Windows 7 box can't see home directory
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I'm having some problems with a specific computer on my Windows network. The network infrastructure is Active Directory based, and AD tells all the computers in the network where to get their home directories from.
But this one computer just refuses to mount its home directory.
It is not a user setting problem -- it has happened to multiple users (including me) on that machine. As far as I know, it's not an AD setting problem -- I can see my home directory from any other computer in the building. So something must be broken on the computer itself. But it's not a "simple" networking problem -- I can connect to other network shares from that machine. It's just the home directory that doesn't want to mount.
The broken desktop runs Windows 7 Pro 64, and the active directory runs on Windows Server 2008 I think.
Help! Also, it's my boss's desktop.
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@Captain Does your boss have local admin privileges? If so, have you taken a quick look at what he's installed?
Honestly the quickest fix might be to re-image a new box for him, honestly.
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My initial guess is that Windows is logging in before the network is available (one of the ways it cheats login times) so when Windows tries to map the network drive there's no network available yet.
For desktops, you should consider this Group Policy setting:
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon -> Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon
This will make logon somewhat slower, but it's a very common setting for workplace environments.
For laptops, you'll also want to configure the maximum time to wait for the network so login off-site isn't balls slow:
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\User Profile --> Set maximum wait time for network [...]
Exact cause could be any number of things, from that workstation's configuration (multiple NICs), installed drivers, that hardware, the network cable type or length, number of switch hops to the server, etc. Basically anything from Windows on your workstation all the way down the OSI model to your DHCP server and domain controller.
