we are running a 2003 server domain with profile to synchronize evrything in 'My Documents' of the local machine. One user sometimes works locally (windows xp pro sp2) and once she is connect to the network, all her files are synchronised with the server. She has encountered a problem where being logged in locally, she cannot see all her files in 'My Documents' directory structure. When she is logged in while connected to the network the missing files appear. Can anyone advise why this is happening and if there is a fix for this?

By "Network" do you mean Domain? Using a different account login?

Each account has it's own profile. If she's logging into the Domain and her "My Documents" is set to the default location of C:\Documents and Settings\userid, then, they are located in the profile associated with the Domain account.

When she logs in locally, the "My Documents" is located in the profile for the local account.

Just an observation, but I'm very surprised that as a DA, you don't already know this.

If you want users authenticating to the Domain, then they shouldn't have local accounts. If they need Admin privileges, then they should have a local account that is used only for the "Run As" command to install, run software requiring elevated privileges.

Life's more painless for the brainless.

i think i am using wrong terminology here,
she has one domain account, when she logs on to that off site, her folders are missing,

when she logs on whilst on site with connection to domain controller then it is ok

So her login for the Domain is being cached, which would then allow her to user her regular Domain login while not connected to the network. And, her documents are not stored locally? That explains it. Unless she can then connect back into the network via VPN while away/on travel, she won't have access to the network drive that contains her documents.

Am I understanding you correctly now?

Life's more painless for the brainless.

Yes that is correct, since then i have discovered her missing folders, they were stored in a folder in her local profile called back up, when in the office she accesses the domain via wireless connection

to add to that i have discovered that it will not synchronise when logging on or off saying ' specified network name is no longer available' on wireless connection although i can ping router and DC

it synchronises with ethernet connection though