Server 2012 / 2008R2 Policies / Shared Drives / Mapped folders


Recommended Posts

I have a Standard 2012, but the server version not that important. 

 

Basically what I would like to do is this.

 

\\serverName\ (I get prompted for a Username/Password). Now!!!! .. based on that Username I would like to have certain folders with specific read/write access and nothing else visible. (The user can have the computer added to the domain but since it is a local network, I can chose to leave it on WORKGROUP and have it access the server on a per map basis.

 

I have read I need a GPO ... which I believe I created one (with 2 mapped drives and nothing else changed) but not sure how to link a GP to a folder and give it specific rights (read/write). 

Is there a tutorial? or something to look at as a reference? 

Create your shared folders as "username" then use GPO to map with "\\server\%username%" is that what you are trying to do?

 

So lets have the following scenario:

 

Username1 and Username2 are 2 different distinct users 

Folder1, Folder2, Folder3 are 3 distinct folders (not shared)

 

I would like Username1 to have read/write access to folder1(2,3)

I would like Username2 to have read access to folder1 and read/write access to folder2 (no access and not shown folder3)

It doesn't matter if it is 1 user, 2 users, 5 users, 1000 users, or a billion users.  This is the point of Active Directory, to be able to assign permissions based on who logs in and/or what groups they belong into. 

 

Set it up right and you will be able to do exactly how you want it.  It takes all of 15 minutes, if you know how to do it.

 

I could remote in and have this done in no time for you.

 

 

Otherwise you will have to have local policies or scripts that run that maps to the folders to make life simple.  Cant run a domain gpo to map a drive when they aren't on the domain unless you are using a local gpo to run a logon script which you could also put in the startup folder, negating the need for a logon script gpo entry.

 

something like this in a logon script would work

 

net use o: \\servername\username /user:servername\username password

 

or

 

net use o: \\servername\username /user:domainname\username password

although I can use scripts, for home use I have other options. however, I wold like to explore others to learn more:

 

At the moment I have the following.

 

In AD I have a group Called Home Users, in chich I have placed Computers and users (both populated with 2 of each).

In GPM (Group Policy management) I Have created an OU Home users with Computers and users in it. Under users I have created a Policy Everyone where I have mapped it to one folder for testing with  only one user in AD.

 

That guy is not getting the map, not sure why.

First you need to have all computers joined to the domain and make sure that you are logging in with a domain user not a local user.

 

It will be easier to keep the users and the computers separate, you will never see them co-mingle in a corp environment even in a sbs environment you will not see this. 

 

When you assign a group policy to an OU, only those under that OU will be effected.   It is much better practice to use a top level OU and apply policies based on groups (taking out authenticated users).  Groups can include computers or users, I would not recommend using both in the same group.  Separate the policies out based on computers or based on users.  The Computer Configuration portion of group policies only get applied to computers, regardless if you are trying to apply the policy to users, the User Configuration  portion of group policy only gets applied to users regardless if you are trying to apply the policy to computers.

 

Basically, the user section will only ever get applied to users, the computer policy will only get applied to computers and servers.

 

Keep it simple, keep the tree simple and you will not have problems.  It looks like you are starting to over complicate things without knowing the ramifications of doing so.  The defaults are plenty simple enough.  Everything in AD trickles down not up.  As you start in the tree and start drilling down, anything that is getting applied to the top level will trickle down to the levels you are opening....if you are opening things below and are trying to get them to apply above, it will not work...and it will not cross over to other OU's, it needs to be above the ou you are in to trickle down to it.

also, if you are using the map drives gpo it will not get applied to windows xp computers/users.  It is for Vista or above.

 

You are much better doing it with a kix script or a vbs script if you have that old of a computer.

One thing that I forgot to mention and it is every novice admins #1 mistake...the DNS on the network can only be that of the AD server. There should be no other Dns entry in the tcp/ip properties of any computer including the server. The server should only point to itself. All Dns requests are handled by the DNS server which is the AD server, including Internet DNS requests. This is handled out of the box without any other config, just point Dns to the AD server and have no other DNS servers listed, not even as a secondary Dns.

was able to get it going through the script net use. so far so good, will get back to the GPOs later when I'll have more time to experiment.

 

I do have 2 DNS's, though the server DNS so far deals with the same subnet as the router one but have placed it 1 octet above

Anything that is on the domain must have the server as its only Dns. Internet name servers do not know anything about your internal network and will not be able to resolve computer names. The domain controller knows about the Internet root servers and will redirect any requests to them if it cannot resolve internally.

