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Network Drive GPO's not applied (Empty GPO)

I am trying to map some network drives using a GPO on an SBS2008 server. I have linked the GPO within the SBSUsers OU under which all our users reside. I have enforced it and assigned is permission for Domain Users.

However it never runs and maps the network drives . I have run a GPResult on a workstation logged in as a standard user, and i am getting a message stating empty GPO (GPO Denied).

I have checked the GPO settings and it is displaying the mapped drives, so they are definitely there.

Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

Gareth

gazzer1982

ASKER

Actually i have just rechecked the GPO's results, it is actually applied under User. However it still isn't mapping the drive, i have tried mapping it manually and that works, so i can't see it being a permission issue.

Any Ideas?

Asif Bacchus

I usually do this by executing a logon script (User Configuration > Windows Settings > Scripts (Logon/Logoff) > Logon) that calls a batch file or VBScript to map the drives. Would that work in your situation? If you need more details, I'd be happy to help further.

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gazzer1982

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Asif Bacchus

Mapping drives does not require an MSI of any form and really should be done in a LOGON script as opposed to a STARTUP script since that would allow for different groups of users to have different mappings (ie. administrator vs manager vs user, etc.). The fact that the GPO was denied (as per GPResult) means that it is probably a simple permissions issue with your GPO. I think you should check into this issue more but if you are satisfied with a startup script as described then I'm glad you found a solution that works for you.

gazzer1982

ASKER

No mapping drives does not require an MSI when creating them with a logon script, however i am using the new GPO's in Server 2008 to create them, and these do not work unless you have updated the client side GPO profiles.

The installer for the profiles does not come as an MSI, Microsoft only supply it via an exe, hence the comment about it being a PITA that there is no MSI available.

Asif Bacchus

If it helps, you can easily deploy the EXE file via a startup script to all the machines in the domain and then the GPO should apply.

gazzer1982

ASKER

Yeah this is what i have done, now it all works perfectly. Very annoying that that update is not mentioned anywhere in MS SBS2008 documentation, or in the migration guide!

Not that i am massively surprised!!