Enable Folder redirection (My Documents) and Offline Files/synchronize Enables! I want absolutely NO offline/synchronize.

Ok, here it is. I bought this service today to test out my problem here in Windows I have spent over 40 hours working on, it is driving me absolutely nuts. I am going to try and document in detail all the goodies, please help!


Windows 2003 Server as domain controller running active directory with Windows XP SP1 clients connecting to it, all on a single domain. I have about 1200 students and 100 staff accounts in active directory and 450 computers broken down into labs.

Here is my goal... I want to extend my group policies for the students so that the My documents folder on the local machine is redirected to their own user folder on a server and have it updated in real-time...no syncronization or offline files gestappo or caching or buffering.

What I have completed... I have each user in active directory have their own home folder. On the users properties, under profile I have a Home Folder via the Connect (z:) then path \\server\share. What this does as far as I can see is when the user logs into any computer via their account, it maps the drive Z: right to their \\server\share\userfolder and it has all their goodies (files) inside it. Very nicely done, no hassles.

...continue...I have then edited their group policy for students on folder redirection on My Documents. I have chosen a "Basic-Home directory" method. User logs in, the my documents points to their home directory...also the same as the Z drive. Here is my problem...it puts offline files/synchronize icons on all the z:-my documents folders/files and syncs up at logoff. I do not want this.

Problem...Ok, so there is Offline files Group Policy for computer AND user and they have lots of options. I have tried simple combos and extensive set all options to not allow/show offline files and it still wont stop syncing. I even did some slow link detection overrides because supposively it has some factors in making stuff go offline. I have spent over 40 hours working on different setups and options trying to make it quit. The closest I have come is to have the offline files icons not show up on files/folders...but when i log off the stuff syncs up anyways (ahhh!) and I am absolutely sure i chose not to sync up when logging off. I have done numerious setups from doing only 1 option to config all, i am going nuts now. No one has been able to help me so far.



also a problem...it appears that offline files and crap sticks right onto the computer I use and wont change when i change out a policy or user. So i can do a simple change (such as hide Run in start menu), and the policy updates fine to reflect that change...but not for offline files options. How i am getting around this to make sure my policy is spankin new... I have a 10 computer lab and a clean xp ghost image that I use. I log in once to seee new policy settings on a computer, then log off and re-ghost it with a new image. That way I am super shure the computer isnt tainted. I dont know why, but it appears that only the offline options stick to the computer even after deleting the folder in c:\documents and settings and I have to reghost it. Other stuff like i say hiding Start/run or ctrl alt delte-log off/processmonitor/lock comptuer take effect immediately when i update policy.

plz help!