Offline Files Problem

It's greyed out because you have used group policy to enforce it - meaning the user cannot change the setting. A way around this would be to use a logon script that adds the registry key enabling offline files, but then users would still be able to disable offline files if they needed.

Well, initially it sounds more like you've set a policy that applies to some users you don't want it applying to - If that's the case, you may want to think about ways of stopping the policy from applying to those users, such as creating a new OU for users that want offline files enabled, and only applying that policy there.

Another thing to consider, is that all redirected folders have offline files enabled by default. So I'd need to know if you're using folder redirection (such as redirecting users My Documents folders to a server location), as there is a separate GPO setting involved in stopping that from happening.

Also, you when you change the policy setting, are you giving it enough time to apply? i.e. If you make the change, then run a "gpresult" on one of the client PCs, does the policy still show as being applied?

Pete

Hello,

Thanks for the response.

I understand it's greyed out because of the policy but I thought there might be a way (still via group policy) to allow the user to check / or uncheck the box, for example, by changing the gpo setting to Not Configured, but it hasn't worked. I don't really want to go down the road of logon scripts just yet until I know for sure I can't achieve what I want to vi a gpo setting.

Ok, well to clarify - IF set through a GPO, there is no way for the users to circumvent this. The 'Not Configured' option would allow the users to choose whether to enable offline files. Having the policy setting set to either Enabled or Disabled would stop users being able to choose.

If you have previously had the setting set to 'Enabled', and have tried going back to 'Not Configured', I would suggest that the Enabled setting is still applying to the clients.

Is this policy setting in it's own group policy? If so, I would remove the link for the GPO (so that it doesn't apply to anyone at all), restart any test client PC, and run a "gpresult" (from command line) to see a list of the policies still applying. If the policy is still applying, you may need to wait a little longer and try again.

Once you're certain this policy is no longer applying, test offline files functionality again.

But as I've also stated above, if your policy also turned on folder redirection, this is a different matter... Can you clarify this?

Pete,

Thanks for responding.

Just so's there's no confusion. I have created a policy that's targeted specifically at laptop users in the OU to enable the use of offline files. Initially this is what the end users wanted but for some users it is causing confusion and now they want to be able to enable or disable it themselves.

We're not using folder redirection and yes, after double-checking the client I can confirm it's receiving its policy update from the DC.

Ok, so taking things from that point - What is the current state of the policy setting? Enabled or Not Configured?

The best way to avoid confusion here would be to 'unlink' the GPO completely, rather than change the settings (assuming this GPO has only these settings in, and not other required settings as well). I'm trying to find out if offline file policy settings are persistent or not in the meantime, but first things first - Stop that policy from applying to any clients, double check that it has stopped applying, then retest... :)

Pete

Hello Pete,

I've unlinked the policy and restarted the client. RSOP shows only the default domain policy applies but I've checked the 'Enable Offline Files' setting on the client and it's still greyed out. This is not what I thought would happen..like you,  I thought unlinking the policy would achieve the result I wanted i.e. make it manually configurable.

Mark

I have a feeling that these settings are persistent - There will be ways to 'undo' it though. Let me look into it and I'll come back to you asap!

Pete

Like I said you could always script it to enable offline files by default if this is predominately what you want users to use. Then they could still opt out of using it if they wanted to.

Have a look for the following reg key:

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\ Windows\NetCache\Enabled

It is an option, but until we get the current status resolved, it won't make any difference, as for some reason the policy setting 'Enabled' is still being applied, even though the policy itself has been removed.

Unless you can use a script to 'undo' the changes the original policy made?

Erm, you have tried refreshing the policy on the local machine right?

Start -> run:

gpupdate /force /boot

He's run gpresult and the policy is no longer listed as being applied... And that was after a foreground refresh cycle anyway!

Guys,

I'm going to have to concede that the setting is persistent once configured by policy and there doesn't appear to be a way around this. The alternative, as you've both  suggested seems to be :

(1) Unlink the policy
(2) Undo the original changes the policy made via a script. However, it looks like changing the setting of HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\ Windows\NetCache\Enabled from 0 to 1 or vice-versa just enables or disables the use of offline files. It doesn't resolve the problem of the setting being greyed out! I still have to figure out how to resolve this...any ideas would be appreciated!
(3) Enable Offline Files by default via a script and then the users can uncheck the box if they don't want the functionality.

Thanks for your assistance so far.

