How to map a drive via a policy

[itreman]

We are running a 2K3 Terminal Server and a shipping program requires a
mapped drive which points to a data repository. From the server
console, I mapped the drive to W:. However, when the users connect,
they do not see the W: drive. The software has the W: drive hard coded,
so when they launch the program, they get an error that the W: drive
can not be found. So, how do I get it so that all the users that
connect get a W: drive mapped upon login? In other words, is there a
policy that does drive mapping? Or, should I just map this drive on all
the individual client machines so when they connect to the TS, the W:
drive will get brought across to the TS session? Thanks for the help.

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

This is typically done in a logon script
net use W: \\server\share

You can define a TS-specific logon script in your TS Group Policy.
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
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(e-mail address removed) wrote on 16 dec 2005 in
microsoft.public.win2000.termserv.clients:

 

[itreman]

thanks, where is the script used in the group policy? i can't find it
anywhere.

 

[Mark R. Blain]

...where is the script used in the group policy? i can't find it
anywhere.

"HOW TO: Automatically Run Programs When Users Log On to Windows 2000
Terminal Services."
<http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;321707>

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

"HOW TO: Automatically Run Programs When Users Log On to Windows
2000 Terminal Services."
<http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;321707>

But that's not what the original poster wants. The article above
describes how to start an application automatically in TS. If you
define the login script as the starting application, you will be
automatically logged of from the session as soon as the login
script has finished.

Itreman, here's where you define a login script in a GPO:

User Configuration - Windows Settings - Scripts

Make sure that you use loopback processing of the GPO, otherwise
the script will also run when users log on to their workstation.
This is done in:

Computer Configuration - Administrative Templates - System - Group
Policy
User Group Policy loopback processing mode

Recommended reading:

260370 - How to Apply Group Policy Objects to Terminal Services
Servers
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=260370

231287 - Loopback Processing of Group Policy
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=231287
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___

 

[itreman]

excellent, thanks! is there a way to restrict the user via a GPO to
being able to save to the TS session desktop?

 

[itreman]

is there a way to get kixtart to work via that logon script GPO? how do
i reference kix and the .kix file? i can't seem to get the script to
map the drive, but yet i use kix all time here in the local/non-TS
domain. thanks.

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Could you please quote the previous context of the thread in your
reply? I do not see old messages in my newsreader.

If a script with a line

net use W: \\server\share

is not mapping your drive, then do *not* add another level of
complexity by using a KixTart script to map the drive.
You can't do it more simple than with the net use command, so if
that doesn't work, it's probably the GPO which is not applied.
You'll have to troubleshoot the GPO, not the script.

Do you get an error message? what exactly have you defined in your
GPO? Used the full path to the script? Have you tried to run the
script manually? Have you verified that the GPO is applied at all?
Did you use loopback processing of the same GPO? To which OU is
your GPO linked? And in which OU are your user accounts and where
is your TS machine account?
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
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(e-mail address removed) wrote on 19 dec 2005 in
microsoft.public.win2000.termserv.clients:

 

[itreman]

the script does run if i use a batch file and all that is in it is net
use F: \\server\username$. the problem is, since there are multiple
users, kixtart has to be used to in order to use the @userid command to
account for multiple users. therefore, i'm not sure where the script
should live. does it go in the netlogon folder of the DC or does it go
in the policies folder assigned to that GPO? also, in the script GPO
settings, there is a name field and a parameters field. in the name
field, i am referencing a batch file which calls kix32.exe and the .kix
config file. i am totally open to having a simple batch file do the
work without using kixtart if there is a way to map multiple users to
an F: drive, where the share name = username$. i have always used
kixtart for that.

my other question was how to disable the desktop folder from being
written to. thanks for all your help.

 

[itreman]

okay i figured it out. confusing because we're working with three
domains.

now, i just need to figure out how to successfully disable the desktop
as a location to save to. i'm trying redirection but i don't think i
have the settings right since it is not working. any ideas? thanks.

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Create a custom desktop folder on a file server, give users only Read
and Execute permissions on it and use Desktop redirection in a GPO.

_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
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(e-mail address removed) wrote on 19 dec 2005 in
microsoft.public.win2000.termserv.clients:

 

[itreman]

okay. it doesn't like INGROUP in the kix file. i use it all the time,
but for some reason in the TS GPO, it doesn't want it. so, i'm applying
everything to everyone who logs on and excluding the IF INGROUP command
and it is working. now i just need to figure out how to redirect the
desktop and lock it down so no one can save to it. any ideas? thanks!

 

[itreman]

how do you get redirection to work? i've followed all the procedures,
but redirection doesn't work and the user can still save to the
desktop. what should the share permissions be? what about the ntfs
permissions? what about the GPO settings for desktop redirection? what
should those look like? thanks!

 

[itreman]

folder redirection doesn't seem to work if the destination folder isn't
set to read/write. if folder redirection is enabled and the destination
folder is set to read for the users, event id's 101 and 1085 are logged
and redirection doesn't work.

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

This is how I configure it:

User Configuration - Windows Settings - Folder Redirection - Desktop
Settings:
Basic (Redirect everyone's folder to the same location)
Options:
Grant user exclusive rights to Desktop - Disabled
Move the contents of Desktop to the new location - Disabled
_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
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(e-mail address removed) wrote on 20 dec 2005 in
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