Redirection Problem

SBS 2003 R2 Standard.

I had redirection turned on. I did not like how it worked, so I created Home
drives manually, setup permissions and mapped a drive to the new location. A
script then copies various files form the client machines to the server when
a user logs on. This appears to be working, except for the following:

A. User logs on and opens Excel, the from within Excel, opens a document -
opens quickly.
B. User double-clicks a desktop shortcut to the same document and it takes
at least a minute to open.

I think it is related to the redirection getting messed up. If I disconnect
the drive mapped to their documents, the file will open quickly either way
(A or B). When the drive is mapped, and trying B it appears to be doing
something on the mapped drive, like looking for redirected files. This user
is connecting remotely via a DSL connection and is very noticeable.

When looking at the properties of a couple of these documents, the "start
in" folder was pointing to the old \\servername\username redirected file,
where the file no longer exists. I corrected this, but it does not help.

Excel is just an example, it does the same thing with Word, Adobe, or Access
documents.

Any ideas?

Larry
Wed Mar 26 17:42:30 PDT 2008

Hi:

Not sure I understand, but perhaps if you could explain what you did not
like about the built in Document Redirection, we could help you more.

--
Larry

Please post the resolution to
your issue so that all can benefit.


"GoodwinM" <mitchgoodwin@indy.rr.com> wrote in message
news:eF4QpZ5jIHA.484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> SBS 2003 R2 Standard.
>
> I had redirection turned on. I did not like how it worked, so I created
> Home drives manually, setup permissions and mapped a drive to the new
> location. A script then copies various files form the client machines to
> the server when a user logs on. This appears to be working, except for the
> following:
>
> A. User logs on and opens Excel, the from within Excel, opens a document -
> opens quickly.
> B. User double-clicks a desktop shortcut to the same document and it takes
> at least a minute to open.
>
> I think it is related to the redirection getting messed up. If I
> disconnect the drive mapped to their documents, the file will open
> quickly either way (A or B). When the drive is mapped, and trying B it
> appears to be doing something on the mapped drive, like looking for
> redirected files. This user is connecting remotely via a DSL connection
> and is very noticeable.
>
> When looking at the properties of a couple of these documents, the "start
> in" folder was pointing to the old \\servername\username redirected file,
> where the file no longer exists. I corrected this, but it does not help.
>
> Excel is just an example, it does the same thing with Word, Adobe, or
> Access documents.
>
> Any ideas?
>

J
Wed Mar 26 18:36:30 PDT 2008

GoodwinM

Sorry to answer question with questions, but:

1. When you removed redirection, did you clear the cache? In Control
Panel, select Folder Options. In the Offline Files tab, is Enable
Offline Files checked? If not, check it and click the View Files button
and make sure there are no broken links there. Uncheck the box, Apply
and restart the computer...or log off and then on as a different user
and then back.

2. Right click the shared folder on the server and select Properties.
In the Sharing tab, click the Caching button. What is the setting
there? Try changing it to 'not available off-line' and restart the
*client* computer.

Not sure what you mean by not liking how redirection worked. It
certainly seems like less maintenance than the steps you have to take to
do what you set up.

Joe

GoodwinM
Thu Mar 27 08:24:54 PDT 2008

Thanks for the reply -
The user is a 90 minute drive away, so this may take a couple of days to
work through. I preformed your step 1 while onsite. I just did step 2 on
the server side. I will have to either have the user start again, or go
onsite again.

I used the out of the box, generic redirection and there were a couple of
issues. I am sure there are other ways around this, but to me, this was the
best (read as I am more comfortable with)option. Why:

a. When users log off at the end of the day it was taking up to 30 minutes
to perform the sync. Not a good thing at the end of a long day. They would
sometimes just power off the machine.
b. It would choke trying to sync Outlook, Access, and other files
c. These folks log on to various machine and do not neccessarily want all
their documents stored on each machine they log on to. Some of the locations
are remote and they don't want to leave a trail of documents around. The
current process allows them to have acces to their files if they need them,
but does not copy any files to the machine to which they are logged on.
d. They wanted to prevent users from deleting any files from their user
folders. Kind of the 'Roach Hotel' concept - you can add, but never delete
these files. Not sure if this would have worked by changing permissions or
not. I am afraid it would have crippled the 'sync' process. The files are
then periodically archived to tape.
e. Doing it via a script on login, they can perform other work while the
copy is taking place, no waiting for a sync to complete.

As I learn more about how redirection works, and if there are other options
that address these issues, I would be happy to revisit the current process.
But for now, it appears to keep both management and the user community
happy. I am certainly open to your thoughts or suggestions.

