Windows Server 2003 + Apple MAC

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baxr6

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Mar 14, 2010
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Hi all,

We currently have 8 macs that connect to a windows 2003 terminal server.For some reason I can create user accounts on the server but when I logon from a mac under the new username for some reason it does not function properly.

EDIT: sorry also active directory

so normally when you logon from the Mac it would:

1. run the logon.cmd script
2. create a home folder on the server (on the initial login)
3. Configure outlook. (on the initial login)

Currently:

1. It runs the logon script
2. doesnt create the folder (or it's not accessible)
3. outlook doesn't work.

Strange part is I did find a folder on the server under c:\Documents and Settings\ called JohnSmith which is the test users name I created.

As A test I changed the login and password of a currently working user to the JohnSmith setup and the Mac then seemed to function properly.

The person that used to do this is no longer with us, which is why I'm doing it.....or trying to.Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
when you login from the mac it runs a login script....the default one, and that sets it up.

Is there anything that needs to be setup on the mac.Cause on the other accounts when you login it automatically loads outlook as well.
 
I am not sure. I only have 1 mac on my AD network and that just uses AD to login. Doesn't try to create any folders or configure outlook.

where is the script supposed to be creating the script if not under the c:\document and settings folder? Have you checked your script to make sure it is still set to put the folder in the correct spot? For the outlook script, have you tried to run it manually? Where is that script running from?
 
ok now im lost, no wonder it wont work.basically outlook should open when you log on the the domain but it doesn't.I may need to go over it further.Is RDC something that comes with the mac office.
 
RDC = Remote Desktop connection I assume.

Without knowing exactly where the scripts are running from its hard to know why it isn't working.

Mac OS X can't run your normal windows login scripts. You have to have a different script for Mac OS X machines than you do windows machines.

First off you need to find where the scripts are, then try to run them manually from a new account and see if they do what they are supposed to. then after that find what is telling them to run and figure out if they are even trying to run.
 
Let's try to figure this out another way.

What is the version of Outlook?
 
He is using remote desktop from the macs to connect to a Terminal Server. The login (and the scripts) are running in a windows environment (albeit on a terminal session).

If other users work, but John Smith doesn't....what's different between the users? Same OU in active directory? Same permissions on the server as everyone else?
 
yes I checked to day you are right, sorry I dont know macs very well.On the server I Have looked extensively for a difference and cant seem to find any.When you remote in from the mac it should start outlook but doesn't.would that be on the mac side or windows side?
 
I'm sorry I completely misunderstood the issue :( I thought the mention of the 2003 terminal server was just talking about the domain controller and the that issues where that when logging into the Mac OS it was trying to run a script on the Mac side that would create a folder back on the server side and then would start Office on the Mac and configure it. Ok, so that isn't the case at all. The Macs only role is to be a thin client basically and connect back to a server used by all. Ok, that puts everything on the server and removed the Macs from this completely, they play zero role in any of this then. its all server side.

Thanks for the clarification Eickst, I was trying to help him fix a none existent issue :(

ok, where is this home folder supposed to be? When you log into any windows machine it automatically created you a folder in documents and settings (users under vista and up).

did you try to log in as that user and manually run the script to see if it does what you expect it to?
 
Exavior said:
I'm sorry I completely misunderstood the issue :( I thought the mention of the 2003 terminal server was just talking about the domain controller and the that issues where that when logging into the Mac OS it was trying to run a script on the Mac side that would create a folder back on the server side and then would start Office on the Mac and configure it.
Click to expand...

The misunderstanding is no doubtetly my fault as I seem to be getting confused with the Mac side of things.

Exavior said:
where is this home folder supposed to be? When you log into any windows machine it automatically created you a folder in documents and settings (users under vista and up).

did you try to log in as that user and manually run the script to see if it does what you expect it to?
Click to expand...

Ive spent nearly 4 hours today going backwards and forth trying to log what is and isn't happeneing.This is what I have come up with.

1. The JohnSmith account is setup on the server and the profile/home folder is created.(C:\Documents and Settings\JohnSmith)
2. When you login from the Mac it would normally on first login setup outlook and open it.(it's not doing this.)
3. On subsequent logins it would normally just open outlook.(not doing this either.)
4. The network drives are not visable either.

Ive looked all over the server and cant seem to find any script that runs.the registry doesn't show any additional scripts either.

I've also checked each user that does work corectly under active directory and can not see any differences.We also run maximizer crm software which wont run correctly on the JohnSmith account either.I wonder if its maximizer that normally sets it up?
 
is there a login script set for the other user accounts in AD that you are not setting for that one?

I've done that a few times back when we used them, would create an account and then forget to do that.

There could also be a group policy that is running all of this stuff also. Which is what i'm using now, you log in and all your drivers get mapped.

there are many different ways to set this up so its hard to tell what method the person before you used. we might just need to help you recreate all those things.
 
Exavior said:
is there a login script set for the other user accounts in AD that you are not setting for that one?

