FOLDER REDIRECTION
What is Folder Redirection in Group Policy?
It allows a systems administrator to redirect certain
folders from a user’s profile server.
PREREQUISITES
Step 1: Create a file share for redirected folders
Step 2: Configure Active Directory Users and Computers for OU
Step 3: Create a GPO for Folder Redirection
Step 4: Configure folder redirection with Offline Files
Step 5: Test Folder Redirection
Step 1: Create a file share for
redirected folders
If you do not have a file share for redirected folders,
use the following procedure to create a file share.
On your desktop, Click Start on You can select where to create the
file share folder from Local Disk
the left bottom part of your screen
C or Local Disk D. Let’s use Local
and select Computer. Disk D for now.
Open Local Disk D and Right click Create a Folder inside the Local
on the blank space, select New, Disk D, example “Folder
then select Folder. Redirection”
Right click on the “Folder
A dialog box will pop up. Click on
Redirection” Folder then select
Sharing, then select Share.
Properties.
Click on the drop down arrow on
Another dialog box will pop up,
the right side, then select
type in “Authenticated Users”,
Read/Write under Permission.
then click Add.
Select Share.
Click Close. We are now done with
A pop up will show up, just click
Step 1. Close all windows then we
Done.
can proceed with Step 2.
Step 2: Configure Active Directory
Users and Computers for OU
Here’s how.
Click Start on the left corner of your Select the plus (+) sign beside the
screen, then select Administrative Domain and Select the
Tools and click on Active Directory Organizational Unit (OU) you
Users and Computers. created.
Click on your Organizational Unit, you
will find all the User Accounts you Right click on the User Account,
added. For now we just have one as an and select Properties
example.
A dialog box will pop up, select
Profile, then on the Home Folder, Type in the following:
\\Server-D\Folder Redirection\%username%
select Connect and choose a letter then click Apply then OK.
path.
\\Server-D\Folder Redirection\%username%
Computer Name File Share Folder we To get the username
created on Local Disk of the User Account
D (STEP 1)
We are now done with
Step 2!
Close all windows so we can proceed with
Step 3
Step 3: Create a GPO for
Folder Redirection
If you do not have a GPO created for Folder
Redirection settings, use the following procedure to
create one.
Click Start on the bottom left In the Group Policy Management, click
corner of your screen, select the plus (+) signs on Forest, then
Administrative Tools then click Domains, select the Domain and the
on Group Policy Management. Organizational Unit (OU) you created.
Right-click the domain or OU in
In the New GPO dialog box, type a name
which you want to setup Folder
for the GPO (for example, Folder
Redirection, select Create a GPO in
Redirection Settings), and then select OK.
this domain.
After clicking OK, a pop up will Then Right-click the newly created
appear, just click on the check box GPO then select Edit.
then click OK. (Proceed to Step 4.)
Step 4: Configure folder
redirection with Offline Files
After creating a GPO for Folder Redirection settings,
edit the Group Policy settings to enable and configure
Folder Redirection
We have Computer Configuration
After clicking Edit on the newly
and User Configuration. We will
created GPO, a Group Policy
start with the Computer
Manager Editor will appear.
Configuration.
Click on Policies, then Click on Standard and right click on
Administrative Template, select Allow or Disallow use of offline
Network and click on Offline Files. files features then Edit.
After Disabling, click on the negative
Another window will appear. Select
(-) sign on Policies under Computer
Disabled and click Apply then OK.
Configuration to minimize the Folder.
Navigate to User Configuration, then Right-click a folder that you want to
Policies, select Windows Settings, redirect ( Ex. Documents), and then
and click on Folder Redirection. select Properties.
In the Properties, select Basic-Redirect everyone’s folder to the same location and
then select Create a folder for each user under the root path and then in the Root
Path box, type the path to the file share storing redirected folders (Ex. \\Server-
D\Folder Redirection ). Click Apply.
Click OK. You can do this to other
A message box will appear, just click folders that you want to redirect. You
Yes. can now proceed with Step 5.
.
Step 5: Test Folder
Redirection
To test Folder Redirection, sign in to a computer with a
user account configured for Folder Redirection. Then
confirm that the folders and profiles are redirected.
Sign in to a primary with a user account
for which you have enabled Folder Type GPUPDATE then hit Enter
Redirection. Click Start and on the (Once successful, restart Computer)
search box, type CMD then hit Enter.
After restarting, on your Desktop, right In the Network Location, you will
click on Computer and select Open, find the Folder Redirection that was
or just simply double click on it. created.
Another way to test it, right-click a Select the Location tab, and confirm
redirected folder ( Ex. the Documents that the path displays the file share
folder in the Documents library), and you specified instead of a local path.
then select Properties. That’s it!
That is how to Create a Folder
Redirection using GPO
Thank you