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Thread: user accounts

  1. #1
    Junior Member bits's Avatar
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    user accounts

    HELP!!!

    I've been given the task of installing windows server 2003 and creating user accounts so that anyone can log on to any workstation and use their own area.

    I'm really not familiar with this which is why I'm here. I've managed to install the software so that I've got a file server environment and a domain with the active directory present.

    I've also managed to get the clients/workstations (running XP PRO) to log on to the domain using the test accounts I have set up, but I have a couple of problems.

    1.) When you log on to a workstation it accept the logon and then stops at 'applying user settings' for ages until it goes to the desktop.

    2.) This is where I'm really struggling..........I want the users (who are just part of the normal users group) to have their own area on the server so that when they log in from any workstation, thats their default area. Also users can't look at other users areas, only administrators can.

    I thought this would be straightforward but I'm really struggling so any help would be very much appreciated.

    Thanks in advance.

    Pete

  2. #2
    Junior Member bits's Avatar
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    Anybody got any ideas????

  3. #3
    Junior Member bits's Avatar
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    is this something perhaps windows server 2003 server can't do as I don't seem to be getting a response...........this appears to be a difficult question, can anyone point me in the direction of some help?????

  4. #4
    all bets are off... TZ Veteran SupaStar's Avatar
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    I haven't done that sort of thing on a 2K3 server so I cant really help. Anyone else?

  5. #5
    Super Moderator Super Moderator Big Booger's Avatar
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    1.) When you log on to a workstation it accept the logon and then stops at 'applying user settings' for ages until it goes to the desktop.

    Describe ages... 2 hours? 1 minute? 30 seconds?

    By area I am assuming you mean storage space:

    Why not create a password protected area on the server PC in the network share? Then when the users log in, they enter their password and can see the area from the workstation? Of course each user will need a separate drive for storage but that would effectively stop each one from gaining access to the other's files. It would take a while to setup however.

    http://www.winnetmag.com/WindowsSecu...280/41280.html


    http://labmice.techtarget.com/window...mt/default.htm

    http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv...icleindex.mspx

    Those should help.

  6. #6
    Junior Member bits's Avatar
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    sorry, by ages I mean 5 mins but it should only take a fraction of a second to do this surely???? I've just tried it on another networked workstation and it is the same delay on 'loading personal settings' then applying personal settings'

    Thanks for the above but they don't seem to be for my particular need. What I've done so far is to create a folder on the server called 'users' in which there are a number of folders with exactly the same name as the user name with permissions set so that only the user and the admin can have full access.......NO PROBLEM I thought because it all worked........BUT the trouble is that you have to navigate to that folder in XP when you want to save or open something in it and that means clicking numerous times.........NO PROBLEM I thought........I'll just map a drive letter to the folder..........BUT.....when you log on with another user the mapped drive doesn't exist or when you log on to a different workststion the mapped drive doesn't exist!!!!!............HELP!!!!

    I'd tear my hair out but I haven't got much left!!

  7. #7
    Super Moderator Super Moderator Big Booger's Avatar
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    Why not install a third party app? One with secure shared files. You'd have to install the clients on all machines, and run a memo out to all users on how to use it, but that way you could maintain control and keep it secure.

    You could even setup an FTP on the server. Each user would have a user account and password. Again I don't know the purpose of the file sharing, but that would definitely work.

    Then all they'd need is a browser to connect to the share. You could set file permissions, separate it from the OS itself, and have a log file generated for the activity.

    http://www.coreftp.com/index2.html

    http://www.tucows.com/preview/195147.html

    http://www.thefreecountry.com/webmas...pclients.shtml

    there are several free software applications available to do this. With an FTP you can create both a group share where all users would have access and then individual shares where each would have a specific password/username along with access to individual folders and files. YOu can set read/write/append/delete access as well.

    Is that not an option?

  8. #8
    Junior Member bits's Avatar
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    I think I'm confusing the issue because I can't explain it well enough. It's basically nearly there. Everything works apart from a more direct link or shortcut to the shared folder on the server. What I want is for any user to be able to log on to the server through any workstation and ideally when they click on 'My Document' for example it doesn't go to my documents locally but instead it opens up their shared folder on the server. Is this possible.

    Cheers

  9. #9
    Super Moderator Super Moderator Big Booger's Avatar
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    I don't think that is quite possible. The reason is anytime you log on another user on a machine the settings will change. You'd have to set this up for every single user account on each machine. So for example, if you have 30 users and 30 workstations, on each workstation, you'd have to setup 30 folders with 30 usernames/passwords. You'd have to do this for each user account. That's 900 accounts to setup.. Might take a while.

    I think this would work fine if each user had a specific workstation. But if they are moving around to different workstations, that might throw a rod in the spokes.

    But I'll wait to see if someone else can answer this, as I may be incorrect.

  10. #10
    Junior Member bits's Avatar
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    oh dear!

    and I thought the server/client thing would sort that. Is there no way of setting a shortcut to the server for all users on XP PRO???

  11. #11
    Super Moderator Super Moderator Big Booger's Avatar
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    You could write a script to do that I believe.
    http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro.../logscrpt.mspx

    Take a look at that. It goes through it all. In fact, spefically I think this is what you want to accomplish:

    http://www.microsoft.com/technet/ima...scrpta_BIG.gif

  12. #12
    Junior Member bits's Avatar
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    superb once again.........it worked........make it 3 beers!!!

    All I need to do now is try and give a user a roaming profile......phew

    Thanks again for all the help so far........almost there!

  13. #13
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    Creating accounts etc

    Procedure is quite straight forward. First create and share a folder on the server say "Users" then create as many user accounts as you want i.e. 1 to 1000 or more in active directory. select all of them and click properties then the profiles tab. Set the home directory path to drive "N" for example the place the url to the share you created including the variable for the user ath the end i.e \\server1\Users\%Username%. If you want a roaming profile put the same path in the profile section (although you could make a profile folder if you wanted to be strict, but thats another matter). Click ok. the folders for all users are automatically created. For folder redirection you need to set this in a group policy you should create for your users.(do you know this procedure?) Edit the policy and goto user configuration - windows settings - folder redirection - my documents. Right click then properties, set to basic then put the same path in as earlier click ok. As soon as the user logs on the folders are created i.e \\server1\Users\Dave\My Documents. E-mail me if you still stuck. JB

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