"J. M. De Moor" <papajoe.nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:OnZLAs6jIHA.4664@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> GoodwinM
>
> Sorry to answer question with questions, but:
>
> 1. When you removed redirection, did you clear the cache? In Control
> Panel, select Folder Options. In the Offline Files tab, is Enable Offline
> Files checked? If not, check it and click the View Files button and make
> sure there are no broken links there. Uncheck the box, Apply and restart
> the computer...or log off and then on as a different user and then back.
>
> 2. Right click the shared folder on the server and select Properties. In
> the Sharing tab, click the Caching button. What is the setting there?
> Try changing it to 'not available off-line' and restart the *client*
> computer.
>
> Not sure what you mean by not liking how redirection worked. It certainly
> seems like less maintenance than the steps you have to take to do what you
> set up.
>
> Joe

GoodwinM
Thu Mar 27 08:26:32 PDT 2008

Thanks Larry - I added a bit of detail in my reply to J.M. DeMoor on the why
this was done.


"Larry Struckmeyer" <lstruckmeyer(at)mis-wizards(dot)com> wrote in message
news:ePVOzN6jIHA.6032@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Hi:
>
> Not sure I understand, but perhaps if you could explain what you did not
> like about the built in Document Redirection, we could help you more.
>
> --
> Larry
>
> Please post the resolution to
> your issue so that all can benefit.
>
>
> "GoodwinM" <mitchgoodwin@indy.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:eF4QpZ5jIHA.484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> SBS 2003 R2 Standard.
>>
>> I had redirection turned on. I did not like how it worked, so I created
>> Home drives manually, setup permissions and mapped a drive to the new
>> location. A script then copies various files form the client machines to
>> the server when a user logs on. This appears to be working, except for
>> the following:
>>
>> A. User logs on and opens Excel, the from within Excel, opens a
>> document - opens quickly.
>> B. User double-clicks a desktop shortcut to the same document and it
>> takes at least a minute to open.
>>
>> I think it is related to the redirection getting messed up. If I
>> disconnect the drive mapped to their documents, the file will open
>> quickly either way (A or B). When the drive is mapped, and trying B it
>> appears to be doing something on the mapped drive, like looking for
>> redirected files. This user is connecting remotely via a DSL connection
>> and is very noticeable.
>>
>> When looking at the properties of a couple of these documents, the "start
>> in" folder was pointing to the old \\servername\username redirected file,
>> where the file no longer exists. I corrected this, but it does not help.
>>
>> Excel is just an example, it does the same thing with Word, Adobe, or
>> Access documents.
>>
>> Any ideas?
>>
>
>

GoodwinM
Thu Mar 27 15:57:45 PDT 2008

The user claims to have performed step 1 items to no avail.
Any other suggestions?


"J. M. De Moor" <papajoe.nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:OnZLAs6jIHA.4664@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> GoodwinM
>
> Sorry to answer question with questions, but:
>
> 1. When you removed redirection, did you clear the cache? In Control
> Panel, select Folder Options. In the Offline Files tab, is Enable Offline
> Files checked? If not, check it and click the View Files button and make
> sure there are no broken links there. Uncheck the box, Apply and restart
> the computer...or log off and then on as a different user and then back.
>
> 2. Right click the shared folder on the server and select Properties. In
> the Sharing tab, click the Caching button. What is the setting there?
> Try changing it to 'not available off-line' and restart the *client*
> computer.
>
> Not sure what you mean by not liking how redirection worked. It certainly
> seems like less maintenance than the steps you have to take to do what you
> set up.
>
> Joe

Larry
Thu Mar 27 17:49:10 PDT 2008

Hi:

I will admit to being a bit lazy here, as I was certain you would hear from
Lanwench today.

You don't really have a Document Redirection problem, you have an Offline
Folders, or Synching problem.

You want document redirection, you don't want, at least imo, offline
folders. The first simply directs the desktop computer to place word,
excel, etc files in the folder of your choice, usually
\\sbs\users\user_name\users_documents

There is nothing going on that the user can detect, but after the first
move, all subsequent file opens, save, browsing, etc will be to the My
Documents folder in the new location.

An unfortunate consequence of the wiz in Server Management Backup, Redirect
Documents is that it enables Offline Files, which causes the issues your
having.

Better to create your own GPO to do the redirection, and another to prohibit
the synching.

If you have users with notebooks that must take them on trips, you can
enable offline files for them, but keep their family videos, music, photos,
utube, etc out of it.

--
Larry

Please post the resolution to
your issue so that all can benefit.


