Offline folder functionality enables Windows 2000 and later users
to cache folders and files from another computer to their own. That way, they
can use the files and folders when the sharing computer is unavailable.

For example, offline folders let users access files or
folders from a server that might be unavailable because it’s offline for an
upgrade or because of a technical problem. This functionality also comes in
handy for users of laptops, which often remain disconnected from the network for
a period of time on a regular basis.

In some situations, however, using offline folders can
present problems. For example, your network may contain private, sensitive
information. In this case, you may want to make the data available to users,
but you don’t want them to be able to replicate the information.

In addition, offline folder caching can sometimes lead to
confusion about the most updated files as well as unsynchronized data. In these
situations, it’s sometimes best to disable offline folder caching.

For Windows 2000 Server, you can easily disable offline folder
caching on a per-share basis. Follow these steps:

  1. Right-click
    the folder for which you want to disable caching, and select Properties.
  2. On the
    Sharing tab, click the Caching button.
  3. Deselect
    the Allow Caching Of Files In This Shared Folder option, and click OK.
  4. Close
    the Properties dialog box.

Windows 2000 clients will now be unable to cache the folder
or its contents.

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