Value: Favorites
Type: REG_EXPAND_SZ
Default: %USERPROFILE%\Favorites
CATEGORY !!WindowsComponents
CATEGORY !!InternetExplorer
CATEGORY !!IE_Favorites
KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders"
POLICY !!IE_Favorites
#if version >= 4
SUPPORTED !!SUPPORTED_IE5
#endif
EXPLAIN !!IE_Favorites_Location_Explain
PART !!IE_Favorites_Location_Tip1 TEXT
END PART
PART !!IE_Favorites_Location EDITTEXT EXPANDABLETEXT
VALUENAME Favorites
DEFAULT "%USERPROFILE%\Favorites"
REQUIRED
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY ;; IE_Favorites
END CATEGORY ;; Internet Explorer
END CATEGORY ;; WindowsComponents
[strings]
WindowsComponents="Windows Components"
IE_Favorites="Favorites"
IE_Favorites_Location="The path to the favorites folder"
IE_Favorites_Location_Explain="Specify the path to the location of favorites. You can use variables like %USERPROFILE%, %USERNAME%, etc… Both local and UNC paths are valid."
IE_Favorites_Location_Tip1="Specify the UNC path to the favorites location"
InternetExplorer="Internet Explorer"
SUPPORTED_IE5="at least Internet Explorer v5.01"
How to use it:
- Follow the steps outlined in Daniel Petri's Adding New Administrative Templates to a GPO article on general instructions on how to add or remove an .ADM file from the Administrative Templates section in GPO.
- Because we are dealing with so called "preference" and not policy setting (we are tattooing the registry just like with NT4 policies), you will need to make the GPO Editor to show the preferences. Instruction for doing that can be found here under the "Disabling GPO settings filtering" section.
- Go to User Configuration–>Administrative Templates–>Windows Components–>Internet Explorer–>Favorites
- You will see there something like this:
-
- Configure the new location and apply the policy to the users you want their Favorites being redirected:
The group policy is creating the Favorites folder where I directed it to but it is not moving the favorites from the workstation to the created folder. Also when the user opens up IE and goes to favorites it is looking at the redirected folder because it's empty. If I move the favorites from the workstation to the redirected folder they do show up in IE then. Where am I going wrong?
You are doing nothing wrong. This is the expected behavior. You'll need to move the Favorites manually or using some kind of script.
I added it and it seems that it created the favorites folder under
User Configuration–>Administrative Templates–>Windows Components–>Internet Explorer–>Favorites
but there is no Favories icon in the folder or properties. I am using Windows SBS 2003.
Nevermind……I had to modify filtering
Thanks to: http://www.faronics.com/news/tips02.htm
I'm trying to apply this GPO so that it only applies when a user logs on to one specific server. I have the server in it's own Organizational Unit and am applying the policy to that OU only. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be working. Any ideas?
Mark,
This is a user setting rather than computer setting. This means that you can filter either based on user account, or you cat turn loopback on the GPO that is applied to the OU the computer resides in
Hi, after I apply the GPO on SBS2003 and logon my XP laptop. IE favorites are gone and does not show anywhere. I don't see the Favorites folder on the sepcify server either and now I can't even import or create a new IE favorite, any idea on how to correct this?
Good
Good
if any possible redirect IE Favorites to Network drive any option do this
I'm in the exact same spot as Greg.
I can get it to create a Favorites folder on our users' home directory. However, I need to copy their existing favorites first. Some of our users have extensive favorites lists.
In the login script, I typed:
copy %USERPROFILE%\Favorites %HOMEDRIVE% /y
but all that seemed to do is copy some default favorites, not the favorites of the actual user.
So, then I tried:
copy "c:\documents and settings\%USERNAME%\Favorites" %HOMEDRIVE% /y
That didn't seem to do anything. I'm stuck right now on how to script copying user's favorites up to the network drive. Getting the Favorites "redirected" via GPO is working though.
Is your home drive mapping before the favorites copy script run? Try coping it to the URL of the location of their home drive instead of the drive letter. (i.e. \\ServerName\HomeDriveShareNane\%username%)
Works a treat, Thanks
The included Folder Redirection options (Desktop, My Documents, Start Menu, Application Data) all include an advanced option to apply to a specific AD group.
Is there anyway to add that to this adm?
Hi guys,
I´ve installed this gpo on my domain server and it works fine.
just the behavior is not exactly the one I was expecting.
Actually this GPO make a redirection, it means if the users have saved personal favorites in their local profile, those favorites will not appear anymore, just will appear the favorites of the redirected folder.
What I would like to do wit his GPO, is the following:
this gpo keeps the favorites for each user too.
It would be like Adding instead of redirecting.
Anyone could help me , please?
thanks
Cheers,
Hi guys,
I´ve installed this gpo on my domain server and it works fine.
just the behavior is not exactly the one I was expecting.
Actually this GPO make a redirection, it means if the users have saved personal favorites in their local profile, those favorites will not appear anymore, just will appear the favorites of the redirected folder.
What I would like to do wit his GPO, is the following:
this gpo keeps the favorites for each user too.
It would be like Adding instead of redirecting.
Anyone could help me , please?
thanks
Cheers,
Great resource! Thanks for your time and effort on this issue!
works fine!
Excellent – did the trick! Many thanks Guy!
Have you tried to manage favorites using Group Policy? I noticed that if I add new favorite for users using GPO, this doesn't work… When I remove or change default Favorite path, then GPO favorite additions works fine.
great thread, very helpful. I do have a question though… When users now log off there is an annoying little windows that comes up and says "Synchronizing…" why does it do that?
@ADMtemp, How did you remove or change the Favorite path? Cause I have the same problem