"loading user prefences" after loging in takes FOREVER 1

[tylerdurdan66]

For some reason after logining on to a XP workstation "loading user preferences" seems to take a lot longer that it used to. It happend at the same time I found out you could change the path to a user to their net work file location. I did this for only a couple a users so far but the administrator account also takes a very long time to load. I have a windows 2000 small business server. about 30 workstations most are XP pro.

 

[Seumas13]

If "My Documents" is part of the Profile, and not on a separate "Home Directory", or if there are large files on the Desktop, it has to copy everything across the network at every log-on and log-off.

The trick is to point "My Documents" to somewhere else, which stays on a Network Drive, and remind everyone to not save real files on their Desktop.

 

[tylerdurdan66]

OK, so the way I understand it, if I delete the document on my desktop which are substantial the this should speed the login up. I didn't realize that files on my desktop were on the network I thought there were in c:\document and settings\[user network name]. I didn't realize this information was tied to the the network somehow. I am pointing some users "my docments" to \\server\[user network name]. Just want to make sure I understand the solution, thanks

 

[Seumas13]

Everything in "C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]" is part of the profile - so if that profile is set to live on the network and be a Roaming Profile, it will be copied down to the PC when you log on and up to the network when you log off.

The default location for My Documents is:
"C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\My Documents"
(technically, it's "[user name]'s Documents")

You can set a "Home Directory" in the user account on the Server - ie: "\\server\sharename\[user name]\Home" and set it to map a drive letter there (H: for Home, for example).

Then you change the location of "My Documents" to "H:\My Documents" or simply "H:\" (and tell it yes to move, or else you'll lose or orphan the contents).

Additionally you can park the Profiles in:
\\server\sharename\[user name]\Profile

That keeps everything clean for Network Mangement purposes.

I hope this helps!

Seumas.