Windows Explorer Idiosyncrasy

[Dalgor]

As part of my network duties I map a drive to the C: drive of a remote workstation. Both my workstation and the remote workstation are Windows 2K with SP2 (although we have NT 4 SP6 workstations as well with similar results) I want to use Windows Explorer to look at the file names within the folders on the remote C: drive. This I can do with one exception: when I attempt to look at the &quot;Temporary Internet Files&quot; folder of any profile on the remote workstation, the display on the right side of the window shows my local Temporary Internet Files contents and not that of the profile on the remote workstation. (Path is: Documents and Settings\<profile name>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\)

This idiosyncrasy was demonstrated across our WAN, on our LAN, and on a subnet of our LAN. A team member also had the same experience, linking to my workstation, going into my profile, and seeing his Temporary Internet files.

I have experimented with third party clones of Windows Explorer. These applications show the true contents of these folders. However, I am proscribed from using third party software due to company policy.

How can I get Windows Explorer to show the true contents of the &quot;Temporary Internet Files&quot; folders of remote profiles?

 

[zelko961]

Install WinVnc (

http://www.realvnc.com)

You'll be able to work on every workstation like on Your own.

 

[Dalgor]

For security reasons, VNC cannot be used. Windows Explorer is the tool we are stuck with. My post is to determine if someone else had the same problem and found a solution, be it a little-known setting, or a bug fix, etc. The problem may not be repeatable, in fact, may be endemic of how our network is put together....I don't know. All I do know is that seeing my temporary files when I should be seeing the files from the remote workstation is unacceptable. Thanks for your post.

 

[dnsherman]

am running w2k sp4 and do not seem to get the same problem. situation... mapped \\<remote system>\c$ and checked the administrator accounts on both (which are the ones we use) and verified that temp internet files are from correct machine and account.

 

[mattjurado]

Do you really need to be able to browse their temporary internet files? Or, do you need to clear them out? If the latter, go to the desktop in question, go to internet options, and on the advanced tab, there is an option to empty the temporary internet files automatically.

However, I have seen similar issues to the one you describe... What if you navigate to the mapped drive, and dir the folder in question? In terms of fixing it, maybe empty your browser cache? Maybe its just too big, and confusing the OS. The same could be true on the other computer, too many temp internet files in existence.

Matt J.

 

[Dalgor]

I browse the temporary internet folder because occasionally we will get a virus/worm detected in a file there and the antivirus log states that it could not be deleted or cleaned. The user may not be able to access the folder's contents due to permissions. I also may be able to determine where the user had been visiting by looking at files saved at the same time as that of the problem file. We could use this information to educate the user concerning his/her surfing habits....

Doing a dir on the directory does get the proper files and not my own. However, I would prefer that the Explorer show me the files in the first place as I am not a DOS aficienado and have an out-of-water experience everytime I use the command prompt.

Also, remember that third party explorer clones do show the proper files as well. I just cannot use them per company policy as we don't have a warm and fuzzy feeling as to who created them and what might be lurking in the code.