Two home folders always get renamed to my documents. Why?

[edutech4schools]

Hi,

 

I have just taken on a new small primary and noticed that in the pupils home folder area I had two folders named 'my documents'. All the pupils log in as a class, so in this home folders area I have class1, class2, my documents, class4, my documents, and class 6. The shares and security for the two 'my documents folders have the correct class name, so class 3 and class 5.

 

The server policies and scripts are set up the same for all class users. The only difference I can see is these two classes are using windows 7, all the rest are still on xp.

 

If I rename the 'my documents' folder back to class3 or 5, they change back after the class has logged on.

 

Whats going on.

[FN-GM]

This happens when a user logs into Windows 7 or Vista. It is caused by a file called desktop.ini, it is not actually been renamed. It is by design. Do a search there are lots of threads about it on here.

[edutech4schools]

I look after 8 schools, all have windows 7 and this has not been an issue.

 

Will do a search.

[FN-GM]

I look after 8 schools, all have windows 7 and this has not been an issue.

 

Will do a search.

 

This school will be reidrecting the documents folder and the others wont be. It only happens when you do redirection.

[dany2010]

Not sure if i have read your question right but it sounds like something we did when first setting up folder redirection inein 7.

 

If you set documents rediction to a folder, e.g. \\server1\docs and try to view that folder it will show asmy documents. If you then go into that folder and look at the address bar you will see the old name.n

 

We solved it by redirecting to a folder inside the users personal are e.g \\server1\docs\mydocs.

[ADMaster]

I second dany2010, we had the same issue when we moved to windows 7. All of our students get an S: drive mapped to \\server\year\username and my documents were directed to the s: drive.

 

When we got windows 7 I had to change the redirection to a sub folder of their S: drive \\server\year\username\mydocuments

 

This solved the desktop.ini issue.

 

Even though it is not a true rename it caused problems when a student went from an w7 machine to a XP machine, the their S: drive and documents didn't get mapped properly because the system thought it was renamed.

[Michael]

Hi,

 

I have just taken on a new small primary and noticed that in the pupils home folder area I had two folders named 'my documents'. All the pupils log in as a class, so in this home folders area I have class1, class2, my documents, class4, my documents, and class 6. The shares and security for the two 'my documents folders have the correct class name, so class 3 and class 5.

 

The server policies and scripts are set up the same for all class users. The only difference I can see is these two classes are using windows 7, all the rest are still on xp.

 

If I rename the 'my documents' folder back to class3 or 5, they change back after the class has logged on.

 

Whats going on.

 

It depends on the method used to redirect Documents, but it is confirmed by Microsoft as 'by design'. Here's how I get around it in a few clicks

[Nemwar7]

We have had this issues as well.

 

We resolved it by setting up a file screen for desktop.ini.

 

[DrCheese]

We have had this issues as well.

 

We resolved it by setting up a file screen for desktop.ini.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]14197[/ATTACH]

 

Don't do this, you'll kill your logon times Windows gets *really* upset if it can't create those files.

[Nemwar7]

I have had no issues with it. I have done it on multiple sites and had it for over a year with no issues.

 

Do you have evidence of it decreasing logon performance? A microsoft post?

[DrCheese]

My own research when I was trying to come up with a solution & others have mentioned it on here http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-server-2008-r2/86860-slow-logons-applying-folder-redirection-2.html#post780548

[Nemwar7]

Weird, logons are all below 20 seconds even when I logon a whole ICT suite using Ranger. I will keep an eye on it anyway.

 

Cheers for the feedback. Have you found an alternative way of doing this yet?

[Michael]

This way is the easiest. Interestingly though, it's not actually mentioned by Microsoft themselves as a suitable solution!