The Home Folder may be mapping incorrectly when logging on to a Windows XP-based computer

Source: Microsoft Support

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When you log on to a user account on a Windows XP- based computer with drives that are mapped to a Home Folder on a network, the Home Folder may be mapped to the base share instead of the complete path.

Example scenario:

• 
  The Home Holder is set to: \\fileServer\share\UserName
• 
  The actual mapping that the user receives is \\fileServer\share 

Note: Manually mapping the path completes successfully and all files are accessible, but the scenario may repeat when the user logs in again.

This issue may occur if due to one of the following reasons:

• 
  Under Group Policy, in User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System ->  User Profiles -> Connect home directory to root of the share is set to Enabled.
  
• 
  Network delays cause the workstation to try to map to the home folder before it completes initializing the network connection during logon.

To resolve this issue, do the following:

• 
  Make sure you do not have the policy configured in User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System ->  User Profiles -> Connect home directory to root of the share.
• 
  
  Set the Group Policy setting under Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System ->  Logon -> Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon to Enabled.

Windows GINA tracing would show the error at the line containing GINA-Error: WNetAddConnection2W

To enable Windows GINA logging follow the steps listed below:

1. 
   Replace the Msgina.dll at %SystemRoot%\System32 folder with the checked version.
2. 
   Use Notepad (or any text editor) to open the Win.ini file in the %SystemRoot% folder, and then add the following lines:
   
   [MSGina]
   DebugFlags=Error,Warning,Trace,Domain,Cache
   LogFile=c:\windows\debug\msgina.log
3. 
   Save and close the file, and then restart your computer.

The resulting GINA log may be similar to the following sample log:

16:01:10.906: 864.868> GINA-Cache: Selecting 'CONTOSO' as the default entry

16:01:11.234: 864.868> GINA-Trace: GetRasDialOutProtocols...

16:01:11.234: 864.868> GINA-Trace: GetRasDialOutProtocols: dwfInstalledProtocols=0x4

16:01:11.250: 864.2004> GINA-Cache: Setting 'CONTOSO' to be the default

16:01:13.921: 864.1880> GINA-Trace: In Attempt Logon!

16:01:13.921: 864.1880> GINA-Trace: LsaHandle = 5d8

16:01:13.921: 864.1880> GINA-Trace: AuthenticationPackage = 0

16:01:13.937: 864.1880> GINA-Trace: WinLogonUser returned 0

16:01:13.937: 864.1880> GINA-Cache: Setting 'CONTOSO' to be the default

16:01:14.578: 864.868> GINA-Trace: Successful Logon of CONTOSO\username

16:01:37.514: 864.868> GINA-Error: WNetAddConnection2W to \\fileServer\share\Username failed, error = 85

 

You may see below in msgina logging if you map a grandchild folder like \\Server\share\user1\data as a home share

08:42:39.105: 680.684> GINA-Trace: Successful Logon of CONTOSO\user1
08:42:49.754: 680.1520> GINA-Error: WNetAddConnection2W to \\Server\share\user1\data failed, error = 53
08:42:49.973: 680.1520> GINA-Error: ChangeToHomeDirectory : Failed to SetCurrentDirectory 'H:\user1\data', error = 53
08:42:49.973: 680.1520> GINA-Trace: About to create process of userinit.exe, on desktop WinSta0\Default
08:42:50.066: 680.684> GINA-Error: WNetAddConnection2W to \\Server\share\user1\data failed, error = 53
08:42:50.082: 680.684> GINA-Error: WNetAddConnection2W to \\Server\share failed, error = 53
08:42:50.098: 680.684> GINA-Trace: About to create process of C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe, on desktop WinSta0\Default

The behavior of mapping is that it tries to map the actual path, if that fails then it maps to the root.

 



References



For more information see: Description of the Windows XP Professional Fast Logon Optimization feature at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305293 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305293)

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