Creating Windows 9x Home Directories on Windows NT Server (137979)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows 95
  • Microsoft Windows 98
  • Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
This article was previously published under Q137979

SYMPTOMS

Your Windows 95 clients cannot connect to their home directories even though you create a profile in Windows NT User Manager that specifies the Windows 95 users' home directory and drive letter to use for the connection.

CAUSE

Administrators cannot assign a home directory to Win 9x clients when they create users in User Manager. For Win9x, the home directory cannot be assigned in the user properties. This needs to be done in a logon script. The logon script can be run for all users but it simply fails for NT clients because their home directory is already assigned in user properties.

RESOLUTION

To allow Windows 95 users to connect to their home directories on the server, create a logon script to connect a Windows 95 client to a home directory and configure your Windows NT Primary Domain Controller (PDC) as follows:
  1. Create a test logon script on the Windows NT PDC for Windows 95 client workstations: 
           echo on
       net use * /HOME
       pause
  2. Place the script file in the SYSTEM32\REPL\IMPORT\SCRIPTS directory on the Windows NT PDC. (You may also want to set up File Replication so the logon scripts you create are available on all domain controllers.)
  3. Make sure that the test user logging on has Full control of the \SCRIPTS directory and at least Read permission on the Netlogon share (the default share of \WINNT35\SYSTEM32\REPL\IMPORT\SCRIPTS).
  4. Create a subdirectory called TEST in the shared Users directory. By default the shared Users directory is C:\USERS.
  5. Share the Test subdirectory with the share name TEST and give the test user 'Full Control' permission to the share.
  6. Run User Manager for Domains and select the user for the test.
  7. From the User menu, choose Properties.
  8. Choose Profile in the User Properties dialog box.
  9. Type the test logon script name in the Logon Script Name field.
  10. Under Home Directory, in the To field type:

    \\<server_name>\TEST

    NOTE: Ignore the drive letter in the Connect field.
  11. Log on as the test user at the Windows 95 client.

    The following text appears at the command prompt:

    c:\win95>echo on
    c:\win95>net use * /home
    d: connected to \\<servername>\TEST
    c:\win95> pause
    Press any key to continue. . .

  12. On the Windows 95 client, press any key to continue. Then doubleclick the My Computer icon.

    NOTE: In My Computer, the home directory maps to D: (or the next available drive letter on the client).
  13. If the logon script executes correctly, you may delete the Echo On and pause lines from your script resulting in your script consisting of only the following line:

    net use * /HOME

    NOTE: You may specify a drive letter in place of the Next Available Drive symbol, the star (*). You may also rename the Users\Test directory to any name; be sure to make the corresponding changes wherever this new directory name is used.

MORE INFORMATION

Using NET USE * /HOME from Multiple MS-DOS Command Prompts

If you use the NET USE * /HOME command from more than one MS-DOS command prompt in Windows 95, your current directory is going to be set incorrectly. Your current directory is going to be the root of the server containing your home directory instead of your default home directory.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:12/16/2004
Keywords:KB137979
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