Windows 8 Windows 8.1, Microsoft 2003 server, and folder redirection problems

mrpush

New Member
Hi,

Sys: Windows 8.1 Pro clients attached to MS 2003 server domain. (yes I know its best to have a higher win server version with 8.1, but i do not have that currently)

Ok, so the problem is that roaming profiles and folder redirection work but on only SOME of the windows 8.1 clients!!!!

How can these both work fine on only SOME of my essentially identical workstations?

I realize that I need different Profile types for the different OS's. I have applied the V4 registry edit and created a V4 default profile in my sysvol directory on the DC so that the workstations get a proper V4 starting profile.

All PC's are in same OU container.

My GPO's for roaming profiles and folder redirection have not changed from my XP workstations, Windows server 2003 domain controller.

So I create a new user, and log into one of the win8.1 client machines on my local lan. Wow, profile works, V4 created in the profile share, redirection works perfectly. So I log out. I then remote to an identical PC across my wan. Log in as same user and it works fine, get the redirected desktop, and profile. But now the fun begins. I log out to complete the profile "swap" back to the server. I try to log back in and the disaster starts. (Yes, I have triple checked my permissions on all shares etc.)

I get the "DESKTOP cannot be loaded error". Logs show REDIRECTION SUCCESSFUL for my desktop!!! What the?

I have received the "redirection gpo not applied till next login" log, but it is intermittent. Its like the OS does does not know it nose from its butt! How can my desktop be redirected successfully and I get a message that my DESKTOP IS NOT AVAILABLE?

So I go back to my local lan machine and try logging in as this same user, IT WORKS FINE OVER AND OVER AGAIN!

Does anyone have any clue how I can get my roaming profiles and folder redirection to work normally with my Win8.1 clients on my MS 2003 domain server?

I think I've blow a gasket on this one.

Thanks much,

Mark
 
Hi,

I found a solution.

My problem was I could log into several local windows 8.1 workstations as user A fine, but when i tried to log in to identical workstations over my wan, i would get errors, this being the most common: "Desktop is unavailable. If the location is on this PC, make sure the device or drive is connected..."

attachment.php


The GPO's all said they applied and the event logs said "folder redirection successful" for desktop etc.

The solution is a registry edit found here, the problem is with offline file cache:

Windows 8 Folder Redirection/offline files not working

The instructions for re-initializing the offline file cache on Windows 8 are pretty much the same as they were for Vista / Windows 7:
  1. Right-click in the bottom-left corner, select Run and enter regedit in thebox, and then press ENTER.
  2. Locate the following registry subkey, and then right-click it: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\CSC
  3. Point to New, and then click Key.
  4. Type Parameters in the box.
  5. Right-click Parameters, point to New, and then click DWORD (32-bit) Value.
  6. Type FormatDatabase, and then press ENTER.
  7. Right-click FormatDatabase, and then click Modify.
  8. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
  9. Exit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer.
Best regards,
Simon.


This did the trick for me, well, after I did a million other things. I hope there is no "combination" that finally fixed it. I will test on another machine and if so will report back.


Thanks,

Mark
 

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Thank you very much for posting back and updating your thread with your solution.
And thanks for taking the time to join our community and sharing your work.
Regards
Randy
 
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