If your user profile path is set to the root of the drive that holds the Windows files, and you have the permission, the first time you log onto a Windows Server 2003 computer by using Remote Desktop Connection, the system will create a new profile, and when you log off, it deletes any data in your profile path that does not exist in the local profile. Since your profile includes all the common files, you just destroyed the Roaming Profile Storage server.
NOTE: A user profile path should NEVER be the root of any common folder.
To prevent a future occurrence, verify / fix the profile path:
1. Start / Run / Dsa.msc / OK.
2. Expand the container that contains the user name, which is the Users container by default.
3. Right-click the user name you are verifying and press Properties.
4. Select the Profile tab.
5. Verify that the path in the Profile path box is not a common folder or drive root.
I have scripted chkprofile.bat, which uses GetUsers.bat, to generate a comma separated list of all your domain user profile paths.
chkprofile.bat contains:
@echo off
setlocal
set fnd=findstr /L /I /C:"User profile"
For /f "Tokens=*" %%u in ('getusers') do (
for /f "Tokens=*" %%p in ('net user "%%u" /domain^|%fnd%') do (
call :display "%%u" "%%p"
)
)
endlocal
goto :EOF
:display
set user=%1
set work=%2
set profile="%work:~30%
@echo %user%,%profile%
