Network Drives Sometimes Don't Map After Desktop Has Launched

[NetworkDoozer]

Good afternoon. Our network environment is Windows 2003 Active Directory, Native Mode and Windows XP SP1 clients.

We have been seeing an issue where users are getting their desktops before their drives have mapped. Because of the "fast logon optimization" feature of XP, sometimes they map in the background but frequently, they do not map at all. The user is then told to try and login again. Sometimes it takes 3 or more tries.

We also see this in Citrix ICA sessions. One of our published applications will not even start without the drive mappings present and this results in help desk calls.

Are there any network or Active Directory diagnostic or tracing tools that will help me find out what exactly is going on? I have tested enabling "Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon" in Group Policy, but this slows startup noticeably. I would like to identify the exact problem before recommending this course of action.

Any suggestions or information is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Beth Basley

 

[tfg13]

How are you mapping these drives? Via logon script? Have you checked to make sure that all of the mappings are still valid? How much network traffic is going on when these systems fail (how many people are logging in at the same time (give or take 5 minutes))?

 

[NetworkDoozer]

Thanks for the reply, tfg13.

We use vb logon scripts configured in the User Policy. The resources for the drive mappings are valid, but as for at the time the issue is occurring, I can't tell without a LAN trace. That is what I am thinking my next step is.

There isn't any specific time of day that this happens, although recently we had 2 days where it happened more frequently. We have multiple branch offices/sites with their own domain controllers and file servers so the max number of users (if everyone logged in at exactly the same time) would be 150. This isn't likely though.

This also happens on our MetaFrame servers as well. There are approximately 10 - 15 users total at any one time. Thanks.

Beth

 

[Jpoandl]

I would turn the fast logon off

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=305293

Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2003

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