Ensure logon to 2008 server?

[leco]

I am having redirection issues and I've narrowed it down to the 2003 server. If users logon to the 2008 server all is fine, if they logon to the 2003 server redirection fails Access denied.

 

How do I ensure that users always logon to the 2008 server? (Just for now as I need to ensure these users are in touch with their network docs - summer Win7 upgrade)

[bio]

did you read :

 

Jorge 's Quest For Knowledge! : DC Locator Process in W2K, W2K3(R2) and W2K8 - PART 3

Use DNS Registration to Decrease the Workload on the PDC Emulator: Active Directory

 

bio..

[leco]

Thanks for those - implemented but user still logons on to 2003 server:( Howver, this time the folder redirection fail message is path not found. Something is screwing this up somewhere along the line.

[leco]

OK this is getting crazier by the minute. User can now logon to 2008 server - still no Documents - event viewer Re-direction failure. Reason the folder could be offline as the path could not be found. Strange though that the Settings folder can be found and it's on the same path! New settings written back to server at log off. Guess I'll need to look at folder permissions eh? Though why the policy should suddenly stop working is beyond me, anyone any more ideas?

[Ric_]

Are you using DFS for your documents share? I've noticed problems with that.

[leco]

Erm how can I tell if I'm using DFS?

[Domino]

Ric, are you using 2008 DFS though? there are major improvements with it, but it means rebuilding your DFS roots if you're coming from 2003

[Ric_]

@leco: If you didn't configure DFS, you probably aren't using it.

 

2003 R2 DFS still

[elsiegee40]

We had similar problems... I hope I can explain it and make sense...

 

We had problems with this for the users home drivers. It seems that when the user logs on for the first time, the server wants to see the users home folder on the 2k3 server and then redirects to the 2k8 server. After this has happened the first time all was well and the 2k3 version could vanish. We created a home drive file structure (no data) on the 2k3 server share and people have been succesfully logging on since.

 

We also had problems with redirecting the network shares (Public, Staff Public) using GPO and ended up writing a script to sort it... we'd lost patience with GPO and wanted to go home

[leco]

Ric_ Just because I haven't set it up doesn't necessarily mean it's not being used. This is the first time that I've been in this position, my external support normally does it all.

elsiegee40 The user structure hasn't been on the 2K3 server for over a year now as we moved to the 2008 server early last year (March/April ish) That's what's so annoying as I'd ironed out all of those issues, or so I thought.

I know that the policy is working as the events are now showing re-direct failures for all the other folders (Music, Pictures, Video etc.) So if it's not the policy, it must be permissions, right? Up to Sunday morning the thing was working fine, user logs on and the Sync Centre icon came on the task bar. Now when user logs on the Syc Centre is not there, I can start it - says the folder is not available as "the user has chosen to work offline". But there is no way of getting at the folder to right click it since it's a hidden share!! Getting quite cross with it now.

[elsiegee40]

Is this working for anyone at all?

 

It would be worth checking that the Share Permissions (rather than Security permissions) are OK... usually security permissions control who can do what and Share permissions are set for everyone to do anything.

[HC_Netman]

You can easily find out if it is a permission issue or not by giving everyone full access (temporarily of course). If it works then you know it is permissions and if not then you can start troubleshooting other areas.

[leco]

It isn't working for anyone! At one point my own workstation couldn't get in. The top level of the share has Everyone/Full control and Administrators/Full control. Each staff folder has a variety of things, which I can't just remember now that I'm back home. I needed at least one machine ready for my boss tomorrow - so in the end I've mapped a drive to a backup folder of his docs.

 

I'm thinking of making a fresh start on the share thing - make another folder from scratch to see if that improves anything. What permissions do I need on which folders?

Path is: \\server-name\share-name$\%Username%\documents

and \\server-name\share-name$\%Username%\Settings (W7 adds .V2 to the settings folder)

Music, pictures, video etc. are set to follow Documents.

Where I want to be is that a user logs on, clicks Start, Documents and their files are there. I also want the Sync Centre to recognise that the share should be available at all times.

[HC_Netman]

This may be a long shot but do your clients have the group policy preference client side extension installed??? If not then some GPO's won't apply properly and I believe this only becomes apparent with server 2008 (it is only supposed to impact new GPO available in server 2008 but it's certainly worth checking) - it is an optional update if you run windows update.

 

Let me know how it goes...

[littlehoughton]

Hi, from reading your comments leco its sounds as though you really need to clarify whether or not you are using DFS, you can find this out by opening DFS from your admin tools and taking a look in there, also check out your logon scripts and check for any FQDN path mappings which will indicate DFS. I noticed you have another thread open about missing adm template/GP issues. Has any work taken place recently, upgrades, removal of any servers?

[leco]

Hi, from reading your comments leco its sounds as though you really need to clarify whether or not you are using DFS, you can find this out by opening DFS from your admin tools and taking a look in there, also check out your logon scripts and check for any FQDN path mappings which will indicate DFS. I noticed you have another thread open about missing adm template/GP issues. Has any work taken place recently, upgrades, removal of any servers?

Thanks I'll have a look for any DFS settings. With regard to your last sentence - upgrade of all machines to Windows 7, installation of Hyper-V host for W2k8 R2 Master DC, other VM's for Exchange 2010, WSUS, Anti-virus etc. The hyper-v vapourised in an overly hot server room, I've been salvaging and fire fighting ever since.

HC_Netman: The clients may indeed not have client side extensions, I have done updates but usually ignore optional ones. Will check that thanks.

[SYNACK]

To stop the users from logging on via the 2003 DC just stop the Net Logon service on it which will stop any logon events being processed by it but will leave stuff like fileshares avalible.

 

Not sure about the other issues with the file paths but I would also be looking at DFS and just making sure that all of the paths refference in policies, scripts etc. are avalible from a workstation by navigating to it manually.