%HOMESHARE% incorrect for Domain User in Windows 10

Hi there,

I'm currently testing Windows 10 in an environment with Windows Server 2012 R2 and 4 Windows 10 Pro 64 bit clients. All clients have been upgraded from Windows 7 Pro to Windows 10 Pro by disconnecting them from the domain and performing the upgrade with a Local Admin account. After the upgrade, I've re-added the clients to the domain.

In this environment, we use Roaming Profiles with Folder Redirection. As you can see below, the home folder for the user is mapped to drive P:

However, when the user logs in, no matter on which computer, drive P: goes to the following location:

\\server\UserData\Josephine.GE****

instead of

\\server\UserData\Josephine

I found that in the registry, %HOMESHARE% is set to the folder with suffix, instead of the one without suffix that I configured in this person's profile:

I can't find any errors in the Event Viewer, and to make things even more strange - the folder with suffix actually gets created on the server, but remains empty. All data that this user stores, goes to the folder without suffix.

The user has full access to the folder without suffix, so that shouldn't be the issue as well. Also, the user doesn't have an old folder in the C:\Users directory, which could have caused the suffix to be created. As you can see in the Registry screenshot above, the user just gets a "normal" folder in the C:\Users directory, without suffix.

Does anyone have an idea what causes this and how it can be fixed? I've been looking around these forums but can't seem to find a solution to this problem.

Thanks in advance!
Dennis

August 22nd, 2015 9:37pm

Hi Dennis,

although this reference is older, it still applies: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/269378

USERNAME.DOMAIN, will be created if there is already a user profile USERNAME.
In your case the USERNAME profile folder already existed, then domain-join, then USERNAME.DOMAIN was created for "Josephine" because USERNAME already existed.

Probably you could have avoided this issue, by not disjoining from the domain prior to upgrade.
(Win8 can preserve the domain-join secure-channel etc during client OS upgrade, and so can Win10)

You can also find some related discussion here: http://community.spiceworks.com/topic/311648-windows-7-recreating-user-profile-profilename-domain-or-profilename-domain-000

https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/504118-users-getting-username-domain-profile-instead-of-just-userprofile-why

So, you can edit the registry profile pointers on the machine, to re-align the user's profile/SID to the folder you wish.
Understand that some of the content (NTUSER.DAT) may have embedded security references to the domain-user-SID, but that should resolve ok, as long as you have not deleted/re-created the domain-user-acc

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August 23rd, 2015 12:54am

Hi Don,

Thanks for your reply. Really appreciate it.

I was aware that there could be an already existing user profile for Josephine, but I've deleted the profile using Advanced System Settings > User Profiles prior to re-joining the client to the domain, so that the Josephine.GEVELSCHADE folder shouldn't be created.

To be sure, I also checked these folders/registry items:

  • C:\Users\Josephine --> non-existent
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\[SID] --> no record for Josephine

So IMO, there shouldn't be anything that can conflict with Josephine's profile.

When I login with Josephine's profile, the user folder gets created at C:\Users\Josephine (without suffix), but the %HOMESHARE% variable is \\server\UserData\Josephine.GE****

So, no conflicting folders, no conflicting registry values, but the %HOMESHARE% variable is still incorrect.

I just tried to join a fresh Windows 10 machine (factory reset) to the domain and log in with Josephine's account. The %HOMESHARE% variable is correct there (\\server\UserData\Josephine).

Do you have any idea what causes the problem on the other machine? I really don't see anything that could be conflicting.

If we can't find a solution here, I'll simply wipe the whole machine and start from scratch. ;)

Thanks!
Dennis

August 23rd, 2015 11:55am

Hi,

In some cases, when logging out of the server and sending profile back to central store, a file is unable to unload and retains. However, to be honestly, it is hard to identify which part is wrong. Ive met similar cases caused by some Virtual machine tools which need delete all of extra remaining profile folders while server was isolated from users and registry entry from regedit.

As mentioned by Don, Probably you could have avoided this issue, by not disjoining from the domain prior to upgrade.

Following link has been mentioned by another similar thread. If it doesnt work, then simply wipe the whole machine and start.

The best way to delete the user profile from a domain joined Windows PC

http://www.fixedbyvonnie.com/2014/07/delete-user-profile-domain-joined-windows-pc/

Please note: Since the website is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Regards,

D. Wu

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August 27th, 2015 1:16am

Hi Deason,

Thanks for your reply.

I already tried the steps on the website you mentioned, and even tried the Delprof2 program. Unfortunately, even that didn't work.

I will simply wipe the particular machines, and will make sure that I keep machines domain-joined in the future. Some websites advised to disconnect from the domain in order to show the GWX program, but I'll simply use an ISO file for that now.

Thanks for the help again, highly appreciate it! :)

Dennis 

August 31st, 2015 4:12pm

Hi Deason,

Leaving a domain machine domain-joined before the upgrade indeed works perfectly.

So, for future reference, if you want to upgrade domain-joined machines from Windows 7/8.1 to Windows 10, do the following:

  1. Log in with a local administrator account. Do NOT disjoin the machine from the domain!
  2. Download the Media Creation Tool.
  3. Click "Upgrade the computer now".
  4. The rest should be clear. ;)

This only applies for companies who want to upgrade their machines (if they have only 5 machines, for example). Deploying a new image might be cleaner and more convenient in some situations.

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September 2nd, 2015 3:31am

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