We're experiencing slow browsing issues with Windows 7 (SP1) Folder Redirection to a DFS path. The users experience slowness of folder browsing when clicking on Documents via the Start Menu. But if you paste the same DFS path into a new explorer window, the experience is normal. It seems to be related to redirecting the Documents folder to a DFS namespace, because if we change the home folder path to a non-DFS path, i.e. direct to the filer share, there is no issue. Here's how we're setup. Each AD profile has the home folder set to Z: \xxx.domain.xxx\xx\DFSpath\ The GPO sets all users to redirect Documents to the %homeshare%%homepath% We also map the homeshare to Z:\, where users don't experience any slowness either. Note: We don't experience this issue with XP, only Windows 7. And we're not usng Offline Folders for desktops. When I ran a netmon, browsing via the Documents in the Start Menu is alot chatter than browsing via a new explorer windows. Is there anyone else experiencing this, and better yet, has someone come up with a resolution? Many thanks Michael

Hi, Thanks for the post. Based on my research, I found that the library need to index the files in it, but you have not enabled the Offline files feature so that this kind of delay occurs. I suggest you to enable Offline Files, then synchronize all the files for a test. Regards, Juke TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tnmff@microsoft.com. Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. ”

Hi, Any update? Regards, Juke TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tnmff@microsoft.com. Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Juke, We have enable Offline Files on our laptops, and we don't see this delay. So it does sound like it's something to do with Indexing and DFS? Because if we use the physical UNC path and not the DFS path, it's okay. Is there something I need to change to allow folder redirection to a DFS path without using Offline Files? Thank you Michael

Hi, Based on my research, if you do not want to enable Offline Files function, you cannot avoid this delay. Regards, Juke TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tnmff@microsoft.com. Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Juke, Just to confirm, are you saying the delay is by design in Windows 7? i.e if using Folder Redirection to a DFS namespace, and don't have Offline Files enabled, there will be a delay? As this setup works perfectly fine in Windows XP? Thanks Michael

Hi, Windows 7 has a new function named Library which needs index all the files in it so that Offline Files need to be enabled. You can take advantage of the Windows 7 Offline Files to further improve user productivity. Based on my experience, this also works prefectly in Windows XP. Regards, Juke TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tnmff@microsoft.com. Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Hi, Since To resolve this issue need Offline File function enabled, I will mark my reply as "Answered". If you have further question about it, please feel free to let me know. You may also choose to unmark this thread. Thanks for your understanding. Regards, Juke TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tnmff@microsoft.com. Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.