Folder Redirection Broken in SP3?

[harryjohnston]

For what it's worth, I can confirm that folder redirection (both My Documents and Desktop) is working under SP3 in my domain - this is on my test box, I haven't deployed SP3 to production yet.

You say you've tried a clean install, so I assume you've tested it with no third party software present, in particular anti-virus and other security software? (I've seen a number of problems with SP3 tracked to security software.)

Have you tried using a fully qualified server name in the path, i.e., \\student.yourdomain.whatever\students\etc? I've found in the past that using unqualified server names tends to be less robust.

[FrankB]

I'm having the same problem as neon068. After SP3, a local "My Documents" folder is always created even though a GPO is in effect to redirect the folder to a mapped network drive. Since the user doesn't have access to the C: drive, the user will get an error when opening the "My Documents" folder.

[neon068]

I finally got this escalated to Premier support. I'll let you guys know what I come up with. And please, let me know if you figure anything else out.

Nate

[NormW]

I also have this problem on the first two computers I loaded sp3 on. The first I installed sp2 on top of a xp sp2 somputer; the second was a clean install from a xp cd (sp3 slipstreamed into xp sp2). We also redirect the users my documents to a network (novell) drive. Please post the solution when you receive it, it will be much appreciated.

[neon068]

*FIX FOUND*

After spending countless hours on the phone with Microsoft. I believe I have come up with a couple different fixes/work-a-rounds.

1. Replace %system32%\fdeploy.dll with the one found in SP2. This will solve all folder redirection issues pertaining to this post.

or

2. Make sure the users' profiles' folder structure has a "Desktop", "My Documents", and any other folder that you use redirection with. The fdeploy.dll that comes with SP3 handles folder redirection differently and will error out if the profile does not have those folders.

If you can, please post how you have your folder redirection set up and how it was fixed.

Nate

[Octopuss]

It still must depend on individual configurations, because redirection works here like a charm...

[matthewjtrotter]

Just to add insult to injury,

You may remember back in 2004 when NVIDIA released a shady series of display drivers that were causing the user profile to load twice on log in, and then not unload correctly on log out.

Then, ATI hired a whole pile of Ex-NVIDIA programmers and sure enough, the ATI drivers started doing the same thing.

Case in point, the 2008 Dell Latitude D531 Laptops with Vista and ATI display drivers do not properly load the user profile and cause problems, which is why the MS guy led you in that direction. Removing or upgrading the driver fixes the profile problems. This has been plaguing Vista installations.

So you may laugh, but that tech actually knew something you didn't.

[Octopuss]

But it's still pretty ridiculous, hence the reaction...

[BlackTux]

*FIX FOUND*

After spending countless hours on the phone with Microsoft. I believe I have come up with a couple different fixes/work-a-rounds.

1. Replace %system32%\fdeploy.dll with the one found in SP2. This will solve all folder redirection issues pertaining to this post.

or

2. Make sure the users' profiles' folder structure has a "Desktop", "My Documents", and any other folder that you use redirection with. The fdeploy.dll that comes with SP3 handles folder redirection differently and will error out if the profile does not have those folders.

If you can, please post how you have your folder redirection set up and how it was fixed.

Nate

You can also adjust your GPO.

"Uncheck the "Move the contents of My Documents to the new location" option in the GPO (which is enabled by default on a new GPO). Once the GPO change has replicated to all sites, have the client logout and log back in and verify the results."

Found here

[comingclean224]

I registered for this forum solely to say that this fix WORKS. After months of frustration, folder redirection is finally working again!

Copy %windir%\$NtServicePackUninstall$\fdeploy.dll to %windir%\system32.

I wish this would be fixed so I wouldn't have to patch each computer individually.

(ps I never register for forums, so you can tell how grateful I am!)

ALSO

I can confirm that BlackTux's group policy fix solves this problem for ALL computers in the domain in one fell swoop. I restored my SP3 version of fdeploy.dll, made the group policy change that he suggested, and all the sudden folder redirection is working perfectly everywhere. THANK YOU.

Edited November 20, 2008 by comingclean224

[Jiser757]

I registered for this forum solely to say that this fix WORKS. After months of frustration, folder redirection is finally working again!

Copy %windir%\$NtServicePackUninstall$\fdeploy.dll to %windir%\system32.

I wish this would be fixed so I wouldn't have to patch each computer individually.

(ps I never register for forums, so you can tell how grateful I am!)

ALSO

I can confirm that BlackTux's group policy fix solves this problem for ALL computers in the domain in one fell swoop. I restored my SP3 version of fdeploy.dll, made the group policy change that he suggested, and all the sudden folder redirection is working perfectly everywhere. THANK YOU.

Having problems with this. Fdeploy automatically replicates once deleted to the sp3 version found in dll cache. Try to change that one in the dll cache and it doesn't like that either. Anyone offer any advise or experiance here?