"GoodwinM" <mitchgoodwin@indy.rr.com> wrote in message
news:uzVt63FkIHA.5556@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> The user claims to have performed step 1 items to no avail.
> Any other suggestions?
>
>
> "J. M. De Moor" <papajoe.nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message
> news:OnZLAs6jIHA.4664@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> GoodwinM
>>
>> Sorry to answer question with questions, but:
>>
>> 1. When you removed redirection, did you clear the cache? In Control
>> Panel, select Folder Options. In the Offline Files tab, is Enable
>> Offline Files checked? If not, check it and click the View Files button
>> and make sure there are no broken links there. Uncheck the box, Apply
>> and restart the computer...or log off and then on as a different user and
>> then back.
>>
>> 2. Right click the shared folder on the server and select Properties. In
>> the Sharing tab, click the Caching button. What is the setting there?
>> Try changing it to 'not available off-line' and restart the *client*
>> computer.
>>
>> Not sure what you mean by not liking how redirection worked. It
>> certainly seems like less maintenance than the steps you have to take to
>> do what you set up.
>>
>> Joe
>
>

J
Fri Mar 28 13:02:23 PDT 2008

Larry Struckmeyer wrote:

>
> Better to create your own GPO to do the redirection, and another to prohibit
> the synching.
>

I am with Larry on this one. SBS is great most of the time (well since
version 2000 anyway) in that it has terrific wizards to do most of the
heavy lifting. I am not a Microsoft fan, but this is one of the things
they got right.

That said, as Larry suggests, it is worth learning to use GPOs if you
want more granular control over folder redirection.

Joe

J
Fri Mar 28 13:11:15 PDT 2008

First, consider Larry's suggestion on off-line files.

May be others have suggestions here...but if still have trouble I would
completely undo the setup you configured (make everything local). I
know this is considerable work, but I had a client that was on an old
Windows 2000 computer that wasn't behaving like the rest, so we backed
out of everything and started over. In addition, when everything is
local only, mass copy (not move) all the files in question to another
location on the hard drive, delete the originals, and then clear the
cache. (Restarting along the way.) Put the files back and reconfigure
your file redirect.

Joe

GoodwinM wrote:
> The user claims to have performed step 1 items to no avail.
> Any other suggestions?
>
>
> "J. M. De Moor" <papajoe.nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message
> news:OnZLAs6jIHA.4664@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> GoodwinM
>>
>> Sorry to answer question with questions, but:
>>
>> 1. When you removed redirection, did you clear the cache? In Control
>> Panel, select Folder Options. In the Offline Files tab, is Enable Offline
>> Files checked? If not, check it and click the View Files button and make
>> sure there are no broken links there. Uncheck the box, Apply and restart
>> the computer...or log off and then on as a different user and then back.
>>
>> 2. Right click the shared folder on the server and select Properties. In
>> the Sharing tab, click the Caching button. What is the setting there?
>> Try changing it to 'not available off-line' and restart the *client*
>> computer.
>>
>> Not sure what you mean by not liking how redirection worked. It certainly
>> seems like less maintenance than the steps you have to take to do what you
>> set up.
>>
>> Joe
>
>

GoodwinM
Sat Mar 29 13:21:49 PDT 2008

Well, I found the issue. Almost too embarrased to post it, but I have
learned something and it may save someone else a similar situation in the
future.

When I added the script to perform the copy, I also added a Drive letter
and Home folder path under the user profile. This essentially just changed
the way the files were being redirected back to the server. Once I removed
all the Home folder mappings, it worked as expected.

I agree with using a GP for this, and certainly agree with using the built
in wizards. However, sometimes they just don't do quite what is needed, and
I am currently not comfortable enough with GP to attempt this in a
production environment. I am sure I will revisit this issue again, once I
have a bit more knowledge and experience.

Thanks for your suggestions and assistance, it helped.


"J. M. De Moor" <papajoe.nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:%23Mjcn$QkIHA.1368@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> First, consider Larry's suggestion on off-line files.
>
> May be others have suggestions here...but if still have trouble I would
> completely undo the setup you configured (make everything local). I know
> this is considerable work, but I had a client that was on an old Windows
> 2000 computer that wasn't behaving like the rest, so we backed out of
> everything and started over. In addition, when everything is local only,
> mass copy (not move) all the files in question to another location on the
> hard drive, delete the originals, and then clear the cache. (Restarting
> along the way.) Put the files back and reconfigure your file redirect.
>
> Joe
>
> GoodwinM wrote:
>> The user claims to have performed step 1 items to no avail.
>> Any other suggestions?
>>
>>
>> "J. M. De Moor" <papajoe.nospam@nospam.net> wrote in message
>> news:OnZLAs6jIHA.4664@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> GoodwinM
>>>
>>> Sorry to answer question with questions, but:
>>>
>>> 1. When you removed redirection, did you clear the cache? In Control
>>> Panel, select Folder Options. In the Offline Files tab, is Enable
>>> Offline Files checked? If not, check it and click the View Files button
>>> and make sure there are no broken links there. Uncheck the box, Apply
>>> and restart the computer...or log off and then on as a different user
>>> and then back.
>>>
>>> 2. Right click the shared folder on the server and select Properties. In
>>> the Sharing tab, click the Caching button. What is the setting there?
>>> Try changing it to 'not available off-line' and restart the *client*
>>> computer.
>>>
>>> Not sure what you mean by not liking how redirection worked. It
>>> certainly seems like less maintenance than the steps you have to take to
>>> do what you set up.
>>>
>>> Joe
>>