If you want a show and tell session we can setup a http://join.me session and I can walk you through/help troubleshoot anything that doesn't work or make sense.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • As I've been usually saying lately - we all can thank "AI" for this.
    • Friday Windows 11 preview builds are here. Insiders in the Experimental (formerly Dev) and Beta Channel can download builds 26300.8697 and 26220.8690. My Windows11 device on the Preview Channel just got 26220.8728. My guess is this build is a nightly update from 26220.8690.
    • Traffic has a surprisingly unexpected impact on your surroundings by Sayan Sen Image by Radik 2707 via Pexels A collaborative study by researchers from several Israeli institutions found that everyday pollution from traffic and industrial activity measurably changed the atmospheric electric field over the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, providing new evidence of how human activity can influence the lower atmosphere. The research was led by Dr. Roy Yaniv of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Gertner Institute at Sheba Medical Center, Dr. Assaf Hochman of the Fredy & Nadine Herrmann Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University, and Prof. Yoav Yair of Reichman University. The study also involved Itay Froomer, a student from Hadera High School and the Israeli Museum of Medicine and Science (Technoda), who carried out the work as part of the Ministry of Education's 5-unit physics research track. The researchers focused on the atmospheric electric field under fair-weather conditions. Even in the absence of storms, a weak electric field naturally exists between Earth's surface and the atmosphere. One of the main ways scientists measure this field is through the Potential Gradient (PG), which is the inverse of the vertical component of the electric field. PG is a key part of the global electric circuit, a planet-wide system of electrical currents maintained by thunderstorms and electrified clouds around the world. Scientists have long known that the atmospheric electric field can be influenced by factors ranging from large-scale atmospheric processes to local weather conditions such as dust, fog and clouds. Human-made pollution is also known to play a role, but understanding exactly how urban emissions affect the electric field close to the ground has remained an area of ongoing research. To investigate this relationship, the team analyzed measurements from a newly installed electric field mill, an instrument used to continuously monitor the strength of the atmospheric electric field. The instrument was installed at the Center for Technological Education (Roter House) in Holon and became operational in August 2024. It was funded by Israel's Ministry of Education and the Holon municipality. The electric field mill forms part of a broader monitoring network that includes nearby meteorological stations and air-quality monitoring sites. This allowed researchers to compare electric field measurements with detailed weather data and pollution records to better understand what was driving changes in the Potential Gradient. The study focused on two major urban pollutants: fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), both commonly produced by vehicle traffic and industrial activity. PM2.5 refers to microscopic airborne particles small enough to remain suspended in the atmosphere for extended periods, while NOx is a group of gases released during fuel combustion. Researchers examined daily, weekly and seasonal patterns in the atmospheric electric field and compared them with changes in pollutant concentrations. Their analysis revealed a clear relationship between NOx levels and changes in the Potential Gradient, particularly during morning and evening rush hours when traffic emissions were at their highest. “What we observe is a direct physical link between emission peaks and electrical variability,” explained Dr. Roy Yaniv. “NOx reduces atmospheric conductivity very quickly, so the electric field responds almost instantaneously during traffic rush hours.” Atmospheric conductivity describes how easily electrical charges move through the air. According to the researchers, nitrogen oxides rapidly alter this conductivity, causing a near-immediate response in the electric field. PM2.5, however, was associated with a delayed response. The researchers attributed this difference to the particles' longer atmospheric residence time, meaning they remain in the atmosphere for longer periods, as well as their different microphysical interactions with surrounding air and atmospheric components. The study also identified a pronounced "weekend effect." In Israel, traffic volumes and some industrial activity decline significantly on Fridays and Saturdays. During these periods, concentrations of both NOx and PM2.5 dropped, and corresponding changes were observed in the atmospheric electric field. “The weekend signal demonstrates just how sensitive the electric field is to changes in human activity,” the researchers noted. “When emissions decline, the electrical environment adjusts at once, providing a high-resolution indicator of urban atmospheric conditions.” The findings showed that pollution levels can influence not only the chemical composition of the atmosphere but also its electrical properties. Researchers said the results strengthened the case for using atmospheric electricity as an additional tool for environmental monitoring, particularly in densely populated urban areas where anthropogenic, or human-caused, influences are most pronounced. The study also pointed to potential public health applications. By combining air-quality measurements with observations of atmospheric electricity, researchers said they could gain a more complete picture of how urban atmospheric conditions change over time. “Integrating air-quality data with electric-field measurements gives us a clearer picture of how the lower atmosphere evolves moment by moment,” the researchers added. “It’s a framework that can support both scientific insight and practical environmental decision-making.” Beyond the scientific findings, the project highlighted a collaboration between universities, public institutions and secondary education. Researchers said the work demonstrated how students could take part in real-world environmental research while contributing to studies of air quality, atmospheric processes and their potential effects on society. Source: Hebrew University, ScienceDirect This article was generated with some help from AI and reviewed by an editor. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, this material is used for the purpose of news reporting. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing
    • We aren't even at the all-star game and Microsoft is talking about an update that will most likely be released during the World Series if not after. A lot can happen in the world between now and the 2026 World Series, including the 2026 FIFA Cup. Tell me about it again after the FIFA Cup is concluded. That should allow plenty of time to prepare for it.
    • Great, tell me when I have a "Bad Pool Caller" elsewhere not in Windoze.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Week One Done
      AMV earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Month Later
      AMV earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Collaborator
      ryansurfer98 went up a rank
      Collaborator
    • One Month Later
      Eurosoft10 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      Eurosoft10 earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      541
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      186
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      79
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      77
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      71
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!