Mark

Pete - I didnt read Marks post saying that RSOP has already been run, sorry :)

Mark, reapply the policy you had but in the policy set 'Enable Offline Files' to be disabled, NOT not configured.

Then on the workstation run a gpupdate /force /boot and afterwards check the user can then change the setting and it is not greyed out. I have had problems in the past where I have applied a setting then later changed it to not configured and it has had no effect. I found the only way round it is to change the setting to the opposite of what you originally had and make sure the machine does a policy refresh. Changing the setting to not configured doesn't actually change the regkey on the machine, so even now you run RSOP and  no policies are applied the setting seems to remain.

Policy settings can sometimes remain even after the policy had been unlinked or set to not configured. This seems to be what has happened in your case Mark.

No worries JJClements!

I believe the same thing - Although I'm not sure that setting it to disabled will help? Since configuring it this way will actually explicity prohibit the use of Offline Files, I think the problem will be the same, except with Offline files disabled instead of enabled. Maybe it can't hurt to try anyway though?

I will give some thought on how to undo the effect the policy has had, hopefully there were will some simple reg hacks that can do the job, that can then be scripted to change the setting back to normal. After that, I don't believe any action will be needed, as by default (except on redirected folders) users can choose whether to enable this setting or not...

Bit of a silly issue really, you'd think someone would've thought of this and implemented a way around it, as they did with folder redirection! >:(

Anyway, I'm sure we'll get there one way or another!

Pete

Pete I totally agree. Since we both know group policies aren't cached I also think its going to be a few registry changes to undo any ill effects the policy has caused.

Believe it or not sometimes actually changing the policy setting to the opposite value, refreshing the policy (and then optionally changing it back to not configured) has worked for me. Why that happens though is a mystery!

Obviously every setting stored in registry can be changed, so offline files can be set to enabled or disabled in this case. I am yet to find how when the change is applied using a GPO the setting is greyed out in any UI it may appear in. Like you I'm guessing this a separate registry key or something.

Ive just had a quick look - Mark (only if changing the policy setting to the opposite value, running gpupdate and it not working) can you then check the following keys to see if they contain anything like the settings that could be causing the problems you are having:

HKCU & HKLM/Software/Policies
HKCU & HKLM/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Policies

I've been looking at this too, and I can't find any info on a reg key value that would set this back to default. The only thing I can think is that before anything is configured, maybe some of these keys don't actually exist? So maybe once the key is there, it has a value of enabled or disabled - To choose neither of these, perhaps deleting the key altogether is the answer?

I'm trying to find a PC that's never had offline files enabled whatsoever, to and comparing the related reg keys to see the differences. Having trouble finding such a PC though...

@ Mark - Here's a question for you, the policy you configured, were the settings configured under Comp Configuration or User Configuration? Offline files can be configured under both, and obviously the reg keys that are added/modified will be in completely different locations depending on which one you used...

Cheers!

Pete

Guys,

Firstly let me thank you both for taking the time to try and help me with this - it's much appreciated.

@JJ - just to clarify. I have already set 'Enable Offline Files'  to Disabled in the policy, restarted the PC (twice) and the result is that the option is unchecked but still greyed out.

@Pete - The setting 'Enable Offline Files' is configured in the Computer portion of the policy. We have settings enabled in the user portion of the policy and I've double-checked the ones that are configured and they are correct.

regards,
Mark

Mark,

Can you check the above registry keys and see if there is anything there resembling a setting for offline files.

No problem Mark! And never forget that especially with problems like this, we're learning as much as you by looking into it... :)

Ok, so hopefully you're using a relatively inconsequential PC that can be rebuilt if something gets messed up?

If so, can you try deleting the "Enabled" key altogether from -

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\NetCache

and

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\

It may be an idea to try deleting the second value on it's own first (the software\policies one), and seeing what affect that has. If nothing, try deleting the first key as well.

As it stands, I really don't think this will cause a problem, as I can select whatever I want to make available offline, and I have no "Enabled" key in either of these locations. I also found something stating that if the key exists, the option will be greyed out...

It's worth a try? Please let me know the results...

Pete

Well that's interesting, I honestly hadn't even considered looking at the perms on the keys themselves! Although that still doesn't quite sit right, as I'm sure that at no point in any default settings would a standard user have write permissions to these keys. Mine is a standard set up (with regards to OF anyway) and only admins and 'possibly' power users have this permission...

But either way, if that does the trick for you, and you're happy to go down that route, then who am I to question it! :)

Glad you found your answer!

Pete