Category: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Windows 2000 only

Determines how long updated reminder balloons are displayed. Reminder balloons appear when the user’s connection to a network file is lost or reconnected and they are updated periodically. By default the first reminder for an event is displayed for 30 seconds. Then updates appear every 60 minutes and are displayed for 15 seconds. You can use this setting to change the duration of the update reminder. This setting appears in the Computer Configuration and User Configuration folders. If both settings are configured the setting in Computer Configuration takes precedence over the setting in User Configuration.

Prevents users from enabling disabling or changing the configuration of Offline Files. This setting removes the Offline Files tab from the Folder Options dialog box. It also removes the Settings item from the Offline Files context menu and disables the Settings button on the Offline Files Status dialog box. As a result users cannot view or change the options on the Offline Files tab or Offline Files dialog box. This is a comprehensive setting that locks down the configuration you establish by using other settings in this folder. This setting appears in the Computer Configuration and User Configuration folders. If both settings are configured the setting in Computer Configuration takes precedence over the setting in User Configuration. Tip: This setting provides a quick method for locking down the default settings for Offline Files. To accept the defaults just enable this setting. You do not have to disable any other settings in this folder.

Disables the Offline Files folder. This setting disables the “View Files” button on the Offline Files tab. As a result users cannot use the Offline Files folder to view or open copies of network files stored on their computer. Also they cannot use the folder to view characteristics of offline files such as their server status type or location. This setting does not prevent users from working offline or from saving local copies of files available offline. Also it does not prevent them from using other programs such as Windows Explorer to view their offline files. This setting appears in the Computer Configuration and User Configuration folders. If both settings are configured the setting in Computer Configuration takes precedence over the setting in User Configuration. Tip: To view the Offline Files Folder in Windows Explorer on the Tools menu click Folder Options click the Offline Files tab and then click “View Files. “

Determines whether network files remain available if the computer is suddenly disconnected from the server hosting the files. This setting also disables the “When a network connection is lost” option on the Offline Files tab. This prevents users from trying to change the option while a setting controls it. If you enable this setting you can use the “Action” box to specify how computers in the group respond. — “Work offline” indicates that the computer can use local copies of network files while the server is inaccessible. — “Never go offline” indicates that network files are not available while the server is inaccessible. If you disable this setting or select the “Work offline” option users can work offline if disconnected. If you do not configure this setting users can work offline by default but they can change this option. This setting appears in the Computer Configuration and User Configuration folders. If both settings are configured the setting in Computer Configuration takes precedence over the setting in User Configuration. Tip: To configure this setting without establishing a setting in Windows Explorer on the Tools menu click Folder Options click the Offline Files tab click Advanced and then select an option in the “When a network connection is lost” section. Also see the “Non-default server disconnect actions” setting.

Lists types of files that cannot be used offline. This setting lets you exclude certain types of files from automatic and manual caching for offline use. The system does not cache files of the type specified in this setting even when they reside on a network share configured for automatic caching. Also if users try to make a file of this type available offline the operation will fail and the following message will be displayed in the Synchronization Manager progress dialog box: “Files of this type cannot be made available offline. “This setting is designed to protect files that cannot be separated such as database components. To use this setting type the file name extension in the “Extensions” box. To type more than one extension separate the extensions with a semicolon (;). Note: To make changes to this setting effective you must log off and log on again.

Determines which events the Offline Files feature records in the event log. Offline Files records events in the Application log in Event Viewer when it detects errors. By default Offline Files records an event only when the offline files storage cache is corrupted. However you can use this setting to specify additional events you want Offline Files to record. To use this setting in the “Enter” box select the number corresponding to the events you want the system to log. The levels are cumulative; that is each level includes the events in all preceding levels. “0” records an error when the offline storage cache is corrupted. “1” also records an event when the server hosting the offline file is disconnected from the network. “2” also records events when the local computer is connected and disconnected from the network. “3” also records an event when the server hosting the offline file is reconnected to the network. Note: This setting appears in the Computer Configuration and User Configuration folders. If both settings are configured the setting in Computer Configuration takes precedence over the setting in User Configuration.