You cannot manually set an offline folder to online mode when the EFS feature is disabled on a computer that is running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008

Consider the following scenario in a network environment:

• You disable the Encrypting File System (EFS) feature on a client computer that is running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008.
  
  Note You can disable the EFS feature either by using Group Policy or by using a registry value.
• You configure the slow link detection Group Policy for offline files in the network. You set the slow link detection Group Policy to a value that causes an offline folder to stay offline even when a client computer is connected to the network file share.
  
  Note The slow link detection Group Policy for offline files is located at the following path:
  Computer Configuration\Administrative Template\Network\Offline Files\Configure slow-link mode
• A new user logs on to the client computer for the first time. The new user connects to a shared folder that is in the network file share and then configures the folder to be available offline. Then, the new user manually clicks the Work online button to set the folder to online mode.

In this scenario, the new user sees that the Work online button flickers and that the offline folder remains offline.

This issue occurs because the operating system cannot generate the following registry subkey when a new user logs on for the first time and the EFS feature is disabled:When the registry subkey cannot be generated, the Offline Files service cannot store scope information. Because scope information is missing, the Offline Files service cannot determine how long a shared folder was already in online mode. Therefore, the Offline Files service makes the shared folder revert to offline mode immediately to comply with the Group Policy setting.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft. However, it is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next P1 that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Customer Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, your computer must be running one of the following operating systems:

• Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 SP2

For more information about how to obtain a Windows Vista service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to obtain a Windows Server 2008 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

File information

The English (United States) version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 file information notes

Important Windows Vista hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only "Windows Vista" is listed on the Hotfix Request page. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both of these operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under �Windows Vista� on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

• The files that apply to a specific product, SR_Level (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers that are shown in the following table:
  Collapse this tableExpand this table

  Version	Product	SR_Level	Service branch
  6.0.600 1.22xxx	Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008	SP1	LDR
  6.0.600 2.22xxx	Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008	SP2	LDR

• Service Pack 1 is integrated into the release version of Windows Server 2008. Therefore, RTM milestone files apply only to Windows Vista. RTM milestone files have a 6.0.0000.xxxxxx version number.
• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 and for Windows Vista" section. MUM files, MANIFEST files, and associated security catalog (.cat) files are extremely important to maintaining the state of the updated component. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

To work around this issue, use one of the following methods.

Method 1
Create the following cache subkey on the client computer. The subkey can be manually created. The subkey can also be created by using a script.

Method 2
Do not disable the EFS feature at first. After a new user logs on for the first time, configure Offline Files settings for this user. Disable the EFS feature after Offline Files configuration is finished.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: -

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional file information for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional file information for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008