Calling all IT gurus

[Zucarita9000]

So, I've just finished installing SBS 2003. The main server has a 250GB hard drive that I wanted to use as storage for user's documents (as Microsoft recommends), but by mistake I didn't specify the G: drive as the "User Shared Folders" location during the installation, and now it resides in drive C: along with all the rest of the OS files.

I've created a few users so far, and everytime I set one up, a new folder is created in the "User Shared Folders" directory with the user logon name as the folder name.

I want to change that, setting the "User Shared Folders" folder in the G: drive (250GB), so that each new user I create will have it's folder in there.

How do I do this?

 

[stash]

Check out this article: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;329640

 

[Zucarita9000]

Thanks a lot.

 

[Zucarita9000]

BTW, what do you think is the best method to keep a copy of user's doc in the server?

Redirect the "My Documents" folder to the user shared docs in the server...

Or

Each desktop has it's own "My Documents" that can be automatically synchronized with the server at every login/logoff


It seems to me that having "My Documents" redirected to the server might saturate the network, wouldn't it?

 

[spyordie007]

It seems to me that having "My Documents" redirected to the server might saturate the network, wouldn't it?

I dont know how many users you have, or how much they would be pulling things off their home directory; however generally speaking you're pretty safe redirecting their my documents to a network share.

The biggest problem is that they have to be network connected to see the files; so if you have people who are frequently disconnected (i.e. laptop users) you might want to consider a differant option.

What we ended up doing was implimenting roaming profiles, this took care of client backups and also makes our job easier when we switch them out.

Each desktop has it's own "My Documents" that can be automatically synchronized with the server at every login/logoff

That's one option; however you'll need to think about how you're going to setup and manage synchronization. If it requires that you touch every machine (which you may have to do with this approach) I would consider it a bad option.

good luck

-Erik

 

[Zucarita9000]

Hmm... We have about 6 desktop users and another 8 laptop users. Of course, laptop users need to be able to work without network connection, so I would think that those users should not have their documents redirected to the server, but store them locally ans sync them every day.

As for the roaming profiles... I don't know, I don't understand them very well yet.

And since this is the first time I set up a domain server-client network, I have a very basic (and maybe stupid question) that keeps popping in:

All the client computers at the office have local accounts (Windows 2000 and XP). The network is currently a workgroup.

I've created an account for each client computer in the server.

Next weekend, I have to connect every computer to the domain, using the new user accounts (SBS 2003 has a "Connect Computer" wizard thingy)

What will happen to the current local accounts? Will they disappear? Will they be "converted"? After joining the machines to the domain, will they still have all their documents and settings or will it be a entire new profile?

When the computers are not connected to the network, how do they login?

This might sound stupid, but it's a concept I can't seem to grasp yet.

 

[spyordie007]

What will happen to the current local accounts? Will they disappear? Will they be "converted"? After joining the machines to the domain, will they still have all their documents and settings or will it be a entire new profile?

The local accounts and their profiles will still exist on the machines; however they would not be used with the new domain accounts. Unless you transfer the users' settings/documents/etc. they will end up with new profiles (there are a couple of tools that you can use, the files and settings transfer wizard, or the user state migration tool).

When the computers are not connected to the network, how do they login?

The client machines cache their network credentials. So long as they log on to the machine while it is network connected they will be able to take the machines home and log on to them.

 

[Zucarita9000]

Originally posted by: spyordie007

What will happen to the current local accounts? Will they disappear? Will they be "converted"? After joining the machines to the domain, will they still have all their documents and settings or will it be a entire new profile?

The local accounts and their profiles will still exist on the machines; however they would not be used with the new domain accounts. Unless you transfer the users' settings/documents/etc. they will end up with new profiles (there are a couple of tools that you can use, the files and settings transfer wizard, or the user state migration tool).

So I would have to copy the local user profile, join the domain and the re-import all the settings, correct?

Some local user accounts have the same name of the account I created in the server, i.e.: local account: jsmith, domain account in the server: jsmith. Will that be a problem? Will they conflict with each other?

When the computers are not connected to the network, how do they login?

The client machines cache their network credentials. So long as they log on to the machine while it is network connected they will be able to take the machines home and log on to them.

So basically you're saying that they can login to their computers offline only if they log on to the network first? If they shut down the machine at work and take it home, they can still have access to their network profiles?

 

[spyordie007]

So basically you're saying that they can login to their computers offline only if they log on to the network first?

Yes

If they shut down the machine at work and take it home, they can still have access to their network profiles?

They would have access to anything on the local machine; but they wouldnt have access to thigns on your network unless it was network connected.

 

[Zucarita9000]

Well, I've added a couple of users to the domain so far. SBS 2003 really makes it simple. You just go to http://server/ConnectComputer/ and it does everything by itself. It even "converted" the local accounts into domain accounts, keeping documents and every setting that was before. Installed Outlook 2003 and configured the Exchange accounts.

The only thing that took a while was the transfe of the "My Documents" directories to the server. But that's only done once.

BTW, the documents seemed to dissapear from the client computers. Windows says that the clients can still work on their files on "cache mode" when offline, but the files are not in the computer... weird.

 

[Zucarita9000]

Here's the thing:

Before joining the domain, the client PCs had local Administrators accounts. After running the SBS 2003 Wizard to

join the computers to the domain, those account where "converted" to the accounts I created in the server.

What I need is to configure those accounts so that the users cannot install programs or change OS settings. But

at the same time, I need an admin account so I can install stuff and make changes to the local machines.

Example,

Before the domain-based network:

Client PC
User: administrator

After joinin the domain:

Client PC
User: jsmith

jsmith is still an admin on the local machine. I need to make jsmith a simple user but still have an admin

account on that machine so I can make changes.

How do I do that? Does my admin account on the server allows me to login to client pcs and make changes?

 

[ND40oz]

Originally posted by: Zucarita9000
Here's the thing:

Before joining the domain, the client PCs had local Administrators accounts. After running the SBS 2003 Wizard to

join the computers to the domain, those account where "converted" to the accounts I created in the server.

What I need is to configure those accounts so that the users cannot install programs or change OS settings. But

at the same time, I need an admin account so I can install stuff and make changes to the local machines.

Example,

Before the domain-based network:

Client PC
User: administrator

After joinin the domain:

Client PC
User: jsmith

jsmith is still an admin on the local machine. I need to make jsmith a simple user but still have an admin

account on that machine so I can make changes.

How do I do that? Does my admin account on the server allows me to login to client pcs and make changes?

Yes, log in to the machines as a local admin. Right click my computer, choose manage, expand local users and groups, click on groups, double click on Administrators (this is the local admins group for each computer), remove any users that you do not want to have admin rights on this pc.