Offline Folders issue

[enjay]

I've just set someone up with offline files synchronisation on their laptop (previously, we've been using an ugly system of local users and SyncToy). It synchronises her My Documents folder perfectly, but it also tries to sync some networked shared areas too. On the face of it, this would actually be really useful, however it is synchronising all sorts of folders which she doesn't require. Also, when she connects back to the network, she can only see the handful of network folders which are synchronised, not the entire shared area.

 

So, two questions:

1) how/why is it synchronising these folders?

2) how do I get it to show the full folders when network-connected?

[glen_j]

if you change the settings on the shared folders you dont want available offline under caching it will prevent them from being synced

[enjay]

It looks like it automatically added her mapped drives to the sync partnership schedule - I've changed that now! Can I configure this centrally anywhere?

[glen_j]

you can use group policy to specify what folders to make offline, to prevent folders that you don't want being made offline just turn off the caching

[enjay]

I don't see the setting in Group Policy - where should I be looking?

 

I've checked the share on the server, and the caching is already set to "only those files which a user specifies" or something like that.

[glen_j]

go to User config > administrative templates > network > offline files. if a drive is mapped it will automatically try to make it available offline you can stop them from being made offline in the same location in group policy. i have set the caching to files will not be made available offline for all shares apart from the ones that are needed offline.

[enjay]

I don't see the setting which says that mapped drives are automatically synchronised. I've found the one to "administratively assign offline folders" (confusingly present in both Computer Config and User Config), but that is only set to their My Documents folder.

 

(I think) I've found where to prevent it from synchronising networked folders, however in this instance, I would like the user to be able to sync some network folders, I just want to specify which folders.

[glen_j]

Sorry for the confusion, the automatic offline files when a drive is mapped was just for info not a setting. ok the best way would be via the caching in this case, otherwise you'd have to manually prohibit every share you don't want available offiline although either way will have the desired results you may have more control usinf group poilcy as you can set it for different groups /users Edited December 7, 2012 by glen_j

[enjay]

So what you're saying is that it automatically syncs mapped drives, and there's nothing I can do to change that?

[glen_j]

other than turning off the caching, no not as far as i am aware, it would appear the option for "prohibit 'make available offline' for these file and folders" only removes the option and doesn't turn of the automatic caching

[enjay]

That's a shame. I'll have a think about whether I want to disable this altogether or instruct the few staff members who want to work in this how to use offline sync properly.