Jump to content

Roaming Profiles


Recommended Posts

Guest Jim in Arizona
Posted

Following the steps on this KB:

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/b41402c2-c982-4bfb-891e-91b47f211e181033.mspx?mfr=true

 

I created a share that my account has full access to:

\\DS1\profiles\jsmith

 

I access the jsmith account in active directory users and computers and

under the profile tab, in the Profile path text box I put:

\\DS1\profiles\jsmith

 

This is all fine and good but I find that I cannot copy or change the type

of my profile on the windowx xp machine. Right now its set to type Local and

the Roaming type radio button is grayed out so I can't select it.

 

I logged into the local windows XP machine as the local admin and the domain

admin and I get the same results in both cases: the Roaming profile radio

button is not accessable.

 

To get to the area I mention above on the windows xp machine, I go to

properties of My Computer, then click on the Advanced tab, then the Settings

button under User Profiles, then select the account domain\jsmith. The only

button available (not grayed out) is Change Type. I click that and the Local

Profile is the onyl option not grayed out and is currently selected.

 

Any ideas?

 

TIA,

Jim

  • Replies 5
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Popular Days

Guest Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]
Posted

Re: Roaming Profiles

 

Jim in Arizona <tiltowait@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Following the steps on this KB:

> http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/b41402c2-c982-4bfb-891e-91b47f211e181033.mspx?mfr=true

>

> I created a share that my account has full access to:

> \\DS1\profiles\jsmith

>

> I access the jsmith account in active directory users and computers

> and under the profile tab, in the Profile path text box I put:

> \\DS1\profiles\jsmith

 

Normally, you don't need to pre-create the username folder in the share -

specifying it here, and hitting Apply, will create it the next time you log

in, presuming the permissions are correct.

>

> This is all fine and good but I find that I cannot copy or change the

> type of my profile on the windowx xp machine. Right now its set to

> type Local and the Roaming type radio button is grayed out so I can't

> select it.

 

T

>

> I logged into the local windows XP machine as the local admin and the

> domain admin and I get the same results in both cases: the Roaming

> profile radio button is not accessable.

 

It won't be unless you're logged in as the user in question (jsmith) and you

have a profile path defined in your ADUC properties, and you have access to

it.

>

> To get to the area I mention above on the windows xp machine,

 

Yep, I know....

<snip>

> Any ideas?

>

> TIA,

> Jim

 

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! (that's on by default - disable it)

 

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 not 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. Via group policy, redirect My Documents at the

very least - to a subfolder of the user's home directory or user folder.

Also consider redirecting Desktop & Application Data similarly..... so the

user will have:

 

\\server\home$\%username%\My Documents,

\\server\home$\%username%\Desktop,

\\server\home$\%username%\Application Data.

 

Alternatively, just manually re-target My Documents to

\\server\home$\%username% (this is not optimal, however!)

 

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

Guest Johan Strange
Posted

RE: Roaming Profiles

 

Hi,

 

On the profiles path on the user object in ADUC type the path to the RUP

share but instead of typing the user name use the %username% variable. This

will create the dir with the correct permissions.

 

e.g. \\server\share\%username%

 

Hit ok and watch what happens.

 

--

Johan Strange

_______________________________

MCSE, MCSA + Messaging, CompA+

 

Logic42 Computer Solutions - The answer to everything

 

 

 

"Jim in Arizona" wrote:

> Following the steps on this KB:

> http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/b41402c2-c982-4bfb-891e-91b47f211e181033.mspx?mfr=true

>

> I created a share that my account has full access to:

> \\DS1\profiles\jsmith

>

> I access the jsmith account in active directory users and computers and

> under the profile tab, in the Profile path text box I put:

> \\DS1\profiles\jsmith

>

> This is all fine and good but I find that I cannot copy or change the type

> of my profile on the windowx xp machine. Right now its set to type Local and

> the Roaming type radio button is grayed out so I can't select it.

