Roaming-Local-Temporary profile problem

[elf21]

Operating under a Windows 2003 Server, with Windows XP clients environment, 50+ computers. "Cannot locate roaming profile" and then "Cannot locate local profile" and then "Logging you on with temporary profile" are messages that keep on coming up repeatedly. I have not been able to establish a pattern of any sort. It doesn't happen to all the users, it doesn't happen on all the computers, and it doesn't happen to the same user consistently either.

What should I look for to resolve this? Users keep on losing their settings time and time again. Thank you for your help!

 

[tfg13]

This sounds like a network issue, as well as a setup issue on the PC's. When these messages pop up, do you get both messages without fail?

Do you cache logons at the machines and/or use mandatory profiles? That would explain the "cannot create local profile" problem.

There are other group policy settings that can be pushed to the PC's that are causing a lot of these issues. Have you looked at the policies that are being applied?

 

[elf21]

--------When these messages pop up, do you get both messages without fail?------- Yes.


Do you mind explaining cache logon?

Which policies should I look at? Should I look at the policies on the local machine or those applied to the domain?

Appreciate your help.

 

[tfg13]

I would first start looking at the domain policies. Then the each PC's settings (If you can knock it out at the domain level, it's one stop shopping). Specifically, you'll want to look in the following areas:

Computer Configuration->Administrative Templates->System->Logon->Always Wait for the network at computer startup and logon

Computer Configuration->Administrative Templates->System->User Profiles->"several settings such as":
Delete cached copies of roaming profiles
Do not detect slow network connections
Slow network connection timeout for user profiles
Wait for remote user profile
Only allow local user profiles

This should get you a head start.

 

[elf21]

None of the above mentioned settings are configured. Should they be "enabled" or disabled"??

Thank you.

 

[tfg13]

Personally, I would configure enabled on "Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon".....The others is administrators preference.....