Strange start menu issue

[Ambient]

Hi

 

We've got a bit of a strange problem here relating to staff start menus. Our staff have roaming profiles, and a simple re-direct which ensures they get certain links in their programs menu (as well as all locally installed applications)

 

Now, for all recently created user accounts...the start menu has been doing strange things. Seemingly all of a sudden, no shutdown and/or logoff button is appearing (again, this is only for newly created accounts...all the other work fine). This of course gives the user a problem, because they can't easily logoff.

 

After checking our Group Policy's, it seems that there are no restrictions on access to the shutdown command what so ever...so i'm stumped.

 

At first, i thought this issue was something to do with 3 computers (as it seemed to happen on just those 3 rather then all the other...which is also starnge), however, after moving one of these 3 said computers to another OU (incase there was some strange policy causing this), it still does the same thing.

 

I'm really scratching my head on this one, and will try any ideas anyone can come up with.

 

Many thanks

[rh91uk]

Could you post a screenshot?

[Ambient]

Yeah i'll sort some screenshots out, 2 ticks

[JJonas]

found these with google. any use?

 

Windows XP - Missing Log Off and Shut Down Buttons - Operating Systems

 

"Shutdown" option missing from the Start Menu and Ctrl+Alt+Del dialog box

[Ambient]

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/6225/goodw.jpg

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

This is it working fine...

[Ambient]

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/9720/badp.jpg

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

And this is the same user on a different computer...

 

Not working

[Ambient]

Bit more info

 

I've just done a GP result on the problem computer...and a policy is being applied which isnt even set enabled in Active Directory! Funnily enough, the policy is "Remove and prevent access to the Shut Down command". GP Managment states that this policy is being applied from the "All Staff Policy"...but i've jsut checked the policy in question, and its set to "Not Configured".

 

Strange one.

 

I've also moved the user into the OU of our students, and it works fine. The user gets the students start menu and everything. Really wierd.

[localzuk]

'Not configured' is a problem causing option - set it to disabled.

[Ambient]

Still got the same issue no matter which of the two settings I choose (Not Configured or Disabled). It’s a really strange one, which has no consistency. I want to be able to tie the issue down to one thing...so that I can then investigate it in far more detail. At the moment...I aren’t sure if it’s a profile problem, a GPO problem, or a computer problem. Grrrrr

[Ambient]

Right ok,

 

The issue quite simply has to be that the "bad" computers (which are causing me this issue) seem to be getting a policy which isnt set in our AD anymore. i've done GP results on users with the correct menu (with the shutdown and logoff options), and they of course havent recieved the policy of "remove and prevent access to the shutdown command". However, the users who have an incorrect start menu DO seem to have ran this policy on logon...and both these users are situated in the same OU in Active Directory????

 

[Ambient]

The plot thickens...

 

I've made a new user from scratch...and added profile features bit by bit (such as they're home folder path and profile path). It was at the stage of adding the profile path which made the issue start on this test account.

 

So, I’ve removed the home folder path ("connect to Z:" in our case) from the users account in AD...and they now get the logoff and shutdown (although I has to be done on a computer where the test account hasn't been used before)

[localzuk]

Oh! You use Z: as your home drive? I was once told that during boot, Z: is reserved for internal use with netlogon share (where the GPO's are shared from IIRC). Try changing the mapping to a different drive letter and re-run.

[powdarrmonkey]

I was once told that during boot, Z: is reserved for internal use with netlogon share (where the GPO's are shared from IIRC). Try changing the mapping to a different drive letter and re-run.

 

You were told wrong.

[Ambient]

TBH, the Z: drive works for most of the other staff....but at this stage, i'll try anything!

[localzuk]

You were told wrong.

 

Thought I may have been.

[Ambient]

OK, it just has to be an issue with the profile.

 

I've just added the profile path back in...and the problem has started again. Changing the drive letter didnt do anything btw.

 

I think i'm close to cracking this issue