GPO on Win2K Client to stop Roaming Profile?

[Hank Arnold]

Our domain is running Win2K Server w/AD. We are running a 2 server Citrix
MetaFrame XPa farm that all users log onto to run their office and e-mail
apps. Our medical database (Misys) is running on a SQL200 server.

We have about 30 nurses who use laptops to do patient assessments off line
and they synchronize the databases by connecting to the network (either
directly or via VPN). Currently their laptops are set up for a domain
logon. They use the local copy automatically when they log on in a
disconnected state.

We currently have local profiles in our domain. We are in the process of
migrating users to roaming profiles. This is necessary because trying to
keep the profiles on the two Citrix servers is becoming a problem. Also, we
want the profiles on a server that is part of a High Availability cluster so
that logon will always happen with no problems.

Our problem is with the laptop users who try to log on disconnected. If they
are in that state and they have a roaming profile, then they get error
messages about not being able to download the profile and that a
default/local copy is being used (and won't be saved).

Our concern here is that this will cause confusion and problems with the
nurses. We're talking about people who flooded the Help Desk with calls when
we change the name of an icon..... I need to eliminate these error messages.
But I need to keep their AD account set up for roaming profiles. They often
will log onto a pool computer to log onto the Citrix server at the office.
Plus, I lose the GPO settings that are enforced on the laptop users (and
believe me, we need them enforced......)/

I'm thinking that there are two possibilities. One is to set the laptop up
as a local logon. The other is to set up the laptop so that it does not
attempt download/upload the profile if it is not network connected.

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated....

 

[Herb Martin]

Our problem is with the laptop users who try to log on disconnected. If
they

are in that state and they have a roaming profile, then they get error
messages about not being able to download the profile and that a
default/local copy is being used (and won't be saved).

Our concern here is that this will cause confusion and problems with the
nurses. We're talking about people who flooded the Help Desk with calls when
we change the name of an icon..... I need to eliminate these error

messages.

There are (have long been even in NT) registry settings for the
Profile behavior (whether to show an error, allow the user to
pick, how long to wait for profile server or how long to show error,
that sort of thing).

Since the Administrative Templates portion of Group Policy allows
for the EXTENSION of group policy based on Registry items you
can (at least in theory) set these by created an .ADM template file
and loading it into your domain (or an OU, even based on Site perhaps)
GPO.

I don't have the Registry settings memorized but they shouldn't be hard
to locate with a Google search of Microsoft.com -- if you cannot find
them then let me know and I will make an attempt (or someone else
will post them.)