Need to redirect "All Users" profile items
Jorabi
W2K3 Server, XPSP2 clients
XP combines the contents from the "All Users" profile with the contents of
the User's profile to display the Start Menu and Desktop.
I am using GPO Folder Redirection for Start Menu and Desktop, but that only
accounts for the User's settings, not "All Users".
It looks like "All Users" can only come from the local drive. I need to
have it come from the server using Folder Redirection. That way, I can
control common Start Menu and Desktop items for every user in the domain,
and they can control any additional items they may need/want, and the
combination of the two should transparently display for them.
To me, this simple need seems to be reasonable and common! But I cannot
locate a way to do this, or a workaround or 3rd party tool that would help
if MS doesn't provide a way. Any ideas?
PeeGee
Not exactly what you want, but how about suppressing the "programs"
element of start menu and only including a shortcut to the server "start
menu"? I'm sorry I don't have the policy item reference, but I'm at home
at today.
PeeGee
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Jorabi
"PeeGee" wrote ...
>
> Jorabi wrote:
>
>> W2K3 Server, XPSP2 clients
>>
>> XP combines the contents from the "All Users" profile with the contents of
>> the User's profile to display the Start Menu and Desktop.
>>
>> I am using GPO Folder Redirection for Start Menu and Desktop, but that only
>> accounts for the User's settings, not "All Users".
>>
>> It looks like "All Users" can only come from the local drive. I need to have
>> it come from the server using Folder Redirection. That way, I can control
>> common Start Menu and Desktop items for every user in the domain, and they
>> can control any additional items they may need/want, and the combination of
>> the two should transparently display for them.
>>
>> To me, this simple need seems to be reasonable and common! But I cannot
>> locate a way to do this, or a workaround or 3rd party tool that would help if
>> MS doesn't provide a way. Any ideas?
>
> Not exactly what you want, but how about suppressing the "programs" element of
> start menu and only including a shortcut to the server "start menu"? I'm sorry
> I don't have the policy item reference, but I'm at home at today.
I'm not sure what you mean. The only GPO setting is for redirecting the
whole Start Menu, not just 'All Programs' on the start menu, unless
I'm missing something.
Mark Heitbrink [MVP]
Jorabi schrieb:
> I am using GPO Folder Redirection for Start Menu and Desktop, but that only
> accounts for the User's settings, not "All Users".
Create an ADM template and manipulate:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
it should be inside the old winnt.adm from NT4 but I´m not sure.
copy+paste+modify:
http://www.gruppenrichtlinien.de/adm/Ordnerumleitung.txt
... replace CLASS USER with CLASS MACHINE ...
Mark
--
Mark Heitbrink - MVP Windows Server - Group Policy
Homepage: www.gruppenrichtlinien.de - deutsch
Blog: gpupdate.spaces.live.com - english
gigodemon
Try Tidy Start Menu -
http://www.tidystartmenu.com
turn on in menu "admin" mode and manage all users.
>
> XP combines the contents from the "All Users" profile with the contents of
> the User's profile to display theStartMenuand Desktop.
>
> I am using GPO Folder Redirection forStartMenuand Desktop, but that only
> accounts for the User's settings, not "All Users".
>
> It looks like "All Users" can only come from the local drive. I need to
> have it come from the server using Folder Redirection. That way, I can
> control commonStartMenuand Desktop items for every user in the domain,
Jorabi
"Mark Heitbrink [MVP]" wrote ...
>
> Jorabi schrieb:
>
>> I am using GPO Folder Redirection for Start Menu and Desktop, but that only
>> accounts for the User's settings, not "All Users".
>
> Create an ADM template and manipulate:
> HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
> it should be inside the old winnt.adm from NT4 but I´m not sure.
>
> copy+paste+modify:
> http://www.gruppenrichtlinien.de/adm/Ordnerumleitung.txt
> ... replace CLASS USER with CLASS MACHINE ...
Thank you. Another thought -- do you know if I could get what I
want by simply setting the %ALLUSERSPROFILE% environment variable
in the GP for all users? Does that variable *control* the location
of the common profile or is it a *result* of the location of the
common profile?
If the answer is yes, should this be done at the computer level
or user level?
PeeGee
Sorry, didn't have my brain in gear :-)
I was occupied with laptop maintenance today, so didn't get to look
things up. However, there are two entries in the computer part of a GPO,
one of which refers to "pinned programs". These are entries in the "all
users\start menu" folder (the list of programs above the bar under "all
programs"). The other entry refers to the program list (the "programs"
folder under "all users\start menu") and can be used to suppress the
program list below the bar. I'm not sure if these apply to *all* start
menus or just the all users one.
I believe the policy for redirecting the start menu under "folder
redirection" only works with terminal server - at least, that is what
the "explanation" says in the extended mmc view (win98 policies were
better in that you could redirect the start menu to anywhere).
Mark Heitbrink [MVP]
Jorabi schrieb:
> [...] If the answer is yes, should this be done at the computer level
> or user level?
Never tried, but %alluserprofile% is definitly a Machine setting.
PeeGee
> Hi,
>
> Jorabi schrieb:
>> [...] If the answer is yes, should this be done at the computer level
>> or user level?
>
> Never tried, but %alluserprofile% is definitly a Machine setting.
>
> Mark
I assume this is by
set allusersprofile = .....
in a login script?
I know that changing the entry:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList]
"AllUsersProfile"="All Users"
to a different path does not seem to change the registry and I know that
changing the path for "ProfilesDirectory" seems to require both All
Users and Default User to be moved - it also puts all user profiles
created *after* the change in the same folder.
Jorabi
"PeeGee" wrote ...
>
> Mark Heitbrink [MVP] wrote:
>
>> Jorabi schrieb:
>>
>>> [...] If the answer is yes, should this be done at the computer level
>>> or user level?
>>
>> Never tried, but %alluserprofile% is definitly a Machine setting.
>
>
> set allusersprofile = .....
>
> in a login script?
>
> I know that changing the entry:
>
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList]
> "AllUsersProfile"="All Users"
>
> to a different path does not seem to change the registry and I know that
> changing the path for "ProfilesDirectory" seems to require both All Users and
> Default User to be moved - it also puts all user profiles created *after* the
> change in the same folder.
No, I was thinking of forcing the value of ALLUSERSPROFILE to a location
on the server (UNC path) so that
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell
Folders
would be pointing to the new location. Then theoretically the user would
see a combination of that location and their own folder redirection profile
location for their start menu, desktop, etc.
I guess it can't hurt to try it! I will post my results.
PeeGee
I see what you mean, now. Modifying the registry entry (using AD) to
replace %allusersprofile% with a UNC should work, as would fixing it by
editing the registry to a new value and, I think, using SET to define
%allusersprofile% (though this would affect other pointers) - but don't
quote me on that :-)