Windows Server 2019 - Odd happening, seeking explanation

Allan J. Ashinoff 481 Reputation points
2021-06-28T20:00:02.147+00:00

Today I got a call from an end-user telling me that their Documents folder in their network H drive is missing. Logging into the server where the user folders are hosted and navigating that end-user folder showed nothing, even when show hidden files was applied. I had a hunch and added the end-user into the folder permissions and when I applied it gave me the errors I anticipated but it also showed me 'My documents' in the path of many of those errors.

By adding 'my documents' to the quick access path I was able to find all his files. I then created a 'documents' folder in the H drive root (where it should be) and moved the content to it. Problem resolved.

Even so, I have no understanding of why this happened and why, as administrator with ownership permission , I am unable to see the still present My Documents folder.

I'd really like knowing how and why this happened in case it happens again.

Thanks in advance

Windows Server 2019
Windows Server 2019
A Microsoft server operating system that supports enterprise-level management, data storage, applications, and communications.
2,377 questions
Windows Server
Windows Server
A family of Microsoft server operating systems that support enterprise-level management, data storage, applications, and communications.
8,765 questions

2 answers

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  1. Candy Luo 12,476 Reputation points
    2021-06-29T07:46:50.287+00:00

    Hi ,

    Based on my understanding, you mapped the documents to a network drive and find the folders in document are missing.

    Then you login into the server where the user folders are hosted and find you cannot see the folders in C:\users\XXX\documents.

    110151-1.png

    But you can see the documents files in quick access path.

    110100-2.png

    Is that right? Please feel free to let me know if I have any misunderstanding.

    Please understand, it is hard for us to analyze the cause if the issue has been gone. We can only provide some suggestion here:

    1.First audit folder to track whether someone is modifying your files.

    2.When the problems reproduce again, we can first narrow down whether the issue is related with mapped drive. Disconnect mapped drive and restart explorer.exe on your the server where the user folders are hosted, then check if you can see the files in end-user folder.

    Best Regards,
    Candy

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  2. Allan J. Ashinoff 481 Reputation points
    2021-06-29T21:30:39.317+00:00

    additional occurrence have happened today, all the same.

    The mapped network H (home) drive has been in use for years for all authenticated users. Whatever occurred to disrupt this happened within the last week.

    Each user gets a message that H drive cannot be found. On the server, where these folders are located, in all but one case their entire personal folder is missing. Even when 'show hidden files' is checked using my administrative authority I cannot see these folders.

    If I enter on the quick access bar their folder name, it comes up and the content is there.

    Nothing is/has been lost and It is easy to fix (create a new folder and copy the content to it OR manually enter the H drive location in the individual domain profile) but that does nothing to explain why suddenly things did what they did and raised a panic.