turning off roaming profiles (just clearing profile path isnt work

[Guest Laeelin]

Our network is using windows server 2003. There are about 10 of us and only

one actually needs a roaming profile. The last network admin setup everyone

as a roaming profile and I want to move everyone except for one user back to

a local profile. (some profiles are huge.. in the 2g-4g range causing long

log-on times and extra network traffic)

 

On the server: In Active Directory Users and Computers I selected the

server, clicked the users folder, right clicked on an account and selected

properties. On the profile tab I deleted the profile path (left blank).

 

On the local computer: I checked in system properties -> advanced -> users,

and the profile is listed and says local.

 

However, when I log on as the user and make changes to the desktop/whatever

then check the servers profile directory, the new file/changes will be listed

there as well.

 

Anyone know what would be causing this or how to fix it?

 

Thanks

-David

[Guest Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Re: turning off roaming profiles (just clearing profile path isnt work

 

Laeelin <Laeelin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Our network is using windows server 2003. There are about 10 of us

> and only one actually needs a roaming profile. The last network admin

> setup everyone as a roaming profile and I want to move everyone

> except for one user back to a local profile. (some profiles are

> huge.. in the 2g-4g range causing long log-on times and extra network

> traffic)

>

> On the server: In Active Directory Users and Computers I selected the

> server, clicked the users folder, right clicked on an account and

> selected properties. On the profile tab I deleted the profile path

> (left blank).

>

> On the local computer: I checked in system properties -> advanced ->

> users, and the profile is listed and says local.

>

> However, when I log on as the user and make changes to the

> desktop/whatever then check the servers profile directory, the new

> file/changes will be listed there as well.

>

> Anyone know what would be causing this or how to fix it?

>

> Thanks

> -David

 

Well - briefly veering off topic, you should be able to keep your roaming

profiles and have them work properly, if you set them up right. I personally

like roaming profiles although they can be a pain if you aren't

careful....they need to be kept *tiny*. It's handy to have them if you need

to replace a user's workstation, even if they don't tend to roam from

computer to computer.

 

Even without using roaming profiles, you really need to implement Folder

Redirection via group policy, because nothing of much importance should

actually *live* in the profile other than some settings. Redirect My

Documents, Desktop, and Application Data to the server....if each user has

his own home directory/user folder, it would end up in

\\myserver\userfolders\username\My Documents, \Desktop, \Application Data. I

don't use offline files (I disable this via group policy as well) as I think

they cause problems galore.

 

That said, first implement the folder redirection and *then* worry about the

profiles. Check your group policy settings ...it's possible there's

something in your group policy settings that's causing this problem, so you

might run an rsop.msc after cleaning up the profile sizes via redirection,

and look for errors.

 

Here's my boilerplate on roaming profiles....

 

General tips:

 

1. Set up a share on the server. For example - d:\profiles, shared as

profiles$ to make it hidden from browsing. Make sure this share is not set

to allow offline files/caching!

2. Make sure the share permissions on profiles$ indicate everyone=full

control. Set the NTFS security to administrators, system, and users=full

control.

3. In the users' ADUC properties, specify \\server\profiles$\%username% in

the profiles field

4. Have each user log into the domain once from their usual workstation

(where their existing profile lives) and log out. The profile is now

roaming.

5. If you want the administrators group to automatically have permissions to

the profiles folders, you'll need to make the appropriate change in group

policy. Look in computer configuration/administrative templates/system/user

profiles - there's an option to add administrators group to the roaming

profiles permissions.

 

Notes:

 

* Make sure users understand that they should never log into multiple

computers at the same time when they have roaming profiles (unless you make

the profiles mandatory by renaming ntuser.dat to ntuser.man so they can't

change them). Explain that the

last one out

wins, when it comes to uploading the final, changed copy of the profile.

 

* Keep your profiles TINY. Redirect My Documents at the very least; usually

best done to the user's home directory on the server - either via

group policy (folder redirection) or manually (far less advisable). If you

aren't going to also redirect the desktop using policies, tell users that

they are not to store any files on the desktop or you will beat them with a

stick. Big profile=slow login/logout, and possible profile corruption.

 

* Note that user profiles are not compatible between different OS versions,

even between W2k/XP. Keep all your computers. Keep your workstations as

identical as possible - meaning, OS version is the same, SP level is the

same, app load is (as much as possible) the same.

 

* Do not let people store any data locally - all data belongs on the server.

 

* The User Profile Hive Cleanup Utility should be running on all your

computers. You can download it here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=1B286E6D-8912-4E18-B570-42470E2F3582&displaylang=en