Re-direct Mydocs using Group Policy

Discussion in 'Networks' started by SimonV, Aug 5, 2003.

  1. SimonV
    Honorary Member

    SimonV Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Hi all,

    Need a bit of help on this one. I'm tring to redirect a group of laptop users my docs to their shares on the server. I've created a OU called "laptops" and moved all required users into that OU.

    I've added a new Group Policy and have tried to redirect the mydocs to a share of \\net-server1\%username%$ i know this works as i also have a login script with the same in to map a drive for the users. Thats the reson for wanting to change the my docs destination as the users dont always remember to save to there userspace using the mapped drive. I dont want to go messing with profiles and changing the default mydocs location locally so thought this would work.

    I know about setting the GP refresh and as there's nobody here (school) i've set this at 2 minutes. I know that the GP works as i can remove or change other stuff like removing the run from start menu.

    Any help would be great. Si :D
     
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  2. Luton Bee

    Luton Bee Kilobyte Poster

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    With the my docs redirect set the I think users need to log in and/or out to copy the my docs foler from it's current location. I have mine redirected by using a \\server\uservol\%username%\subdirectory path so your path should work fine.

    HTH
     
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  3. Phil
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    Phil Gigabyte Poster

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    Hi Si

    I'd agree with Luton get the users to log out then in again, the my documents should be moved to the network share then.
     
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  4. SimonV
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    SimonV Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Theres no users here. Just me alone in the comms room with nobody to talk to.......Anyway, I'm sat with one of the laptops (XPpro) next to the server (2K) and i've tried as you say logging in and out. I've restarted the laptop. I've created a different share and pointed it to that but no luck.

    I'm getting a bit confused as to what I have and havnt done so gonna start again.

    First by creating a shareed folder. I'll leave default permissions on this. Then by creating a test OU and Test user inside the OU then a GP for that OU.

    I'll be back in a mo.
     
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  5. Phil
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    Phil Gigabyte Poster

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    Have you tried creating a common shared folder such as Home$ on the server, set the folder redirection for my documents in the GPO to \\servername\home$\%username% when the user next logs in the users folder under home$ will be automatically created. I'm not sure how AD reacts to the variable %username%$ as a share.
     
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  6. Sandy

    Sandy Ex-Member

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    Si

    Why are you restricting your laptop users to using a network share?

    The best option is for you to set up "offline folders" this saves a copy of the work on both the server and laptop.

    When I go out of the office I have all my work documents on the laptop and the sever so they get backed up each night I can work on the documents remotely when I log in my pc uploads the new work to the server.
     
  7. SimonV
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    SimonV Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    OK, i first put everything back to how it was before, deleted any shared, OS's, users and GP's I'd created earlier.

    First thing, I've created a share called "Mydocs" and shared with the defaults "everyone"

    Next, I've created a OU called "laptops" and a test user called "lapt1" inside the OU.

    Next I've edited the laptops GPO by navigating to >User Configuration - Windows Settings - Folder Redirection. Right clicking the My Documents entry and select Properties. Selecting the "Basic-Redirect everyone's folder to the same location" option in the drop down box next to Setting.
    Selected the "Redirect to the following location" option in the drop down box under Target Folder Location. And entered the root path, by specifying the UNC and share of the folder "\\net-server1\mydocs"

    Does this seem correct!
     
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  8. Phil
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    Phil Gigabyte Poster

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    That's exactly how I have it configured except I put \\net-server1\mydocs\%username%
     
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  9. SimonV
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    SimonV Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    @sandy

    The Laptops are static. There in a room with not much space and they dont go out of that room. The users never use the same laptop everytime. So what tends to happen is they save there work on one laptop and then log onto another saying "I cant find my work" :snipersm:

    So what i was thinking was to redirect the users my docs then if they sit at another laptop my docs points to there share and me being left alone to do some real work :cussing
     
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  10. SimonV
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    SimonV Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    No Joy, I'm gona leave it for today as its getting right up my nose and in this heat stressing me out! :cussing :321
     
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  11. AJ

    AJ 01000001 01100100 01101101 01101001 01101110 Administrator

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    Hi SimonV

    We are messing about with folder reirection at my school, mainly to increase login times. The kids tend to save stuff to their desktop rather than to My Documents (which is actually their home folder mapped by the login script). They save stuff on the desktop because it is not quotad as their home folder is.

