Horizon View 6 - Persona Management - Folder Redirection and Roaming & Synchronization

[HexadecimalJunk]

I'm having a quirky issue with the PMView.  This is what I see:

- Log as test user with Horizon View client (1st time)

- View Desktop loads Windows, and shows desktop (30-45 seconds)

(During this step, I see the profile and redirected folders are created correctly)

- Log off test user

- Log back in with the same test user (2nd time)

- View Desktop loads Windows, shows the "Welcome" screen, and then a black screen.

(During this step, I see the profile repository get "recreated" (i.e., the folders/files get deleted, and then recreated...))

- After 1-2 minutes later, the desktop shows up

This seems like an odd behavior to me, and it's probably related to how I've created my PMview.

This is what I have:

VMware View Agent Configuration/Persona Management/Desktop UI

Show critical errors to users via tray icon alerts = Enabled

VMware View Agent Configuration/Persona Management/Folder Redirection

Add the administrators group to redirected folders = Enabled

Application Data (Roaming) = Enabled

Redirect to the following location: \\FILESERVER\ViewFRedirection$\%username%\AppDataRoaming

Desktop = Enabled

Redirect to the following location: \\FILESERVER\ViewFRedirection$\%username%\Desktop

Favorites = Enabled

Redirect to the following location: \\FILESERVER\ViewFRedirection$\%username%\Favorites

My Documents = Enabled

Redirect to the following location: \\FILESERVER\ViewFRedirection$\%username%\Documents

VMware View Agent Configuration/Persona Management/Roaming & Synchronization

Files and folders excluded from roaming = Enabled

- Desktop

- Documents

- Favorites

- Recent Items

- Music

- Pictures

- Videos

Manage user persona = Enabled

Profile upload interval (in minutes): 1

Persona repository location = Enabled

Share path: \\FILESERVER\ViewProfiles$

Override Active Directory user profile path if it is configured = Enabled

Roam local settings folders = Enabled

[HexadecimalJunk]

Well, nice support, people.  Sigh...

Anyway, I think this issue has been resolved by using the "Folders to background download" group policy within Persona Management.  The folder names (e.g., AppDataRoaming, Desktop, Favorites, Documents) were added, and it seems like it started working after this was applied.  I did, however, deleted my linked clones and tried it out.

Figured I'd pointed this out just in case people run into the same issue in the future

EDIT:  Ugh...seems like the suggestion above wasn't the solution.  It seems that the ESX host was rebooted two days ago, and that apparently did something to stop the delay.  So, at this point, I don't know what "fixed" it, or if it will come back again...

[Baddos]

We're having similar issues and our AV appears to be the culprit.

[HexadecimalJunk]

Baddos, what are you using for AV?  Trend Micro Deep Security 9.0 here.

[Baddos]

Trend Micro Officescan 11

We might have a fix for it, I'll post again after further testing.

[HexadecimalJunk]

Hey Baddos.  I'm not sure if you ever figured out what was 'causing this issue with your AV, but it seems that our test user profiles are still loading fine.  However, we noticed this happening again with an existing employee.  So, we're gonna troubleshoot that again. 

[IT_Sup]

Hi Baddos,

We are in same situation too...

Trend Micro OfficeScan 11 and first logon fine, second logon takes 23 min 😞

Do you still have this issue ?

Thks

[douglasarcidino]

The best solution that would be long term supportable would be to migrate to an agentless version of Trend Micro. This uses the NSX introspection agent installed with VMware tools.

[h3nkY]

You can add persona service VMWVvpsvc.exe as exclusion of real-time scan target. Some customers solved the issue with this workaround.

Please ask TrendMicro on how to set it.

However, I plan to fix it on this year, but if you need it immediately please open Support Request ticket with VMware support.

Thanks.

[Baddos]

I wish excluding VMWVvpsvc.exe would solve it, however it doesn't at least with version 11. The only workaround I've found is to totally disable the real time scanning or to disable persona management. I've worked with Trend for months with this issue and no help, they want me to use Deep Security but I have been unsuccessful in getting that product stable with vShield and VMware view having their own issues.

[h3nkY]

I've added a "workaround" fix in Horizon 7.0.1 and upcoming 6.2.3.

You can choose these versions.

[h3nkY]

Horizon View 6.2.3 is just released now.

Check into your download page.

Thanks.

[Baddos]

I've added a "workaround" fix in Horizon 7.0.1 and upcoming 6.2.3.

You can choose these versions

I've updated our View to 7.0.1 and the personamangement login delay / failure still presists. This is using Windows 10 linked clones with Officescan 11.0.6125 servicepack 1.

Are there some manual workarounds that need to be in place for this to work? I have the "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware View\Agent\bin\VMWVvpsvc.exe" file excluded from my settings. At least in theory.

[alejandrovmw]

Hello Bados,

Have you been able to find a solution for your issue ?

I am using View 7.0.1 and Trend Micro Officescan 11.0.6285 Service Pack 1 and I am having the same persona issue.

Regards

[h3nkY]

Hi Alejandro,

If you use windows 10, please version 7.0.3.

There are some fixes for windows 10 and of course the "workaround" fix for TrendMicro is included.

[DSI_IMAIberica]

Hello,

did you resolve this issue? we are in the same situation.

trying VMware Persona Management solution with VMs and Physical Computers and Trend Micro Office Scan 11 we figured out that Windows logon is extremely slow (except first one).

Between 20 minutes and 1 hour.

Versions we are using:

Ofice Scan 11 SP1 build 6355

VMWare View 6.0.0.0 - VmWare Horizon View Client 3.5.2

VMs: VMWare Persona Management - Agent View 6.2.1.328456

Physical Computer: VMware Persona Management standalone 6.2.4

VMware Persona Mangement process is excluded from real-time scanning as this KB indicates:

https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=21429...

No success this way. Logon is still very slow. It only works when Office Scan Agent is completely disable but that cannot be considered a solution.

We also add a few process to I/O process ignored by Persona as indicated by VMWare in Persona MAnagement deployment. (ntrtscan.exe, ...).

But the result is the same.

Is it possible to make it works properly? Normal logon, not slow at all.

Thanks in advance.

[Moddey]

We still have this issue on View 7.4.

I would say out of the 300-350 users we get about 20-30 a day that get stuck on the welcome screen for Window 10 normally if they have been logged in and locked their machine, the only way to get the machine responsive again is to kill the VMWVvpsvc.exe process. This is removed from real time scanning etc...

We've had to include the ability for users to reset their VM from the pool settings so they that non-persistent linked clone can be destroyed and ability given to the user to log into a new machine.