Issue with offline availability of roaming profiles in Server 2012

I've recently stood up a Windows 2012 R2 server. I set up folder redirection using the guidelines here and roaming profiles using Group Policy. All is well except for the fact that if the client is physically disconnected from the network then the profile isn't available.

I've set up folder redirection/roaming profiles on many different version of Windows Server and this is the first time I can remember that the files weren't available offline without further intervention from me. Is there some new setting or default on 2012 R2 that I'm running afoul of?

I note the following screen on the share properties but don't want to go at it until I know more

Share props

Location of image in case of no d
January 14th, 2015 12:23am

Hi,

With using roaming profile, when network is disabled, user will fail to logon his/her profile - instead, user will logon a temp profile (a message will displayed in bottom right corner).

Profile will not be offline cached so I assume previously when you can logged on with disabled network, roaming profile is not configged but only Folder Redirection.

I suggest that in current situation, you can still not use roaming profile but only Folder Redirection and redirect all folders to server. By default Offline Files will be enabled on redirected folders and users can still logged on a local account, with everything redirected to server. When network is disabled, redirected folders are working offline and will be synced when network is connected. 

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January 14th, 2015 12:11pm

Shaon,

Many thanks for your reply but this is not what's happening in my experience. If I log on while physically (or wirelessly) connected to the network the everything's fine.

If, while logged on, I disable the network (either through the notification area icon or by pulling the cable) the profile ceases to be available as shown in the screenshot below.

I've set up folder redirection/roaming profiles on many different version of Windows Server and this is the first time I can remember that the files weren't available offline without further intervention from me. Is there some new setting or default on 2012 R2 that I'm running afoul of?

January 14th, 2015 2:20pm

Hi,

Sorry for the delay in reply.

The situation you descripted is different as mine - in your case the network is disconnected "after" user logged on.

As you said at that time, redirected folders should be offline automatically.

Actually "redirected folders will enable Offline Files automatically" is also controlled by group policy. So let's check if a policy is set (or not set, conflict etc).

1. First please check if issue persists with a reboot - if it is the first logon, offline copy may not be synced yet.

2. Then please see if computers in same OU as this server has the same issue. 

3. If more than 1 group policies applied to that computer, please check policies in this article:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759721(v=ws.10).aspx

Specifically check if following 3 items are configged:

Action on server disconnect
Non-default server disconnect actions
Do not automatically make redirected folders available offline

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January 20th, 2015 12:24pm

Shaon,

No problem at all, I'm delighted that someone is answering at all! :-)

The answers to your points/questions are as follows:

1. The issue persists after a reboot

2. All computers in the OU are experiencing this issue along with all users affected by these group policy items

3. There is only one group policy applied here and in relation to the three items you've mentioned:

Action on server disconnect [Not configured]
Non-default server disconnect actions [Not configured]
Do not automatically make redirected folders available offline [Not visible]

All the relevant group policy objects (on the server) are at their default "Not configured" value. I've filtered by Windows 7 and Windows 8 as I have nothing below that. I've checked both locations viz.:

  • Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files
  • User Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files

The same is true for Local Computer Policy, all are set to "Not configured". In Explorer on the client under the Easy Access option all of the salient settings are greyed out.

- Derek

January 20th, 2015 1:20pm

Hi Derek,

Then it is strange - it is not changed that Offline Files will be enabled automatically once on Folder Redirection folders. 

If it is not caused by group policy, will it be caused that any admin happens to disable it by mistake?

You can enable Offline Files on one of such folders such as Desktop, reboot a client to see if issue will come back - if it come back, it should still be caused by policy (or script?) as settings are changed back.

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January 22nd, 2015 6:20am

Shaon,

Thanks for your reply! On one of the clients I logged in as a local admin and navigated to the profiles folder. There is no "Always Available Offline" option on the context menu of any network folder. Under "Easy Access" on the toolbar all the relevant options are greyed out as shown below:

January 22nd, 2015 3:51pm

Hi,

That is caused by your first screenshot - it is not allowed to enable Offline Files on server side so that option is grayed out. In order to allow clients enable Offline Files, it should be at least the first option (only the files and programs xxx).

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January 27th, 2015 5:24am

Shaon,

No, this does not fix the issue at all. I was giving this some time to see if there was something up with the file caching.

I'm going to change it to the third option now ("All files and programs...") and report back in a day or so

- Derek

February 2nd, 2015 5:51am

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