Creating Hidden folders

[Guest]

Hi all,

Is it possible to create an ADM that creates a Hidden folder on each persons
home drive?

I think it would be very handy if you could, that way you could "hide"
peoples favourites folders and PST files etc in their own home folders
without ever having to worry about them deleting them, also they could take
them with them from PC to PC.

Does anyone have any idea on how to create such an ADM file? or where I
could to look for one

Thanks

 

[Mark Heitbrink [MVP]]

Hi,

Is it possible to create an ADM that creates a Hidden folder on each persons
home drive?

No, because ADM templates in general can only define Registry entries.
Some of them are interacting with an additional Client Side Extension,
like Diskquota where you are not only defining reg entries but the
quotas aswell, but there is no CSE for file operations :-(

You only can apply a script in a GPO that fits your needs, like:
md %homedrive%%homepath%\myfolder
attrib +h %homedrive%%homepath%\myfolder

Mark

 

[Guest]

Mark, a script would be fine aswell

You only can apply a script in a GPO that fits your needs, like:
"md %homedrive%%homepath%\myfolder attrib +h %homedrive%%homepath%\myfolder"

I added the script to a new Gp I created with just the above to see if I
could create a hidden folder but it didnt work for some reason, no folder was
created no matter how much I played with it.

The Home drive for eveyone H:\\MyServer\First.SecondName

What im trying to do is create a hidden folder so that the users cant delete
the favourites folder, so then I have an ADM file to redirect the favourites
folder.
Would this be a good procedure? or am I going about it ass ways..

;------------------------
CLASS USER

CATEGORY !!InternetExplorer

POLICY !!ChangeIEFavouritesPath
KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders"
EXPLAIN !!ChangeFavorites_Explain

PART !!HelpPathName_Edit EDITTEXT EXPANDABLETEXT
VALUENAME "Favorites"
END PART

END POLICY

END CATEGORY


[strings]
InternetExplorer="Internet Explorer"
ChangeFavorites_Explain="Change Internet Explorer Favorites Path"
ChangeIEFavouritesPath="Change IE Favourites Path"
HelpPathName_Edit="Enter IE Favorites Path (K:\\FavoritesLocation)"

;------------------------

 

[Mark Heitbrink [MVP]]

Hi,

I added the script to a new Gp I created with just the above to see if I
could create a hidden folder but it didnt work for some reason, no folder was
created no matter how much I played with it.

open cmd
-> set
check the definitions for the variable homedrive and homepath.
sometimes the "\" has to be applied, sometimes not.
(for whatever reason even if homepath is "\"...)
If your script works manually it should work in the GPO aswell.

I tried:
md %homedrive%%homepath%myfolder
and
md %homedrive%%homepath%\myfolder
in both cases the folder is created.

attrib +h %homedrive%%homepath%myfolder
and
attrib +h %homedrive%%homepath%\myfolder
works aswell.

The Home drive for eveyone H:\\MyServer\First.SecondName

Do you define it inside the user settings of dsa.msc?

What im trying to do is create a hidden folder so that the users cant delete
the favourites folder, so then I have an ADM file to redirect the favourites
folder.
Would this be a good procedure? or am I going about it ass ways..

I would train the people not to delete the folder ...

The problem is:
- your user needs to add favorites
- he has to edit and change favorites
- he deletes them aswell
- some of them create folders to organize their favorites
etc.

With a little more efford you can define the %userprofile%\Favorites
only "read" permissions in NTFS, but allow adding files and folder.
Could be done with a script and xcacls.exe/xcacls.vbs aswell but the
user is the owner of his profile, so he can get the permissions back ...

I never had a problem with users who are deleting the entire favorites
folder. Perhaps thats why I don´t see a good solution on this case.

Mark

 

[Guest]

Mark,

Thanks for all your help, Ive created a folder in each drive and im just
going to map the favourites to each folder. Then educate the users on what
the folder is for and why they shouldnt delete/play with it.

Should suffice,
Regards