WIN2K3 users files disappearing

We are having a problem with files in users home folder disappearing. None of the folders or files in the folder disappear. Only files directly under their user folders disappear. We are able to recover them by restoring a previous version. I have corrected it from my folder by placing all my files in folders. The files are not hidden, rebooting the server does not fix it. And it is random. It happens to one user, maybe a month later another. Now it has happened to the CIO and he wants a fix not a work around. Someone please help!!

re: WIN2K3 users files disappearing

That's a really interesting issue. I would recommend turning logging up all the way and trying to catch what is doing it.

Also, are all the users in a domain, or ad-hoc setup?

You say the backups have always caught this, how often are the backups run? Could this be a login script attached to the profile?

re: WIN2K3 users files disappearing

all users are in the domain. We run backups daily. We catch it when users report files are missing. And usually I right click on their users folder and click on previous versions tab and check the dates until I find their files. the crazy thing is the folders or files inside of folders never disappear. Just the files directly in their user folder.

re: WIN2K3 users files disappearing

Sorry I haven't done anything with this thread in a few days, I've been looking for some answer, but couldn't find any.

I'm going to move this over to the Windows forum, and hope those guys can give you some better help.

Good luck!

re: WIN2K3 users files disappearing

thank you!
It doesn't happen often. About once a month.

re: WIN2K3 users files disappearing

I asked a few of the other Experts to take a look at this thread, hopefully get you some help here.

re: WIN2K3 users files disappearing

Do you have quotas turned on? Does your backup scripts delete things accidentally once they've been copied? Do you have a virus? Is someone running a batch job that deletes files? Is your virus scanner quarantining files? Is the users' documents folder attached to a network share or NAS box? Are you running Vista or XP?

re: WIN2K3 users files disappearing

Do all users have read/write access?

I have the same (or maybe just similar - I didn't quite understand your explanation) problem periodically. One of the users picks up a whole folder and drops it within someone-else's without even noticing they've done so. Never require a restore. Just need to find the missing folder and move it back.

Let us know if this could be your issue.

re: WIN2K3 users files disappearing

This is not the issue. At first, we thought that might be the case since it was one user that it would happen to. Then I noticed my files were gone in my home folder ( but all files in folders under the home folder were fine) and it happened to CIO and a few others. We did a search on the network for the files they were not there. Also, our users cannot see anyone elses home folder. Everyone has a mapped drive to their folder and they do not have access to others. It's not a virus. Their are not scripts deleting files. I thought it might be the backup software but we are not using the same backup software since this started happening.

re: WIN2K3 users files disappearing

also quotas is not enabled.

re: WIN2K3 users files disappearing

Never mind. Sorry I was no help.