>

> I logged into the local windows XP machine as the local admin and the domain

> admin and I get the same results in both cases: the Roaming profile radio

> button is not accessable.

>

> To get to the area I mention above on the windows xp machine, I go to

> properties of My Computer, then click on the Advanced tab, then the Settings

> button under User Profiles, then select the account domain\jsmith. The only

> button available (not grayed out) is Change Type. I click that and the Local

> Profile is the onyl option not grayed out and is currently selected.

>

> Any ideas?

>

> TIA,

> Jim

>

>

>

Guest Jim in Arizona
Posted

Re: Roaming Profiles

 

 

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

<lanwench@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote in message

news:O91M5N7$HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>

>

> Here's my boilerplate on roaming profiles -

>

> General tips:

 

<SNIP>

> * Keep your profiles TINY. Via group policy, redirect My Documents at the

> very least - to a subfolder of the user's home directory or user folder.

> Also consider redirecting Desktop & Application Data similarly..... so the

> user will have:

>

> \\server\home$\%username%\My Documents,

> \\server\home$\%username%\Desktop,

> \\server\home$\%username%\Application Data.

>

> Alternatively, just manually re-target My Documents to

> \\server\home$\%username% (this is not optimal, however!)

>

 

I do not know where I would set each one of those individually. I see that

there's an area in ADUC, in the Profiles window, where it says Home

Folder/Local path:. Is that where the path to My Documents would go?

 

All the other information you gave me was great and it appeard to work as

expected. I'm still unable to change the profile setting on my current

machine from Local to Roaming, as it is still grayed out. That's ok though

as I won't be needing a roaming profile myself.

 

Thanks!

Jim

Guest Jim in Arizona
Posted

Re: Roaming Profiles

 

 

"Johan Strange" <JohanStrange@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:F07A3175-739F-498A-8DF1-1FEFCCA66786@microsoft.com...

> Hi,

>

> On the profiles path on the user object in ADUC type the path to the RUP

> share but instead of typing the user name use the %username% variable.

> This

> will create the dir with the correct permissions.

>

> e.g. \\server\share\%username%

>

> Hit ok and watch what happens.

>

> --

> Johan Strange

> _______________________________

> MCSE, MCSA + Messaging, CompA+

>

> Logic42 Computer Solutions - The answer to everything

>

 

Thanks Johan. Your info was very helpful!

 

Jim

Guest Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]
Posted

Re: Roaming Profiles

 

Jim in Arizona <tiltowait@hotmail.com> wrote:

> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

> <lanwench@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote in

> message news:O91M5N7$HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>>

>>

>> Here's my boilerplate on roaming profiles -

>>

>> General tips:

>

> <SNIP>

>

>> * Keep your profiles TINY. Via group policy, redirect My Documents

>> at the very least - to a subfolder of the user's home directory or

>> user folder. Also consider redirecting Desktop & Application Data

>> similarly..... so the user will have:

>>

>> \\server\home$\%username%\My Documents,

>> \\server\home$\%username%\Desktop,

>> \\server\home$\%username%\Application Data.

>>

>> Alternatively, just manually re-target My Documents to

>> \\server\home$\%username% (this is not optimal, however!)

>>

>

> I do not know where I would set each one of those individually.

 

Via group policy - see

http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2004/08/24/folder_redirect.html

and

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/ab9f7e44-afbf-415e-ade1-94aaf2392ca11033.mspx

for starters.

 

Try posting in m.p.windows.group_policy for more expert help with GP stuff.

> I see

> that there's an area in ADUC, in the Profiles window, where it says

> Home Folder/Local path:. Is that where the path to My Documents would

> go?

 

Not necessarily. You don't have to use home directories.

>

> All the other information you gave me was great and it appeard to

> work as expected. I'm still unable to change the profile setting on

> my current machine from Local to Roaming, as it is still grayed out.

> That's ok though as I won't be needing a roaming profile myself.

 

They're handy to have, esp. if you need to replace your workstation - even

if you never roam.

>

> Thanks!

> Jim


×
×
  • Create New...