Offline Files

Written by Daniel Mundy | 12 March 2009

Issues with Offline Files

If you disable OPLOCKS, then offline files can break. Apparently there is no fix from Microsoft because they don't recommend to disable OPLOCKS, but some applications require it to be done

How to Re-Initialize the Offline Files Cache and Database

I also find that it helps to format the Offline Files database on the PCs after disabling folder redirection. To do this, create the following registry key on the PC and then reboot:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\NetCache
Key Name: FormatDatabase
Key Type: DWORD
Key Value: 1

More information: How to re-initialize the offline files cache and databas

Even More Information:

Managing Offline Files - different ways of deleting offline files. This page also has a good explanation of the group policy objects that apply to offline files.
Found these links through http://www.rmschneider.com/writing/xp_tips.html - may have other useful info
Some info on how to disable it
User - Admin Templates - Offline FIles - Do not automatically make redirected folders available offline
Or on the file share, in offline settings, do not make this folder available offline
These options seem to just be user based or file share based... What about a user who wants the files synchronised on their laptop but not their PC?
MSKB 811660: Files that you add to the Offline Files folder on a Windows XP-based computer are synchronized when another person uses the computer (this is fixed in Windows XP SP3)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q242557/ (Registry settings for Folder Redirection in Windows)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;230738

Alternative - SyncToy

Use Microsoft SyncToy v2 - a free download from Microsoft. It is basically a two-way replication program like robocopy. You create a folder pair using either a UNC path or mapped drive on the server, and a local directory.

SyncToy is a manual sync program but can be made automatic by using an XP scheduled task to run a batch script at logon to run SyncToy and use group policy logoff scripts to run the same batch file.

Alternative - Live Mesh

Still in beta. Be careful when setting up folders as there are options to sync PC-to-PC and PC-to-PC-to-Cloud. It is LAN/WAN aware and will sync locally and not travel across the internet if the machines are LAN'd but then goes over the internet when remote. The only limitation is that it will not run as a service (ie. the user must be logged in).

https://www.mesh.com