I wonder if anyone can help me? I have a problem that I've been trying to resolve for the past week. The scenario is this: I have set up server 2003 and have created a domain, i have added one client PC (XP Pro) to this domain which connect to the domain with no problems. I can create users and create a roaming profile for theses users who can access the domain with no problems. I have created a group policy for this group and can hide and show icons on the desktop, folders etc. the problems is when the user logs off, the roaming profile does not save any of the settings nor does it save any documents created in that session. Please can anyone help? I’ve gone through the entire group policy, but without any luck been unable not resolved this problem, what am I doing wrong? Any comments on this topic would be much appreciated. Cheers Bill

There is only one thing i can think of that may but may not solve your problem, but also leads on to a problem iam having, which i hope some one will come in and save both of us. 1. Your Issue Possibly Answered... Have you checked the User Account in Active Directory Users and Computers and ensured that in the 'Profile' section you have filled in the top box with something like:- \\server\profile$\%USERNAME% \\Server being the server the profiles directory is on. \%USERNAME% will make a folder with there name on it and \Profile$ being a hidden share you have created giving probably 'Authenticated Users' or particulare groups permission to at least 'change' permission through the share. 2. My Problem Comes Here... The profile directory is created on the server but the folder created is not accessable by the administrator. Even sat at the server its self. I need access to these as we need to do searches for files students should not have, we are talking about 1000 user area once its deployed. Does any one know what permissions should be set on the profiles folder to make user profile directories inherit Administrators full access? Hope this helps Bill Tom

Am looking to setup roaming profiles on 2003 server/xp client. If you could point me to the instructions/procedures I would be apprecated.

Tom, I had this very same problem when I ran a student network. First of all I got an over keen student to manually change all the perms on the folders that were automatically created, but as there were 2000 or so they got bored quickly. XCACLs (a utility to change permissions at the command line) is a better option and is found in the Server resource kit. I quickly knocked up a script and bob's your uncle.

I don't really know much about AD or w2k3 but i ran into the admin rights problem while playing with both. The way i solved it was to grant admin ownership of the folders -> that gave me the rights to change the rights. So i chaged admin's rihts to full...that seemed to work. Good luck!

With roaming profiles administrators can access by only one method: You have to first take ownership of the folders - this is not reversible, (a step implemented by MS to prevent admins from looking at or changing user files and then trying to cover up their tracks). Once ownership is granted, then you should be able to change permissions as you wish. I would test this out myself, but i don't want to be accused of anything!! Kit

If your clients are XP or newer, there is a Computer GPO setting called "Add the Administrators security group to roaming profiles" which will give you access to newly-created user profile directories.