Domain profile and Local Profile on Laptop
I need help getting my profile to work "correctly" on my laptop when it's not attached to our network.
This laptop is part of our Windows 2003 domain as is my account of course. When I'm in the office and attached to the network, my account points to my profile path on a server. When I'm out of the office and not attached to the network, my profile still looks for that path which leads to issues when I'm installing apps on the laptop, saving files that I thought would be synched (like OneNote notebooks), etc.
Can someone tell me what I'm missing or how I can adjust things to get my profile to point to the server when I'm logged onto the network and to point to my local machine when I'm not.
Thanks for the help.
This laptop is part of our Windows 2003 domain as is my account of course. When I'm in the office and attached to the network, my account points to my profile path on a server. When I'm out of the office and not attached to the network, my profile still looks for that path which leads to issues when I'm installing apps on the laptop, saving files that I thought would be synched (like OneNote notebooks), etc.
Can someone tell me what I'm missing or how I can adjust things to get my profile to point to the server when I'm logged onto the network and to point to my local machine when I'm not.
Thanks for the help.
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cclausen1,
Disregard my comment. I missed the part about the profile being on the server. The option I was suggesting was when your local profile for the domain needs to be accessible when you are off the domain. Sorry.
Offline files is the solution. Follow cyberlopez6's comments.
Disregard my comment. I missed the part about the profile being on the server. The option I was suggesting was when your local profile for the domain needs to be accessible when you are off the domain. Sorry.
Offline files is the solution. Follow cyberlopez6's comments.
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ASKER
BitsBytesandMore, I'm logging the local machine when I'm out ofthe office. I'm not using a VPN if that's what you mean. Thanks.
ASKER
cyberlopez6:
I'll read the article you refer to. If I cache my profile on the server, how will the cached profile and the only on myd laptop-synch? Does it make a difference that I also have a desktop PC what the office? Thanks.
I'll read the article you refer to. If I cache my profile on the server, how will the cached profile and the only on myd laptop-synch? Does it make a difference that I also have a desktop PC what the office? Thanks.
a process called 'mobsync' should be set to run at startup when you enable Offline Files. This process synchronizes files at login and logout. It also notices when a server location is/becomes unavailable and directs file requests to the offline copies. When the server is again reachable, it re-sync's and directs file requests back to the server location.
However, as I think this through, I'm thinking that your ntuser.dat (hkey current user registry hive) may be in use when mobsync runs and may fail to sync. Everything else will sync, but a Roaming Profile really is the way to go.
I would like to take a step back, and make sure I understand the issue.
1. Is the OS XP?
2. When you login while at home, do you change the 3rd field in the login box (beneath user name and password) to your Computer Name? or do you leave it with your office's Domain name? (this is what Bit's was after)
3. Do you get an error at login that says your profile can not be loaded?
However, as I think this through, I'm thinking that your ntuser.dat (hkey current user registry hive) may be in use when mobsync runs and may fail to sync. Everything else will sync, but a Roaming Profile really is the way to go.
I would like to take a step back, and make sure I understand the issue.
1. Is the OS XP?
2. When you login while at home, do you change the 3rd field in the login box (beneath user name and password) to your Computer Name? or do you leave it with your office's Domain name? (this is what Bit's was after)
3. Do you get an error at login that says your profile can not be loaded?
ASKER
cyberlopez6
1. The OS on my laptop is Windows 7; the servers I'm logging onto are running Windows 2003 and 2008.
2. I leave the office's Domain in the 3rd box when I'm logging on.
3. I don't get an error when my profile can't be loaded when I'm out of the office and logging onto the laptop locally.
1. The OS on my laptop is Windows 7; the servers I'm logging onto are running Windows 2003 and 2008.
2. I leave the office's Domain in the 3rd box when I'm logging on.
3. I don't get an error when my profile can't be loaded when I'm out of the office and logging onto the laptop locally.
Thank you cyberlopez6, I never got an answer to my question.... I'm still wondering if I didn't understand what he was asking...... I've been observing the answers and I'm still wondering why is it that he doesn't just use the local machine and sync the data changes with "offline files"....
Bits...
Bits...
Here,do some reading :
http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11184-0.html?forumID=39&threadID=192335
http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11184-0.html?forumID=39&threadID=192335
Basically this post :
Are roaming profiles configured on the domain at the office?
