Setting Win7 Libraries to Home Directory across the network

[Moriarty]

Hello all,

 

I'm sure you're sick of this question popping up, but I couldn't find a definitive answer and was wondering if you'd be able to help me. The wiki doesn't seem to want to let me search so I've resorted to asking actual human beings!

 

Basically I've just taken on running some networks for primary schools. The last technician did quite a bit of a botch job on keeping them running and I'm now trying to tidy them up and make them run as effectively as possible. One of the schools is currently running Windows Server 2003 with Remote Server Administration Tools running on a Windows 7 machine (took me 2 hours to find it). Now this is where the obvious question appears:

Is there a way to easily roll out to all users, a redirection from the Documents library to a specified network location. This location is unique to each user but they are all in a directory so I'm hoping I can just user \\server\HomeDrives\%UserName% as a "rule" and just roll that out to all users.

 

Basically I just want a way to have all the users Documents to be their network documents and preferably remove the local documents all together (just like in the old days of XP).

 

Sorry if that's a little confusing, I'm not always the best with terminology, I just know what I mean...

 

Thanks in advance everyone (and sorry for wasting space with what most of you will see as another pointless thread).

[free780]

Folder redirection us what you need. But you must get the permissions correct. The user needs to be the owner of the home folder. Do a google for folder redirection on technet. Make sure you test with a test user before you release it.

[Synkrox]

I found the easiest and most reliable way is to disable libraries altogether, as I kept having issues with it offering both local and redirected docs folders. The attached file will do the job (rename from .doc to .reg)

The only issue I have had is Windows Media Player wont rip CDs without libraries enabled.

 

DisableLib.doc

[Moriarty]

I tried folder redirections but it got me nowhere, just told me it couldn't be done in the error logs.

 

Thanks Synkrox, I'll probably end up doing that. Media Player not ripping CDs isn't an issue, it's so rarely done that I can just do it manually if a teacher needs it.

[edutech4schools]

This might help

How to configure Roaming Profiles and Folder Redirection

[Synkrox]

No probs, you will still need folder redirection working, it just saves you the hassle of users accidentally saving in other places. Your setup may differ but I use a single N:\ drive for students work and a mandatory profile.

I have a copy of start menu and desktop copied sync'd to the machine on startup as I found redirecting to a network location got a bit laggy.

I use the Office ADM files to customise the default save location to N:\ too otherwise you get an error when it tries to save (it then loads a browse window fine).

Hope this helps!

Chris

[Moriarty]

With a bit of configuring and google, this has done the job perfectly. All my libraries in Win7 now redirect to their network shares!

 

Just had to turn off the "Grant User exclusive access" option which I found out after a bit more googling.

 

Thanks for your help