"Enable offline files" will not stay on
 

Have a user with a new laptop, XP Pro SP1, set his My Documents to point to
shared "My Documents" on his desktop PC, and set to make files available
offline. After syncing, restarting the computer disconnected, and accessing
My Documents, I am told that the connection to the share is unavailable. I
examine the "Enable offline files" setting (In Explorer, pick Tools, Folder
Options, Offline Files tab) and find that it is unchecked. I can check it,
re-access the My Documents folder, and it behaves correctly, tells my I'm
off-line, and the files are there. Shut down, reconnect to the network, and
on startup, the box is unchecked again. Checking it allows me to synchronize
offline files, like it should have done on login.

This worked on his previous laptop, which he gave to his daughter for
college. I find nothing that explains why the box won't stay checked. I also
find it odd that the files are still there after it's unchecked itself; I
would have expected them to have been deleted.

The checked setting survives a logout (and syncs correctly on logout and
login), but not a shutdown. There is no domain involved, this is just a
workgroup. The shared folder is on an XP pro system, as well.

Any guesses, suggestions, or real answers would be appreciated.

Walter Fooshee
Panama City, FL