Server 3 Home Sync Folders on Logout Fix

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Level 1

27 points

Server 3 Home Sync Folders on Logout Fix

Hi,

I look after a network of 50+ clients all on either 10.9 or 10.10. Since we upgraded our server to 10.9 (& Server 3) we have never been able to get home sync on logout to work.

Within Profile Manager I set up our Mobility / Home Sync settings to only sync specific directories such as Documents, Desktop etc as we did not want to be syncing each users whole home directory (way too large and unnecessary in our case). The sync was set to happen on logout, background and manually.

After realising that the logout sync wasn't working, I changed the settings to sync in the background every 300 mins (5 hours) so that I could at least ensure that our users were syncing their data every day.

After sending feedback to Apple I was actually contacted directly by their server engineers.

Off and on for the last 10 months I have been exchanging messages, logs, files etc with them.

Today, they acknowledged that there is a bug in Profile Manager in relation to Home Sync when you specifically set "Sync Folders".

Apparently what is happening is that the sync code is only looking at the Mobility/Rules/Preference Sync/Sync Folders list and not the Mobility/Rules/Home Sync/Sync Folders list when deciding whether to sync or not.

The fix involves simply adding a directory to Mobility/Rules/Preference Sync/Sync Folders list. This can be a real or fake path - it doesn't matter (i added ~/Documents).

By adding this it forces sync to look at Mobility/Rules/Home Sync/Sync Folders list and so far sync seems to be happening perfectly on logout.

Happy days! Faith restored somewhat in Apple 🙂

I hope this helps someone else out there (can't be just us surely?!)

Justin

Mac mini, OS X Server, Server 3.2.2

Posted on Jul 31, 2015 9:37 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 2, 2015 12:28 AM in response to JAGUK

Hi Justin,

Thanks for posting a fix for your logout sync problem. I have a similar issue with a server and a client mac (both on Yosemite). The only difference is: It is login sync, not logout sync, that fails to initiate with my mobile accounts. I gave up on Apple Support when they suggested I completely wipe the hard drive of my client machine reinstall Yosemite, rebind, etc.... Needless to say, it did not work. I've been trying all kinds of things, and have even gone so far as to nuke and rebuild OD, rebuild user accounts, reinstall Server app, and reinstall Yosemite on my late-2014 mini server: all to no avail. Lately, I've been going through my logs to find the discrepancies between the manual and logout syncs (which work for every mobile account) and the login syncs (which never do) so I can find an intelligent way to ask about this problem on this forum. It's a tedious process which I have not had time to finish over the past two months as I have a lot of other work to do.

I'd like to try your solution, I just have a couple of questions about what you did. I got the impression that you fixed it by going into Profile Manager and adding a directory other than ~/Library to the Preference Sync inclusions list? Is this correct or are the lists you mentioned outside of Profile Manager, in some kind of preference file somewhere?

I just want to be sure. Thanks in advance,

M. D. Skell

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Answer 2

JAGUK Author

Level 1

27 points

Aug 3, 2015 1:54 AM in response to M. D. Skell

Hey,

I would imagine that this would indeed fix your login sync issue as the problem that exists is caused by the sync code not physically checking the Home Sync folders list so it fails to pick up anything that you have set in this manner. When the "fix" is applied this forces the sync code to not only check the Preferences Sync folders list but also the Home Sync folders list.

Yes, the directory is added to the Preference Sync/Sync Folders list within your deployed settings in Profile Manager.

As I said, this can be any directory, real or fake... I added ~/Documents but you could just add ~/Gobbeldygook

I have included a screenshot for clarity.

Hope this helps!

Justin

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Answer 3

Aug 13, 2015 1:09 AM in response to JAGUK

Interestingly we are also having the issue of no sync at log in, however our home sync is set up using Workgroup Manager not Profile Manager as we got burnt by the "error reading setting" issue several times with profile manager.

I will try this fix in Workgroup Manager as well

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Answer 4

Aug 13, 2015 7:51 AM in response to Kevin Neal

Just checked my settings and I already had a folder added to the preference sync so its not working for me

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Answer 5

JAGUK Author

Level 1

27 points

Aug 13, 2015 8:05 AM in response to Kevin Neal

Hi Kevin,

We never used to have any problems with WGM, this only started after upgrading our server to 10.9 / Server 3 and switching to Profile Manager.

Obviously you could be experiencing a totally different probelm to the one I outlined in my original post!

Sorry it didn't help though 😟

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