How to Fix Windows Server 2008 R2 Home Folders Displaying as “My Documents” Instead of Actual Usernames


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In our Windows Server 2008 R2 environment, we've implemented a centralized home folder solution for approximately 600 users. Each user's home directory follows this architecture:

\\fileserver\home$\

The folder structure gets mapped to the H: drive through Group Policy, and we've configured Windows Libraries to point to this network location for the Documents library. This setup works well for both desktop and laptop users (using Offline Files for mobility).

While the functionality works perfectly, we're seeing an odd display behavior in Windows Explorer when viewing the folders on the server itself. Instead of showing the actual folder names (which match usernames), Explorer displays all folders as "My Documents". This occurs when browsing the parent directory containing all user folders.

Example of what we see:

- \\fileserver\home$\
  ├─ My Documents (actually jsmith)
  ├─ My Documents (actually bjohnson)
  ├─ My Documents (actually rwilliams)

This behavior stems from how Windows Explorer interprets folders that have been designated as "special folders" in the shell namespace. When a folder contains a desktop.ini file with specific CLSID references, Explorer will display the localized name instead of the actual folder name.

The desktop.ini in each home folder typically contains:

[.ShellClassInfo]
LocalizedResourceName=@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-21770

The value -21770 corresponds to the "My Documents" string in shell32.dll's resources.

Option 1: Registry Modification

Add this registry key to prevent special folder display names:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"UseSystemForSystemFolders"=dword:00000000

Option 2: Batch Cleanup Script

Run this PowerShell script to remove desktop.ini files from home folders:

$homePath = "\\fileserver\home$\"
Get-ChildItem $homePath -Directory | ForEach-Object {
    $iniPath = Join-Path $_.FullName "desktop.ini"
    if (Test-Path $iniPath) {
        attrib -r -s -h $iniPath
        Remove-Item $iniPath -Force
    }
}

Option 3: Group Policy Solution

Configure this GPO setting:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer
"Turn off the display of localized folder names" → Enabled

Before applying any solution, consider these factors:

  • Test changes in a non-production environment first
  • For Option 2, ensure you have proper backups
  • The registry change affects the entire machine
  • Group Policy offers the most manageable enterprise solution

If you want to maintain some visual distinction while solving the naming issue, consider this hybrid solution:

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconResource=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,45
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=45

This will show the standard folder icon while still displaying the actual folder name.

When implementing home folder redirection on Windows Server 2008 R2, administrators often encounter a peculiar display issue in Windows Explorer. Despite folders being correctly named according to usernames (e.g., "jsmith"), Explorer persistently shows them as "My Documents". This behavior occurs regardless of folder naming conventions or share permissions.

The root cause stems from how Windows Explorer interprets certain folder attributes. Home folders configured with specific redirection policies trigger Explorer to apply the "My Documents" display name based on shell namespace conventions. The server correctly maintains the actual folder names (visible via command line or PowerShell), but the GUI representation gets altered.

Add this registry modification to prevent Explorer from applying the special folder treatment:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{FDD39AD0-238F-46AF-ADB4-6C85480369C7}]
"ParsingName"="::"

This disables the namespace handler for the Documents folder specifically. Apply through Group Policy for domain-wide deployment.

For environments where registry modifications aren't ideal, use this PowerShell script to modify folder attributes:

Get-ChildItem "\\fileserver\homefolders" | ForEach-Object {
    $path = $_.FullName
    (Get-Item $path).Attributes = "Directory"
    Write-Host "Reset attributes for $path"
}

Run this weekly via scheduled task to maintain consistent display names.

For domain environments, implement these Group Policy settings:

Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer:
- Turn off display of recent search entries = Enabled
- Turn off the caching of thumbnails in hidden thumbs.db files = Enabled
- Turn off the display of thumbnails and only display icons = Enabled

After implementing any solution, verify proper behavior with:

dir /a \\fileserver\homefolders
Get-ChildItem \\fileserver\homefolders | Select Name

Both commands should show actual folder names, not "My Documents".

For laptop users with offline files enabled, ensure these registry changes propagate to client machines. The CSC (Client Side Caching) service maintains its own cache of folder attributes that may need resetting:

%windir%\System32\regsvr32.exe /u /s cscui.dll
%windir%\System32\regsvr32.exe /s cscui.dll