Group Policy - Home folder redirection - Favourites location issue

[CHiLL]

Hello,

We have folder redirection in place to redirect a user's home folder to \\staff\staffhome$.

By using the above UNC path:

Documents redirects to \\staff\staffhome$\AUser\Documents

 

However, we have noticed that Favourites is redirecting to this location.

Using the same UNC path as above:

Favourites redirects to \\staff\staffhome$\AUser\Documents\App_Data\Favorites

 

If I manually remove the UNC path from the target and type it manually, it will display correctly without the $, but as the share is hidden, we need the $! Without the $, it appears like this:

\\staff\staffhome\AUser\Favorites

As soon as the $ is added, it goes to this location:

\\staff\staffhome$\AUser\App_Data\Favorites

 

I have attached screenshots of the settings and the GP Results from an affected user.

 

My colleague and I have checked and double checked the settings in Group Policy and there is no difference between the folder redirect settings for Documents and Favourites. Can anybody advise, as our staff our getting uppity!

Edited February 9, 2016 by CHiLL

[Michael]

I deploy using the following method which works fine:

 

\\servername\%username%$ (this is the root of Documents, mapped in AD)

\\servername\%username%$\Favorites

\\servername\%username%$\Contacts

\\servername\%username%$\Downloads

 

Music, Pictures and Videos just follows the home directory.

[CHiLL]

Thanks for the reply, however we haven't set the home folders as a share. If I can get the issue sorted without needing each home folder to be a share, that would be ideal.

[Michael]

So are you saying if you set it to:

 

\\staff\staffhome$\%username%\Favorites

 

It's changing to:

 

\\staff\staffhome$\%username%\App_Data\Favorites on its own?

[CHiLL]

So are you saying if you set it to:

 

\\staff\staffhome$\%username%\Favorites

 

It's changing to:

 

\\staff\staffhome$\%username%\App_Data\Favorites on its own?

 

Yes, that is correct.

[Michael]

What about setting it to: \\staff\staffhome$\%username%\Documents\Favorites ?

 

I've absolutely no idea why Windows Server is otherwise changing it.

[CHiLL]

What about setting it to: \\staff\staffhome$\%username%\Documents\Favorites ?

 

I've absolutely no idea why Windows Server is otherwise changing it.

When I try to change it to: \\staff\staffhome$\%username%\Documents\Favorites

Or if I try to change it to: \\staff\staffhome$\%username%\Favorites

Or if I try to change it to: \\staff\staffhome$\%username%

I get the following message: The specified target location is not valid.

Edited February 10, 2016 by CHiLL

[smithson83]

Can you setting the policy to "Basic - Redirect everyone's to the same location " then use;

\\staff\staffhome$\%username%\Documents\Favorites

[CHiLL]

Can you setting the policy to "Basic - Redirect everyone's to the same location " then use;

\\staff\staffhome$\%username%\Documents\Favorites

That's what it is set to already: Basic - Redirect everyone's folder to the same location

And it still comes up with that error.

[clareq]

This works for us: . What permissions do you have on the %username% folder?

[sted]

might be worth checking the status of the move the contents of favorites to the new location if they already have a profile and for some reason they no longer have access to teh favorites folder it specifies that can cause you issues

[CHiLL]

This works for us: [ATTACH=CONFIG]34991[/ATTACH]. What permissions do you have on the %username% folder?

Permissions are:

SYSTEM: Full Control (Inherited)

STAFF\Administrators: Full Control (Inherited)

User: Full Control

Domain Admins: Full Control (Inherited)

 

The owner of the home folder is: STAFF\Administrators.

[CHiLL]

might be worth checking the status of the move the contents of favorites to the new location if they already have a profile and for some reason they no longer have access to teh favorites folder it specifies that can cause you issues

This is just the setting within Group Policy that I can't apply, so before the contents start moving or anything.

[smithson83]

That's what it is set to already: Basic - Redirect everyone's folder to the same location

And it still comes up with that error.

 

Sorry, still on my first cup of wake up Juice...

Does it still fail if you change the Target folder location setting to "Redirect to the following location", over creating a folder for each user?

[clareq]

Same as us, so it's not a permissions issue.

[CHiLL]

Sorry, still on my first cup of wake up Juice...

Does it still fail if you change the Target folder location setting to "Redirect to the following location", over creating a folder for each user?

If I set it as Redirect to the following location and use \\staff\staffhome$\Documents as the path...it accepts the entry and I can confirm/apply it. But when I go back into the setting, it has reverted back to what it was!

[Michael]

For your reference, mine's configured as:

 

Basic - Redirect everyone's folder to the same location

 

Redirect to the following location

 

\\servername.fqdn\%Username%$\Favorites

 

Works in every domain I have setup/configured. The main difference (as far as I can see), is you're using 'Create a folder for each user'.

 

Do you have the same issue with Contacts, Downloads, Links, Searches and Saved Games? All are the same as per my example above.

[sted]

If I set it as Redirect to the following location and use \\staff\staffhome$\Documents as the path...it accepts the entry and I can confirm/apply it. But when I go back into the setting, it has reverted back to what it was!

 

dose it do the same on a new gpo maybe that one has got corrupted somewhere

[CHiLL]

For your reference, mine's configured as:

 

Basic - Redirect everyone's folder to the same location

 

Redirect to the following location

 

\\servername.fqdn\%Username%$\Favorites

 

Works in every domain I have setup/configured. The main difference (as far as I can see), is you're using 'Create a folder for each user'.

 

Do you have the same issue with Contacts, Downloads, Links, Searches and Saved Games? All are the same as per my example above.

If I keep it as \\staff\staffhome$, I can change it to Redirect to the following location. However when I add \%username% to the end of \\staff\staffhome$, it reverts the settings back to Create a folder for each user under the root path.

 

And yes, I have the same issue with Contacts, Downloads, Links, Searches and Saved Games.

 

dose it do the same on a new gpo maybe that one has got corrupted somewhere

I created a copy of the GPO and renamed it for testing, and that is having an issue.

I may attempt to re-create it from scratch, not from a copy.

[Michael]

If I keep it as \\staff\staffhome$, I can change it to Redirect to the following location. However when I add \%username% to the end of \\staff\staffhome$, it reverts the settings back to Create a folder for each user under the root path.

 

And yes, I have the same issue with Contacts, Downloads, Links, Searches and Saved Games.

 

 

I created a copy of the GPO and renamed it for testing, and that is having an issue.

I may attempt to re-create it from scratch, not from a copy.

 

I'd advise re-creating it from scratch from what you describe, then link it accordingly.

 

I think and suspect the issue may be because your Staffhome share is hidden. I can't think of any other logical explanation.

[sted]

I'd advise re-creating it from scratch from what you describe, then link it accordingly.

 

I think and suspect the issue may be because your Staffhome share is hidden. I can't think of any other logical explanation.

 

ive never had an issue with hidden shares most of mine are \\server\users$\staff\%username%

[Michael]

ive never had an issue with hidden shares most of mine are \\server\users$\staff\%username%

 

Why do you think it's not working then in your opinion?

[sted]

Why do you think it's not working then in your opinion?

 

i suspect the gpo is horlixed somehow and a new one (not copied) should solve it

[Michael]

i suspect the gpo is horlixed somehow and a new one (not copied) should solve it

 

I guess the easiest way is to re-create the policy using the same settings and see if your theory is right