Folder redirection

[Neil Loffhagen]

Hi,

This has been puzzling me for some time now. We have been tasked with
setting up roaming profiles to do the following, which I think is
possible, but if not can someone me know if we're wasting our time:

The idea is that a user can logon to any machine in the network and be
able to immediately open Outlook and view their mail/calendars without
any local configuration. For example a new user has been created and
has to share a PC with a colleague. Can things be set up so that he
justs logins for the first time on a PC and be able to open Outlook and
see his mail/calenders/etc. with nothing needing to be done locally on
the PC? If so the question is how?

We have set up a Group Policy which is supposed to redirect the
Applications, Desktop, Start Menu, My Documents to folders on the
Server. The Desktop, Start Menu, My Documents seems to work, as when a
new user logons on to the network new folders are created on the Server
for them. Bur no new folder is created for Applications. The folders
are all under the same share and have the same permissions.

When a user then logons on to another machine I'd have thought that the
Desktop should then follow him? But it doesn't. The desktop looks the
same as the last person who was on the machine. The My Documents does
not copy either. When you logout a window appears saying it is syncing,
so stuff is being written to the Server but not back. When you look in
Event Viewer it has events for data bring copied from the PC to the
Server, but never the other way round.

I've no doubt missed out some simple step, and would greatly appreciate
any pointers in the right direction.

Or am I misunderstanding what Group Policies is supposed to be able to do?

Many many thanks,

Neil.

 

[The tinman]

Neil,

As far as the Outlook Profiles there is a tool called
NewProf.exe in the Exchange 2000 Server Resource Kit that
will generate the profiles for the users when they first
log on.

As for the rest of it, if you set up the Folder
Redirection then the user settings should be the same no
matter where they log in. Just some simple checks would be
to run GPResult on the Workstation to confirm they are
getting the redirection settings, and ensuring that they
have read/write permissions to the server based location.

Good luck,
The tinman