I've done that a few times back when we used them, would create an account and then forget to do that.

There could also be a group policy that is running all of this stuff also. Which is what i'm using now, you log in and all your drivers get mapped.

there are many different ways to set this up so its hard to tell what method the person before you used. we might just need to help you recreate all those things.
Click to expand...

I think I have found something......The server has a program on it called Workgroupshare which seems to have something to do with sharing folders per user aswell as calendars, outlook.

http://www.softalkltd.com/products/workgroupshare/
 
looks like that would help share the stuff in outlook, but that wouldn't setup all that stuff in outlook or setting up shares
 
Exavior said:
looks like that would help share the stuff in outlook, but that wouldn't setup all that stuff in outlook or setting up shares
Click to expand...

Also found this on the nas drive but have bo clue what it is, Could be a Mac script???

Folder Structure:

Code: 
office_script.app

./office_script.app:
Contents

./office_script.app/Contents:
Info.plist  MacOS  PkgInfo  Resources

./office_script.app/Contents/MacOS:
applet

./office_script.app/Contents/Resources:
Scripts  applet.icns  applet.rsrc  description.rtfd

./office_script.app/Contents/Resources/Scripts:
main.scpt

./office_script.app/Contents/Resources/description.rtfd:
TXT.rtf
 
Yes that is a MacOS application.

So you establish a remote desktop connection with the same username from a Windows PC and it works?
 
athlon1.2 said:
Yes that is a MacOS application.

So you establish a remote desktop connection with the same username from a Windows PC and it works?
Click to expand...

no still wont work.

But I did find this in the help files for workgroupshare.

Adding Outlook Users
Before you can install the client software on someone’s computer, you must add that person as a user to the WorkgroupShare Administrator. For more information, see “Adding Additional Users” on page 19.
If this computer is a member of an Active Directory domain, a convenient way of adding many users is by running the Administrator and selecting Edit | Add Active Directory Users and Groups from the Administrator program menu. For more information, see “Importing Users from the Active Directory” on page 19.

Installing the Client Program
Once you have added the users to the Administrator, you are then ready to install the client software. This can either be done directly on the client computer or, when all computers are members of an Active Directory domain, this can be done remotely from the WorkgroupShare Administrator.
Click to expand...
 
Man I hate Mac any time you have to do anything on a MS network your just asking for trouble. Mac's aren't meant for business. Home users fine but on AD its just a pita. So many hacks just to get them to work right.
 
Wrench00 said:
Man I hate Mac any time you have to do anything on a MS network your just asking for trouble. Mac's aren't meant for business. Home users fine but on AD its just a pita. So many hacks just to get them to work right.
Click to expand...

True, but they aren't his issue here. He is using them as thin clients. Since he is able to RDC from them into the server they are out of the picture.
 
Ok so it doesn't work from a PC or a MAC using RDP.

But older users still work fine?
 
Eickst said:
Ok so it doesn't work from a PC or a MAC using RDP.

But older users still work fine?
Click to expand...

Yeah, pretty much where he is. Old accounts work just fine new ones won't. So there has to be something that is supposed to be setup for new accounts that he is overlooking
 
Can anyone point me in the right direction for setting it up again from scratch.Might be the simplest method.
 
What does event viewer show when the new user logs in? Any group policy errors?
 
Login with a user that works and run the command, then login with a user that doesn't and run the command. Compare results. If you are using 3rd party software you might have to refer back to the vendor for support with their software.

gpresult /v
 
athlon1.2 said:
Login with a user that works and run the command, then login with a user that doesn't and run the command. Compare results. If you are using 3rd party software you might have to refer back to the vendor for support with their software.

gpresult /v
Click to expand...

He doesn't know what is running as he can't find the scripts, which is part of the problem

baxr6 said:
Can anyone point me in the right direction for setting it up again from scratch.Might be the simplest method.
Click to expand...

Explain what EXACTLY should be occurring and we can help you do that. I agree, would be much easier to just start from scratch, that way you know exactly what is happening and where everything is coming from instead of trying to figure out how all this is happening.
 
Just covering the obvious, but did you check these two places?

logonscript.png


It's also possible you have GPO with security filtering per users, instead of groups (yuck!).
 
yer.. first place I checked :(

basically I need the following;

1. Create the standard user folder on the server
2. Setup ms outlook with account details and have it start automatically when the user logs in.
3. add some network drives to my computer.

The other thing I have found is on the second drive (D:) there is a folder called Shared which has the users folders in there aswell with the outlook files.

E.g. D:\Shared\JohnSmith\outlook.pst

So I'm assuming we need only the outlook files located there.Although thats not a big issue.
 
The user folder gets created on the server as soon as you enter the path in the user profile (home folder) section in AD.

Network drives can be done via GPP very easily.

Starting MS Outlook on login is as easy as putting a shortcut to it in the users Start Menu > Startup folder....which can also be done via GPP.
 
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