Best Way to Remove App Data Redirection

[Steve_Herman]

Hello all. We've had App Data (as well as a few other folders) redirected for a while now. Since we've been moving into a more secure environment, we have CERTS located in this folder, and the redirection is causing issues.

I'm trying to find the best way to remove the redirection for App Data, while being (relatively) transparent to the user. There are multiple folder redirections (My Docs, Desktop, etc) in the same GPO, and I don't want to affect those other policies.

I know the setting that allows redirection BACK to the local profile. However, testing seems to indicate that the folder is still running through a GPO, but bouncing from the redirection server back to the local hard drive. I don't want data copying down every time a user logs on, and I don't want App Data reliant on the GPO at all anymore.

Instead, I want to completely remove this GPO setting, while making sure that all information on this folder is copied back to the user's local profile.

My alternative is to create a new policy that redirects just App Data and set it to restore files to the local profile if removed. I'd set the other redirection policy to Not Configured for App Data,and then eventually remove the new policy, which should redirect back to the local and then never be heard from again. However, we have 3000+ users, and I will never know if all of them have received the new policy and are ready for me to turn it off.

Am I making this more complicated than it really is?

Thanks for the help, and happy holidays to all.

Steve

[DennisT]

Steve,
Did you find a solution?

[DennisT]

I found the reason this happens and the fix.

When editing the GPO redirection element there is another tab - Settings. Under that tab the selection "Redirect the folder back to the local userprofile when policy is removed." should be checked.

You didn't have it checked and now the settings are stuck? To fix do the following:
Reenable the Redirection under the GPO and point it to the original location.
Check the "Redirect the folder back" box.
Ensure the PC is updated with the new GPO info (GPupdate or reboot).
Have the user log in, then log out.
Ensure that the users folders are being redirected.
Turn off redirection.
Ensure the PC is updated.
Have the user log on and back out.
Check to make sure the changes have occurred.

[PreviousPoster]

Sorry to bump an old topic, but this is exactly the answer I was looking for when trying to undo my appdata redirection policy.

I have one question though, when I check the box in the policy to move the folders back once the policy is removed (I have already done this part) do I need to wait for all of my users to log on and off again before removing the redirection?

Thanks in advance.

[DennisT]

To be safe I would make sure I've gpupdated all the PCs and then have all users log on/log off.

I have seen where logging on/off doesn't seem to "take" the first time and didn't seem to take effect until after a couple log on/offs. (maybe a gpupdate is required while the user is logged on?)

[PreviousPoster]

Thanks for your reply.

Well, no matter what I try it doesn't seem to pull out the redirection.

The redirection policy is part of a larger group policy that I have configured for a set of users that I am in.

Firstly I ticked the option to put the folder back to the local profile when the policy is removed. Then I gpupdated, rebooted, logged on and off.

Then I removed the appdata redirection from the group policy (set it to not configured), gpupdate, reboot, log and and off.

I'm still getting my appdata redirected. The only way that I can seem to stop it is to recreate my roaming profile, something I don't particularly want to do network wide.

Any clues?

[DennisT]

I would do the following:
Backup the redirected data (just in case).
Set the "Redirect the folder back to the local userprofile when policy is removed." to checked and that the redirect is to the location their files are located at.
Run GPUpdate, reboot, then have the user log on.
Then run the GP results for that user on that PC to ensure the change is actually applied.
Check the PC error log for any pertinent info (pending changes). Note that it may require a couple log on/off sessions and that those sessions may require the user be logged on for a while.
Confirm that the changes are working by testing - add a file/etc.
Check the "Move the contents of" setting (same window as the "Redirect the folder" above).
GPUpdate, log on, GP Results to ensure it is set for the user.

Change the setting to Not Configured.
GPUpdate, log on, GP Results to ensure it is recognized.
Monitor PC Error log to see if there are any problems. Try a few log on/off for the user if the Error log indicates pending changes.
Confirm the new location is working by testing - add a file/etc.

[PreviousPoster]

Sorry for the late response.

Thanks for the advice, I will try this as soon as I get a chance.