Redirecting of desktop using GPO from server 2003/2008 won't work

Petepodge · 24 May 2011

Hey there guys,

I'm running a 2003 and 2008 server the 2003 is the primary DC. Most of our PC's are XP and were testing 2 windows 7 machines.

The desktops and some shared drives were stored on a nas box but it was unstable so I shifted the desktops and some public shares to a server on one of the DC's.
I redirected the shares using netlogon scripts and they took fine on all computers XP and win7, the desktops were redirected using Group policy, all the XP machines took the redirection, a few needed the users to be reset though. The issue I'm having is with the 2 windows 7 PC's, they have taken the shares but not the desktops. The desktops were working before.
I have tried deleting the users and login in again, I have also tried to remove the regedit policies but no success. I have even taken the PC off the domain and put it back on with no success.
The same users log in fine on the XP PC's and get the desktop.

Any help would be appreciated.

TCG · 24 May 2011

I believe what you are referring to is your roaming profiles aren't being pulled down onto the windows 7 machines? If that's the case, this is expected behavior if you haven't set it up yet. The configuration for roaming profiles for a windows 7 machine is not the same as it has been in the past and requires a few extra steps. Also of note, a users XP profile will not push down to a 7 machine and vice versa. If they'll be logging in to both 7 and XP machines, they'll need two different roaming profiles created and maintained. One for XP, and one for Win7.

Petepodge · 24 May 2011

But the win 7 computers were redirecting to the old location on the nas box, it's only since I changed the location that it has stopped working, now I just get a temporary desktop. All settings are the same just the location is different.

TCG · 24 May 2011

OIC. Sorry I misunderstood you a bit. Do the users have permissions to the new locations where their profiles are stored? Perhaps the paths are correct but the perms are off?

Petepodge · 24 May 2011

The permissions are set the same as before, and the XP machines have no issues redirecting. Well there was a problem for some XP machines as the user profiles were trying to redirect the desktop to the old nas location, but after removing the old profiles and forcing the GPO update they came good. I tried this for the win 7 machines and it didn't work. Just got a temp desktop.

TCG · 24 May 2011

If you do a fresh "test" user on a Win7 machine, does the roaming profile create itself and work? Just curious if a fresh/new profile finds the proper network location and creates itself properly. Based off what you are saying it would seem to me to be one of 2 things, permissions or pathing. Sounds to me like you're on the right track for sure, might just need to keep digging.

Petepodge · 24 May 2011

Ok. Ill have a go in the morning, thanks for the quick response, keep you posted

TCG · 24 May 2011

Indeed. Definitely post back here if you make any progress, I'd like to hear how it goes :)

Armoth · 24 May 2011

make sure you also turn on advanced sharing setting such as 1. network discovery
2. File and printer sharing 3. Public Folder Sharing and they are found under network and sharing center in control panel

Petepodge · 26 Jul 2011

Sorry it's been a while, got side tracked with too many things.
Still not working even with a fresh test profile.
Sharing is on too.