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Q230165: Terminal Server User’s Home Directory Is Not Set Correctly

Article: Q230165
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 06-AUG-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition 
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SYMPTOMS
========

Home directories are not mapped correctly for users with existing profiles.
Their home directory and root drive point to the default path of
%SystemRoot%\Profiles\%Username%. The drive letter set in the home directory
connect box does appear in My Computer in the Terminal Server session. No error
messages are displayed to the user.

CAUSE
=====

This problem occurs because the user's profile already contains a drive mapped
to the same drive letter that was specified for the user's home directory. After
the system finds that the drive letter is already in use, it does not map the
drive and does not correctly set the homepath or homedrive variables. The user
retains the default settings pointing to:

  Home Directory Path: %SystemRoot%\Profiles\%Username%
  HOMEDRIVE=C:
  HOMEPATH=\Wtsrv\Profiles\%Username%

This also affects the root drive because it is set through the Usrlogon.cmd
script when the user logs on. Listed below is the portion of Usrlogon.cmd that
connects rootdrive:

  Rem
  Rem Map the User's Home Directory to a Drive Letter
  Rem

  Net Use %RootDrive% /D >NUL: 2>&1
  Subst %RootDrive% /d >NUL: 2>&1
  Subst %RootDrive% %HomeDrive%%HomePath%

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this issue, delete the mapped drive from the user's profile or set
the home directory to another drive letter.

MORE INFORMATION
================

For more detailed information on how Rootdrive is used in Terminal Server,
please see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

  Q195950 How and Why ROOTDRIVE Is Used on Windows Terminal Server



Additional query words:

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbNTTermServ400 kbNTTermServSearch
Version           : :4.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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