personally on my settings tab i've got the top two unticked, the third one ticked (to apply to XP machines) and "leave contents" set. Never had an issue with those settings, but one last thing TEST IT FIRST!!!!!!!!

Edited November 12, 2013 by mrbios

[yhttech]

Group policy, very straight forward.

 

Edit or create a policy, user configuration > windows settings > folder redirection > right click on documents > properties.

 

In most circumstances i'd assume that the "redirect to the user's home directory" will apply but there's other customisable options in there if you so wish. Then in the settings tab you've got the option to "Also apply redirection policy to windows 2000, xp etc machines"

 

One thing to be careful of...I'm not sure if this is still an issue but in the early days of windows 7 it was a big problem....untick "Move the contents of Documents to the new location" UNLESS you actually want that to happen. Quite a few people here had some rather unfortunate moments of redirection wiping out the existing folder and overwriting it with the one it moved, which when moving from XP > 7 meant losing lots of work. It hasn't been an issue i've heard mentioned in a few years now though so it might have been one that was fixed, I'm not really sure.

 

Personally on my settings tab i've got the top two unticked, the third one ticked (to apply to XP machines) and "leave contents" set. Never had an issue with those settings, but one last thing TEST IT FIRST!!!!!!!!

 

I've done that, except for the checkbox for the XP/2003 machines...however, when I log in as my test user (the only user that the GPO currently applies-for testing purposes; test machine is W7), I get a message in the event log that says that it failed to apply policy and redirect "documents" to network share - redirection options 0x1211 - the following error occurred: "Could not create folder on network share \\server\share\%username% - the security ID may not be assigned as the owner of this object.

 

All users have network home folders that are created when user accounts are created. I don't want to delete these pre-existing folders.

[mrbios]

I've done that, except for the checkbox for the XP/2003 machines...however, when I log in as my test user (the only user that the GPO currently applies-for testing purposes; test machine is W7), I get a message in the event log that says that it failed to apply policy and redirect "documents" to network share - redirection options 0x1211 - the following error occurred: "Could not create folder on network share \\server\share\%username% - the security ID may not be assigned as the owner of this object.

 

All users have network home folders that are created when user accounts are created. I don't want to delete these pre-existing folders.

 

Gotcha, i assume if you check your test users folder it has full read+write access to that folder? (sorry have to ask the obvious first)

 

Have you got "grant user exclusive rights to their documents" ticked? If you have either grant or move boxes ticked i'd try taking both of those out and trying again.

[yhttech]

Thanks, got it. I just need to test behavior on a WXP machine.