Microsoft KB Archive/243535

= Terminal Services Client Roaming Profile Is Inconsistent or Overwritten =

Article ID: 243535

Article Last Modified on 3/1/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

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This article was previously published under Q243535



SUMMARY
When you are using the same roaming profile for a Windows client and a Terminal Services client, the profile may be inconsistent or overwritten. Configuration changes made on the local Windows desktop can overwrite changes made in the Terminal Services client desktop or vice-versa, depending on which desktop is closed last. This is also true for multiple Terminal Services client sessions that use the same roaming profile concurrently.



MORE INFORMATION
During a Windows client logon with a roaming profile configured, the profile is located on the network and stored locally until the session is successfully logged off. The same situation applies to a Terminal Services client that uses a roaming profile.

When the two separate sessions run simultaneously and you make a change (for example, you create a persistent drive mapping), the change is kept only if you make it in the session that logs off last. If you make the change on the client that logs off first, the profile is updated and the change lost when the second client logs off. This does not occur for a disconnected session because it does not write any of the profile back to the network location. The same rules apply to multiple Terminal Services client sessions that use the same profile, whether it is a roaming or local profile.

This is important because almost all of a Terminal Services client's unique environment relies upon your individual profile. If this information is overwritten by a subsequent Windows client or Terminal Services client logoff, many installed programs and services may not work.

To prevent this behavior from occurring, do not use roaming profiles for Terminal Services clients. Microsoft recommends that Terminal Services clients use local profiles because they are unique to an individual Terminal Services server and installed programs. If you must use a roaming profile, specify one profile for the Windows client and another for the Terminal Services client. This decreases the chance for data loss; it occurs only if you log on at multiple local desktops or multiple Terminal Services client sessions.

Keywords: kbenv kbinfo KB243535

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