Help, Helper Monkee!

[Abraham Smashington]

Could be. Any settings change recently?

[Mike]

This can be something that happens when you upgrade a server. Basically, roaming profiles in the windows universe revolve around Active Directory accounts as managed through a Domain.

Active Directory is basically a giant list of users (including login info, access rights, etc.), computers, devices, etc. that gets stored on a windows server. When you set up your user profiles in AD to roam, it means that your files that are in My Documents and your Desktop get stored on the server, and when you log onto a computer, those files get transferred to that pc from the server. If it's a computer you've used before, a copy of those files usually persists on that PC, so all that happens when you log in is that a comparison check between those local files and the stuff on the server is made, and if there are differences between the two sources, the server stuff overwrites your local stuff.

If there was a server upgrade, there could be a few issues that are complicating this procedure. If users didn't log off of their computers before the server was upgraded, its possible AD won't understand how to complete this roaming procedure on that computer anymore. It could also be something simple like they effed up copying over your AD settings from the old box to the new box. In any event, this is a problem that only your network people can fix, a unless you have server access and can go into the AD area to look at your account, you are powerless.

Ditto if there was a Domain change. Your Domain is basically a label describing the group to which your computer belongs on the network. It can also describe the general permission group your username belongs to. Typically, when a server is upgraded, those domains do not get changed. If they did get changed, then your AD account may not know about the new domain and might be trying to assign you to your original domain.

EXAMPLE: say you have a network domain called WORKGROUP set up in your office. When you go to log in (if you are using domains), you will be given the drop-down menu to choose that domain name on the same screen as your username and password. As part of the login process, Windows looks at your AD account to verify you are allowed to exist in that domain, and that your username and login password are correct. If your company decided to delete or rename WORKGROUP, you would have to pick the new domain in the little dropdown that appears when you go to login. If your account is still bound to the old domain, you won't be able to log in at all. If your account has been correctly updated to the new domain, you have to pick or type in that new domain name and then you should be allowed in.

Again, your network people are the gatekeepers with errors like this, but it doesn't hurt to understand a little bit about how this all works :P

[Nathan]

Houston we have a problem. Thanks for the info man! You basically confirmed what I suspected. Fack!

[Nathan]

So our IT guy is on vacation. He was remotely logging in to the computers at our other facility. How was he doing that? VPN? Do I just need the IP address at the other place? Need to access a PC up there and don't want to drive 30 miles. Help?!?!?!?

[Abraham Smashington]

If it's a VPN connection you WILL need a client installed to be able to access your work computer.

[Nathan]

He was doing it from this facility so we should have all the stuff we need......right?

[Abraham Smashington]

Should. I know here the client needs to be installed on site, but you have to be off site for it to be configured.

[nerdious dorkus]

If you're still running off the same server, then you should have access to it if you have admin rights.

[Nathan]

So, log on as admin............and then what?

[nerdious dorkus]

Look for the VPN software, you noob.

[Nathan]

Is it not a Windows program?

[nerdious dorkus]

/shrug. Depends. Hahaha. If all the computers run Windows, then it's a Windows program.

[Abraham Smashington]

/shrug. Depends. Hahaha. If all the computers run Windows, then it's a Windows program.

Ours is a CISCO client. Special install.

[Nathan]

Does Tight VNC sound familiar?

[Nathan]

That's the program but it requires a password. SHit!