Local User Profile Stored on Remote Share

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tim.Marshall.KKI
  • Start date Start date
T

Tim.Marshall.KKI

I have a setup that I would like to try, but I am having some trouble.
I have two machines both running Windows XP. My main machine will be
for performance with striped disks, high end vid cards, etc. My second
machine is the fault tolerant server with RAID 5 array and all the
backup. What I would like to do is have all my critical data files be
stored on the "server" and just have all my program files on the main
machine. For the most part this is no problem but my local user
settings and information is pretty much forced, by my estimation, to be
stored on the local machine. I have tried to change my profile pointer
to the remote server but it just comes back and says the security
permissions are not valid and it will not work.

Has anyone else tried to do this utilizing just Windows XP or do I have
to go the server route and have roaming profiles? I just have an extra
license of XP laying around but do not have one for the Server 2000 or
2003.
 
As you speculated, you would have to use a server version with roaming
profiles. You can't otherwise store a local profile remotely.
 
In addition to GTS's comments - you would not be able to access the
applications on the "main machine" from the "server". - "real" server
required
 
-Roaming profiles don't need to be on a server, they can be anywhere, even
on the same computer. Neither do they require a domain.

However, roaming profiles are not really intended to serve the purpose of
backup; for one thing not all data is included. The 'Local Settings' folder,
which often contains the user's email, is not included.

I'd suggest that the best approach for fixed computers with a single user is
NOT to store your data in the profile at all. Store it on network shares
instead. Or on a separate partition (or SUBST if you prefer) on the same
computer. It's relatively easy to reconfig most apps to look for data on
another (mapped) driveletter.

The other option is to store the data locally, but have a script copy it to
the server at regular intervals. This is the arrangement we use for laptops.
It's less of a hassle than roaming profiles, plus it's saved the data on more
than one occasion when a HD has failed.

The other key point to realise is that if your data is valuable to you then
a single backup ain't enough. If a profile is copied at every logoff, then
you only have until the next logoff to realise that a key file has been
trashed. Once you've logged-off.. too late, both copies are now trashed! This
is why any serious backup policy will provide for more than one copy of the
data.
 
Windows Server 2003 -Administrator's Pocket Consultant, page 244 , quote
"...Roaming profiles are server based and can be stored only on a server
running Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003...." unquote.
 
Back
Top