Cannot get folder redirection to work with xp-clients on Windows server 2008

Perhaps I should mention it, before someone asks about it, that I did mark the alternative in the settings tab of the GP: "Also apply redirection policy to ...windows XP... etc.

I think this may have something to do with

Group Policy Preference Client Side Extensions for Windows XP

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=E60B5C8F-D7DC-4B27-A261-247CE3F6C4F8&displaylang=en

you may want to read these also:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc787939.aspx

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/954372

Thanks for the advice! I will try out the xp-extension as soon as I get home from work.

Client Side Extensions will not help here. They will only add support for the new Group Policy Preferences feature. Folder Redirection is a feature which has always been in Windows and Group Policy as far back as I can remember, so adding the GPP Extensions will not help here.

andre_st,

I suspect the problem is related to the fact you are configuring this from a Server 2008 server. First of all, bear in mind that while the majority of the folders in a Vista/Server 2008 User Profile can be redirected, the same does not apply to XP, Server 2003 or earlier clients. The only folders which can be redirected on these clients are Application Data, Desktop, My Documents (to include 'My...' Videos, Pictures, Music etc.) and the Start Menu. If you are redirecting any other folders in Group Policy, these will not, and cannot, be redirected unless you have Vista workstations.

For the other 4 folders, I would first suggest you go back to the Group Policy where you set the Redirection, view the Redirection properties and then go to the 'Settings' tab. Check the third checkbox down, which says something to the effect of "Apply to XP, Server 2003 workstations". Read and agree to the warning message, then OK out and reboot your XP machine a few times before logging in to test.

Further, remember that if you want My Documents redirection to work properly, the Videos, Pictures and Music folders should be set on the Redirection properties to "Follow the My Documents folder", and also have that checkbox checked if it is not disabled.

Let me know how you get on,

-tigermatt

I was aware of the difference between which folders vista and xp can redirect. Therefore I only redirected the crucial folders like: desktop and My Documents.

Perhaps I was a bit unclear in my second post in this thread, but I have allready tried your suggestion. I.e. : "view the Redirection properties and then go to the 'Settings' tab. Check the third checkbox down, which says something to the effect of "Apply to XP, Server 2003 workstations". Read and agree to the warning message,"

The installation of "Group Policy Preference Client Side Extensions for Windows XP" did not work - as "tigermatt" suspected.

I came across a thread in a forum the other day, where there was a similar problem. The solution in that case was to add the OU in the "authenticated users" group. Could that be the issue here? That for some reason the xp-machine has different setting, that wont allow it to communicate with the GP-agent?

Quite frankly, I have been trying to find ways to add the user, or the computer to a group called "authenticated user", but I cant find out how its done... :-P

I cant find the group when using the tab "member of", then chosing all objects and searching. A whole bunch of "built in security principals" and "groups" turns up - but none with the name of "authenticated users".

At the moment, the user account which I am testing with is a member of "domain users", and the xp-machine is a member of "domain computers". Shouldnt that be enough?

At this stage, you'd be best running "rsop.msc" from your XP workstation and checking to see whether the Folder Redirection policy is actually listed in the Folder Redirection section.

Also, verify that your DNS server on the XP workstation is set to the IP of your DC, and nothing else.

-tigermatt

Geezz, I dont know whether to cry or laugh... because this is rather embarrassing ;-)

As I mentioned earlier, I am setting this up as testing environment, and somewhere in the process I forgot to change back to the correct DNS adress on the xp-client.

What had me looking for the wrong solution, was the fact that although I had the wrong ipadress all along for the DNS, I could still log in to active directory...I had no problems connecting to shared foldes and such on the server. I didnt think that was possible with a client using a faulty adress!?

Thanks alot for your advice - If it werent for you I would still be looking with my head buried down in the sand...

Kind regards,

André

André,

Thank you for your kind words, and it's good to hear that the DNS server change fixed the problem!

-Matt