Another Glitch in Offline Files

I read Todd Logan's article "The Ins and Outs of Offline Files" (May 2001) with interest, and I would like to add a limitation I experienced with Offline Files. To set up my mobile users, I've been redirecting the My Documents folder to a hidden folder in each user's home directory, then designating the folder for offline use. This method ensures that a user's data backs up while the user is on the network, and users still have access to their files when they're off the network.

I have users who insist on using AOL 6.0 on their Windows 2000 Professional machines. AOL 6.0 installs a virtual WAN adapter in the network stack. The only time the AOL WAN adapter is connected is when the user is logged on to AOL. When the Offline Files feature detects that the AOL WAN adapter isn't connected, the feature activates.

Unfortunately, you can't specify which adapter Offline Files binds to. The feature seems to bind to all enabled adapters. The workaround is to disable the WAN adapter, which doesn't affect connecting to AOL over TCP. I haven't tested whether disabling the WAN adapter adversely affects AOL's dialer functionality or connectivity.

—Vytas A. Boyev
vboyev@hilcotrading.com

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