Set Caching Options for Shared Folders

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

The caching feature of Shared Folders ensures that users have access to shared files even when they are working offline with no access to the network.

Important

To maximize the security of offline files, configure offline settings to encrypt offline files.

Set caching options for a shared folder

• Using the Windows interface

• Using a command line

To set caching options for a shared folder by using the Windows interface

1. Open Computer Management.

   • In Windows Vista: Click Start, click Control Panel, click System and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.

   • In Windows Server 2008: Click Start, click Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.

2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.

3. In the console tree, click System Tools, click Shared Folders, and then click Shares.

4. In the details pane, right-click the shared folder, and then click Properties.

5. On the General tab, click Offline Settings, and then click the caching option you want to set for this shared folder:

   • To allow users to specify the files they want to use offline, click Only the files and programs that users specify will be available offline.

   • To ensure that all files opened by the user are automatically downloaded and available offline, click All files and programs that users open from the share will be automatically available offline.

   • To remove offline caching, click Files or programs from the share will not be available offline.

To set caching options for a shared folder by using a command line

1. To open an elevated Command Prompt window, click Start, point to All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.

3. Type one of the following to specify caching for this shared folder:

   net share <sharename> /cache:manual
   net share <sharename> /cache:documents
   net share <sharename> /cache:programs
   net share <sharename> /cache:none
   

   For example, to specify that programs and documents that the user opens on the shared folder named myshare are automatically downloaded and available offline, type:

   net share myshare /cache:programs
   

Value	Description
Net share	Manages shared folders.
<sharename>	The network name of the shared folder in drive:path format.
/cache:manual	Allows users to identify the documents and programs they want to store offline.
/cache:documents	Automatically stores documents offline.
/cache:programs	Automatically stores documents and programs offline.
/cache:none	Prevents users from storing documents and programs offline.

Note

To view the complete syntax for this command, at the command prompt, type: net help share
To display information about a shared folder, type: net share <sharename>

Additional references

Command-Line Syntax Notation