Logon script replication

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Logon script replication

A logon script is always downloaded from the server that validates a user's logon request. For users with accounts on Windows Server 2003 family domains that have one or more domain controllers, any one of the domain controllers can authorize a user's logon attempt. In order for logon scripts to always work for users, logon scripts must exist for all user accounts in a domain, on every domain controller in that domain.

Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, domain controllers and servers use File Replication Service (FRS) to replicate system policy and logon scripts to every domain controller in a domain. When you make a change to a logon script stored in the SYSVOL share of a domain controller, FRS replicates this change to the SYSVOL shares of all other domain controllers in the domain. If the administrator manages scripts for a domain using Active Directory Users and Computers, then the logon scripts are typically located in the %systemroot%\SYSVOL\sysvol\domain_name\Scripts folder. The system will look for scripts in the netlogon share of the domain controller that authenticates the user.

If the administrator uses Group Policy to manage logon scripts on a standalone system, then the user logon scripts are typically located in the %systemroot%\System32\GroupPolicy\User\Scripts\Logon directory.

For specific information on how to configure the logon script path for a user in a domain, see Assign a logon script to a user in the Active Directory.

For background information about replication, see Understanding Sites and Replication and Replication overview.

For instructions about configuring replication, see Configure Replication Between Sites.