# Folder Redirection (previously Roaming Profiles) on SBS2008



## ssolv (May 28, 2008)

Hi,

Hope you can help. I'm having great difficulty getting 'Folder Redirection' to work on Small Business Server 2008. This used to be called "Roaming profiles" on previous server versions but I've read that the SBS2008 'Folder Redirection' is supposed to be easier.

The shared redirection folder on the server is \\IBM3400\RedirectedFolders and when I created a test user account called 'training1' on the server the corresponding folder was duly created in \\IBM3400\RedirectedFolders\training1. I can also see the shared folder \\IBM3400\RedirectedFolders\training1 from both our XP Pro test Workstations.

I've followed the SBS2008 instructions for Folder Redirection (below) to the letter.


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STEP 1: Run the "Redirect folders for user accounts to the server" task from the Users and Groups tab of the SBS Console to redirect the Desktop and My Documents.

STEP 2: Open up the "Group Policy Management Console" and edit the "Small Business Server Folder Redirection Policy". Expand down to: User Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Folder Redirection

STEP 3: Right click on the "Favorites" folder and select properties. On the Target tab, enter the following:

-Setting: Basic - Redirect everyone's folder to the same location
-Target folder location: create a folder for each user under the root path
Root Path: \\<SERVERNAME>\RedirectedFolders\<USERNAME> 

e.g. \\IBM3400\RedirectedFolders\training1 


STEP 4: On the Settings tab configure the following:

-Grant the user exclusive rights to Links: Checked
-Move the contents of Links to the new location: Checked
-(the third option should be greyed out)

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Here's what I've done on the test Workstation:-

I have two test Workstations with XP Pro installed. They have both joined the domain and can see the shared folder \\IBM3400\RedirectedFolders\training1.

I logged in to Workstation 1 as training1. The username and password were accepted. When Windows had loaded I created a test document and saved it in the 'My Documents' folder. I also created a jpeg file using Paint saying "This is the training account" and set this as the wallpaper. This jpeg was also saved in the 'My Documents' folder and would make it easy to see if the folder redirection was working when I log in as training1 on Workstation 2. I logged off Workstation 1 and thought this would be the point when the training1 profile would be copied from C:\Documents and Settings\training1 to \\IBM3400\RedirectedFolders\training1. They weren't.

So, I logged back in to Workstation 1 and went to Control Panel->System->Advanced->User Profiles->Settings and used the 'Copy To' button to copy the training1 profile to \\IBM3400\RedirectedFolders\training1. Sure enough when I look in \\IBM3400\RedirectedFolders\training1 on the server I could now see all the folders that make up the training1 user profile (but why didnt this happen when I logged off Workstation 1?).

I then logged in to Workstation 2 as training1 (more than three times as is required) but there's nothing in the My Documents folder, my icons dont appear and there is no wallpaper either. No settings for the training1 account are being copied over from the server. They do appear on Workstation 1 but thats because they are saved locally in C:\Documents and Settings\training1. Thats why I'm using two test workstations so I can be sure the roaming profile is really roaming!

On the Workstation's I've looked in Control Panel->System->Advanced->User Profiles->Settings for the training1 account and when I click on 'Change Type' it is set to "Local Profile". 'Roaming profile' is greyed out. However my PC at work is configured like this and my roaming profile works fine (although we use Server 2003 at work which is very different from SBS2008). When I wipe a PC at work and re-load Windows XP I just join the domain and when I login my profile appears with my wallpaper, icons, and My Documents etc. I dont have to do anything with the XP machine at work - it just gets my profile from the server when I log in and then copies it back to the server when I log off.

So why are these files not being copied over to WorkStation 2 when I log in as training1?

Why didn't Workstation 1 copy the profile to the server when I logged off?

Does the problem lie with the SBS2008 server?

What do I need to do to get the XP Workstation to load the user profile from the server?

I've tried everything and hate to be beaten. I don't post problems on here very often but I'm well and truly stuck with this.

I'd be very pleased to hear from anyone who has Folder Redirection working (roaming profiles) on Small Business Server 2008 and XP Workstations.


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