Is there a domain controller at home???
If not, there really is no "logging into" a network per se.
There are two types of logins that I am familiar with. Either you login to the domain, or you login to your local computer (This computer).
If you're logging into the domain, the user account is not a local aspect of that computer which means that you can create local users on your computer to handle all logins to the local computer (this computer) and add them to the Administrator group (Control Panel -> Administrator Tools -> Computer Management)
You should then have 2 separate folders for user profiles in your Documents and Settings folder on your laptop.
Are roaming profiles configured on the domain at the office?
Is there a domain controller at home???
If not, there really is no "logging into" a network per se.
There are two types of logins that I am familiar with. Either you login to the domain, or you login to your local computer (This computer).
If you're logging into the domain, the user account is not a local aspect of that computer which means that you can create local users on your computer to handle all logins to the local computer (this computer) and add them to the Administrator group (Control Panel -> Administrator Tools -> Computer Management)
You should then have 2 separate folders for user profiles in your Documents and Settings folder on your laptop.
cclausen1: when you login while at home, do you get the same desktop / icons / my documents as you do when you are in the office? or do you get a blank / default desktop?
Can you please provide specifics as to what steps you take to reproduce the problem, and what the symptoms are.
Can you please provide specifics as to what steps you take to reproduce the problem, and what the symptoms are.
ASKER
senad:
I understand logging on either to a local machine or a network. But if you logon to the network through a local machine, a user's profile is stored on the network and if you're not attached the network and you use the same username to logon to the laptop, your profile obviously isn't accessible.
To have an an accessible profile when you're detached from the network, you have have to log on locally. But then you have two profiles: one on the network and one on the laptop. We're operating in a mixed 2003/2008 environment and can't set up roaming profiles.
The real crux of it is: what is the best way to configure a laptop that is used when attached to a network 50% of the time so that files that are meant to be synched (such as OneNote files) can be synched?
I understand logging on either to a local machine or a network. But if you logon to the network through a local machine, a user's profile is stored on the network and if you're not attached the network and you use the same username to logon to the laptop, your profile obviously isn't accessible.
To have an an accessible profile when you're detached from the network, you have have to log on locally. But then you have two profiles: one on the network and one on the laptop. We're operating in a mixed 2003/2008 environment and can't set up roaming profiles.
The real crux of it is: what is the best way to configure a laptop that is used when attached to a network 50% of the time so that files that are meant to be synched (such as OneNote files) can be synched?
"But if you logon to the network through a local machine, a user's profile is stored on the network and if you're not attached the network and you use the same username to logon to the laptop, your profile obviously isn't accessible."
This is incorrect. It's not possible to redirect the entire profile to a network location. Even though you login to the Domain, your profile is always stored locally. Only Application Data, Desktop, My Documents, and Start Menu folders can be redirected using Folder Redirection usually through Group Policy. This is most likely what you are dealing with.
To resolve this you need to enable Offline Files. To do this you will need to be online. Browse to the redirected folder, right click on it and select "Always available offline". This should allow you to login with your domain account even when you are not connected to the network, without any issues.
i'm not aware of any reason a 2003/2008 mixed enviornment wouldn't support Roaming Profiles. It's really a function of the workstation, not the domain controller. This can be used in conjuction with Redirected Folders to reduce long login/logout times caused by a large Roaming Profile.
This is incorrect. It's not possible to redirect the entire profile to a network location. Even though you login to the Domain, your profile is always stored locally. Only Application Data, Desktop, My Documents, and Start Menu folders can be redirected using Folder Redirection usually through Group Policy. This is most likely what you are dealing with.
To resolve this you need to enable Offline Files. To do this you will need to be online. Browse to the redirected folder, right click on it and select "Always available offline". This should allow you to login with your domain account even when you are not connected to the network, without any issues.
i'm not aware of any reason a 2003/2008 mixed enviornment wouldn't support Roaming Profiles. It's really a function of the workstation, not the domain controller. This can be used in conjuction with Redirected Folders to reduce long login/logout times caused by a large Roaming Profile.
Unsubs..
Are you doing the "logon" into the local machine when you are at home? or are you trying to use the domain logon?
Bits ...