Unable to redirect "Documents" back to "My Documents"
On my server, running Server 2003, I have a GPO that redirects everyone Documents & Desktop to a Home share.
We want to reverse that and have all the Documents direct back to the local machine. I changed the GPO to "Redirect to local user profile path". On Windows XP machines, the change works fine and all documents go back to their local "My Documents" folder.
The problem is with all Windows 7 machines. Since MS was so BRILLIANT to change the name to "Documents", the GPO is trying to create a folder named "Documents" because it doesn't find one.
The error message we get with all Windows 7 machines is:
Failed to apply policy and redirect folder "Documents" to "C:\Users\bob\Documents".
Redirection options=0x80009221.
The following error occurred: "Can not create folder "C:\Users\bob\Documents"".
Error details: "This security ID may not be assigned as the owner of this object.
We want to reverse that and have all the Documents direct back to the local machine. I changed the GPO to "Redirect to local user profile path". On Windows XP machines, the change works fine and all documents go back to their local "My Documents" folder.
The problem is with all Windows 7 machines. Since MS was so BRILLIANT to change the name to "Documents", the GPO is trying to create a folder named "Documents" because it doesn't find one.
The error message we get with all Windows 7 machines is:
Failed to apply policy and redirect folder "Documents" to "C:\Users\bob\Documents".
Redirection options=0x80009221.
The following error occurred: "Can not create folder "C:\Users\bob\Documents"".
Error details: "This security ID may not be assigned as the owner of this object.
Perhaps creating a separate OU for the users or computers with Windows 7 and those with Windows XP, then just disable the GPO from the windows 7 OU or just block inheritance, depending on where you placed that GPO.
ASKER
That wouldn't apply as the old has been applied and thus now needs reversing. I believe the problem is with the GPO and the terminology of "Documents" and "My Documents".
try this out... the Vista section should work for your windows 7 machines.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222/
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222/
other than that you will more than likely have to do an "in place upgrade" (formerly known as a system repair). Just boot using a windows 7 dvd and do a system repair, that will resolve the issue for sure.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
What I think is the problem is, and according to the error message, the redirect is trying to create a folder named "Documents". In the folder structure in C:\Users\Bob there is a folder named "My Documents".
Per Johnb6767's advice, I gave "System" full control of the whol user profile directory (and sub directories) which is default on my other Windows 7 PCs. Tried to re-login and still the same error.
Per Johnb6767's advice, I gave "System" full control of the whol user profile directory (and sub directories) which is default on my other Windows 7 PCs. Tried to re-login and still the same error.
ASKER
I believe I have found the solution. I can not say with 100% confidence that this is the fix, as it may be a combination of the advice given here and the final step I did before it worked.
The fix, as simple as it sounds, was to DELETE the local "My Documents" folder. Because the files hadn't redirected back to the local profile, the Documents folder was emtpy and I felt safe deleting the folder.
Once I deleted the local "My Documents" folder, the user needed to login one additional time and BINGO it started copying the folders from the server share back to the local profile.
The fix, as simple as it sounds, was to DELETE the local "My Documents" folder. Because the files hadn't redirected back to the local profile, the Documents folder was emtpy and I felt safe deleting the folder.
Once I deleted the local "My Documents" folder, the user needed to login one additional time and BINGO it started copying the folders from the server share back to the local profile.
Interesting......
We are seeing the same behavior here as well. Has there been any updates or progress on this in the years since the initial post?
ASKER
Our company has moved on to Server 2008, and now server 2012 so we don't have this issue now. Re-reading my posts, I think deleting the local "My Documents" of on the desktop and letting the group policy create it before copying the files down from the server worked.
A good test would be to take a desktop that a user has NEVER logged into (but has files on the server) and see if their files get re-directed back to the local copy.
Or (and this may be a bit drastic) delete the local profile all together and reboot. As with any redirect group policy, you sometimes have to log on... wait a minute... log off, and finally back on for the policy to take affect.
Watch your Event Viewer each time you log on.
A good test would be to take a desktop that a user has NEVER logged into (but has files on the server) and see if their files get re-directed back to the local copy.
Or (and this may be a bit drastic) delete the local profile all together and reboot. As with any redirect group policy, you sometimes have to log on... wait a minute... log off, and finally back on for the policy to take affect.
Watch your Event Viewer each time you log on.