After you apply a GPO to redirect a folder to a new network share, the redirected folder is empty on client computers that are running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008

Consider the following scenario:

• As a domain administrator, you apply a Folder Redirection Group Policy object (GPO) in order to redirect a folder to a network share. For example, you redirect the Documents folder.
• You change the Folder Redirection GPO to specify a new network share. Additionally, the new network share targets the same physical location as the existing network share.
• When you change the Folder Redirection GPO, you click to select the Move the contents of <Folder_Name> to the new location check box.
• You apply the Folder Redirection GPO to the domain users and to the client computers.
• A domain user logs on to a client computer that is running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008.

In this scenario, the domain user finds that the redirected folder is empty.

Notes

• This issue typically occurs when you redirect a folder to a Distributed File System (DFS) link.
• For more information about how to configure the Folder Redirection GPO, see the More information section.

To resolve the problem for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, please download this hotfix, it has the resolution for Windows 7 for this problem as well:

977229� You are unable to update the target location of offline file shares in the Offline File client side cache without administrative permission in Windows Server 2008 R2 or in Windows 7
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;977229

Hotfix information

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

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

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

• Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (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 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 as 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 and MANIFEST files, and the 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 Server 2008 SP2 and of Windows Vista SP2

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2 and of Windows Vista SP2

For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista SP1

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista SP1

For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008

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

To work around this issue, do not click to select the Move the contents of <Folder_Name> to the new location check box when you configure the Folder Redirection GPO.

How to configure the Folder Redirection GPO

To configure the Folder Redirection GPO, follow these steps:

1. Open the Group Policy Management Console.
2. In the Group Policy Management Console, locate the Group Policy Objects folder, and then select the Folder Redirection GPO that you have created.
   
   Note If you have not created a Folder Redirection GPO, right-click Group Policy Objects, and then click New to create a Folder Redirection GPO.
3. Right-click the Folder Redirection GPO, and then click Edit to open the Folder Redirection GPO. Expand User Configuration, expand Policies, expand Windows Settings, and then expand Folder Redirection.
4. Right-click the folder that you want to redirect, and then click Properties.
5. Click the Target tab, select one of the following options from the Setting box, and then type appropriate values:
   • Advanced - Specify locations for various user groups
   • Basic- Redirect everyone's folder to the same location
6. Click the Settings tab, configure the other redirection settings for the folder that you want to redirect, and then click OK to complete the folder redirection process.

For more information about folder redirection, visit the following Microsoft Web site:For more information about Distributed File System (DFS), visit the following Microsoft Web site: 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 files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista SP2 and of Windows Server 2008 SP2

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista SP2 and of Windows Server 2008 SP2

Additional files for all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista SP1 and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista SP1 and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008