Slow login with Folder Redirection over DFS link

[Bryan L]

I've been redirecting My Documents and Desktop folders for some time now,
with little incident. Recently I migrated to DFS and the redirected folders
are now configured to use a DFS path. It has continued to work well, but
when first logging on, a few users are experiencing long delays before the
icons on their desktops appear. The login box that says "Applying Personal
Settings" does not lag...it displays and disappears within its normal
timeframe, and the Start Windows sound plays promptly. But the desktop
icons and taskbar don't appear until minutes later; in the meantime, we're
looking at a desktop with only the wallpaper being displayed.

Two users complained to me this morning; the first turned out to have a
desktop shortcut with an incorrect target. I fixed the shortcut, then
logged her off and back on, and as I hoped, the taskbar and desktop icons
came up without delay. I assumed the second user had a similar problem, but
I could find no broken shortcuts on her desktop or quicklaunch toolbarl.
She said she waited over five minutes this morning when logging on...when I
tested, it took maybe 2 minutes at the most.

Are there any known issues or gotchas I should be aware of when using folder
redirection over DFS UNC paths? I'm not sure where to go next to figure out
the cause of the delay.

Thanks in advance,

Bryan

[Paul Williams [MVP]]

Are you using replica's? Replica home folders are NOT recommended. If
you're just using referrals, well that's OK and there are no issues that I'm
aware of. Is this a one off, or every morning?

[Bryan L]

I'm not using replicas in the way that I think you mean. I never have
referrals enabled on more than one replica at a time; I used this as a
method of migrating the shares to a different server so I could take the
original one down and rebuild it from scratch. I continued to refer clients
to the original set of shares but enabled one-way replication to create the
new set of shares. I verified that the replica was complete during
off-hours and then enabled referrals to the new replica and took the
original set of shares offline. I'll use the same procedure in reverse to
move the shares back to the original server when I'm finished with the
rebuild. I'm giving that server some new roles, and I wanted time to
configure and test them to my satisfaction, which is why I did it this way.
When I'm sure the server's working in its new roles, I'll migrate the shares
back to it.

Does that seem like a resonable use of DFS/FRS?

The user hasn't complained to me about slow logins again, but maybe she's
just patient. I'll check with her and post back whether it's still
happening.

Thanks,

Bryan

Post by Paul Williams [MVP]
Are you using replica's? Replica home folders are NOT recommended. If
you're just using referrals, well that's OK and there are no issues that I'm
aware of. Is this a one off, or every morning?
--
Paul Williams
Microsoft MVP - Windows Server - Directory Services
http://www.msresource.net | http://forums.msresource.net

[Paul Williams [MVP]]

Yes, that sounds like a very good solution for your particular problem -one
I'll bear in mind for the future.

See what the users say -- they might have been exaggerating, or perhaps
there was an issue elsewhere...

We'll have to see.

[SuderMan]

if You don't mind I'd like to ask You one question too:
I had the similar problem.
It concern folder redirection made by GPO.
I've made redirection of My Documents folder pointing to dfs.
-> \\domain\dfs\DOCS\username
It works but strange thing happens. After logon folder is redirected but
when I create or delete a folder/file inside redirected My Documents the
effect is visible not immediately but after refresh (F5) ... ?
It happens only when I logon to Terminal Server W2k3.
Domain and Dfs is on W2k.

Did You hear about something like that ?

Post by Paul Williams [MVP]
Yes, that sounds like a very good solution for your particular problem -one
I'll bear in mind for the future.
See what the users say -- they might have been exaggerating, or perhaps
there was an issue elsewhere...
We'll have to see.
--
Paul Williams
Microsoft MVP - Windows Server - Directory Services
http://www.msresource.net | http://forums.msresource.net

[Paul Williams [MVP]]

That's an interesting one. It rings a bell for some reason...use Google to
search Microsoft's support website (append site:support.microsoft.com on the
end of your search criteria) and have a look. There may be a KB that
addresses something like this...