    Anyway, from memory, Phil has got the syntax about right. I'm using the same syntax format in a test environment and it works very well - \\servername\share$\%username$. Users do have to logon and off again, but make sure that the GP has had time to copy itself to other Domain Controllers.

    The whole folder redirection really does speed up login times. To give an example, my test account had something like 70Mb stored on the desktop and took about 2 mins to logon. With the desktop redirected the first login took about the same amount of time. After that the whole login process took no longer than 20 secs even with all this data stored on the desktop. :D

    Anyway enough of my drivel. HTH


    Andrew
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 2, 2015
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  12. Sandy

    Sandy Ex-Member

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    THINK PROFILES PROFILES PROFILES PROFILES
     
  13. SimonV
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    SimonV Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Give up....NEVER. I've done it and found out what it was. I think it was Phil that pointed me in the right direction.

    I created two users "test1" and "test2" I re-created everything again and this time created a share "home$" then inside that I created one folder "test2" then in the GPO I redirected the mydocs to "\\net-server1\home$\%username%".

    When i logged in as test1 all was fine :D but as test2 :( not so good the my docs pointed to the local profile. So i leaned somthing on this, 1 remember the above and 2 certforums is one good place with some really helpful people. :cheeseyg :cheeseyg
     
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2015
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  14. SimonV
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    SimonV Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    @AndrewJ - Can i ask whats in the script to map there my docs
     
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  15. AJ

    AJ 01000001 01100100 01101101 01101001 01101110 Administrator

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    Probably the wrong term to use.

    When the kids logon a script is run and this maps a drive (H:\) to their home folder. They can then save all of their work to this drive. Through Group Policy the kids can not see the local drive, so even if they just click save it will go to their home folder. There are some issues with Office by doing this but they are very simple to get over.

    If you are interested, when I get back to work I'll get a copy and post it here for you.

    HTH

    Andrew
     
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  16. SimonV
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    SimonV Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Just out of interest really Andy, but yeah pst it here anyway. I use a login script much the same, but just wondered how you did it. :D

    PS. Sorted out the emoticon thing. :D
     
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  17. SimonV
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    SimonV Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Sorry to bring this post back from the dead Andrew but I could use this info as I'm working on something similar and was wondering how you have this set up.

    SimonV
     
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2015
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  18. Nelix
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    Nelix Gigabyte Poster

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    this would be interesting as we are having a few issues at work regarding accessing the c:\.

    The problem stems from the fact that network policys are in force to denie access to the c: d: and e: partitions (d: e: are going to be made available soon)however, when you say they cannot see the c: can they still install software on it or create folders, I dare say they can't, a bit more indepth information would help.

    I also scores brownie points for me now that the network administrator has resigned.
     
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  19. AJ

    AJ 01000001 01100100 01101101 01101001 01101110 Administrator

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    SimonV

    Just picked this up. Will get onto it tomorrow.

    Nelix

    You are quite right that users cannot install software or make local folders. (they can in their home folder). A few selected users are allowed to logon locally (such as the Housemasters) and they are local administrators, but as soon as they login the domian they will of course be subject to the GP that are enforced.

    We also enforce what programmes that the kids are allowed to run by using GP (I think I have mentioned this in the past) but the way around this is to rename the file of the app that you want to run to something like Win.exe and it runs. Is there anything else you want to know??

    Andrew
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 2, 2015
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  20. Jakamoko
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    Jakamoko On the move again ...

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    I might as well join in this one too.

    This is uncanny !!! I just spent all afternoon trying to redirect a new user's Home folder on my XP Pro machine to a share on my DC (w2k) and with no joy !! Gave up (temporarily) in disgust, thinking - right, tonight, I'll post on CertForums...

    Lo and behold, it's all done for me already - now thats what I call Service !!! :D
     
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