Folder redirection still applying off network

[manamaga2512]

Hi all, our staff laptops are having issues when outside of the domain (ie at home), in that when logging on, it still seems to be wanting to find the network version of Desktop, Documents etc. When inside the network there are no issues. This is what happens as soon as they logon at home:

 

 

 

I have placed one of the affected laptops into an OU that has no GPO's affecting it (just to eliminate an incorrectly configured GPO), done a gpupdate /force but we still get the above warning. Am I correct in thinking that if it was indeed an incorrectly configured GPO that caused this in the first place, then removing the said GPO will not undo the "damage" so to speak?? Am I going to have to make some manual changes on each affected laptop to correct this?

 

 

Many thanks.

Edited November 20, 2018 by manamaga2512

[SparkySX]

Do you have offline files enabled?

 

Have you run a GPResult to see which GPO is configuring folder redirection? You may have eliminated machine policies being applied by putting the machine account in a different OU but the user GPO will still be applied to the user if you haven't separated that account off too.

[DCUK6]

It will do this.

 

If you have folder redirection enabled then it will always look for the server for desktop etc. local doesnt exist.

 

You need to either,

enable offline files (Dont like to do this these days)

Setup a VPN,

or setup some sort of remote session using a gateway that forwards to a remote server they can loginto.

[manamaga2512]

It will do this.

 

If you have folder redirection enabled then it will always look for the server for desktop etc. local doesnt exist.

 

You need to either,

enable offline files (Dont like to do this these days)

Setup a VPN,

or setup some sort of remote session using a gateway that forwards to a remote server they can loginto.

 

Yeah, that makes sense. I can see that there is folder redirection for Desktop and Documents applied at User level. I believe that offline files had been enabled up to a couple of weeks ago at Computer level, but it was removed due to it causing issues with desktops. So because this has been removed, although the desktops are now OK, this has had a knock on effect on laptops when off the network, i.e they're still looking for the network location, correct?? If that's the case, how would I tell the laptops to stop looking for the network location? I've put the user in a new test OU and disabled GPO inheritance so that folder redirection doesn't affect but still getting the message in the above screenshot.

[DCUK6]

Yeah, they still look for that location and if offline files have been turned off then anyone that had it working will no longer work if removed.

 

I had to do something when i turned of a folder redirection before but was a long time ago.

If you right click documents/downloads/desktop on a affected user and goto properties, in locations it should say where its trying to load it from.

 

If you do just disable the GPO it wont revert back to local locations. You have to have a active policy telling it to revert back.

Would need to set it back to redirect to local user profile.

 

Also make sure profiles arnt set on users in active directory as this could still put it on the server.

 

 

The other way is, disable the folder redirection GPO, make sure profile not set in AD then clear all profiles on the laptop so it has to recreate. Users will loose anything they saved onto the computer in their local profile if you clear the profiles.

 

 

 

 

Have you considered setting up a gateway/remote server?

Folder redirection means that all their work is saved onto the server where it can be backed up, saving on the laptop means if the laptop dies then the data on it goes to.

Our users get the error you showed unless they connect to our servers remotely.

 

Also means apart from their username, there will be not documents stored on the laptop for when they loose them,.

Edited November 21, 2018 by DCUK6