Like in XP, Windows 7 also enables offline files feature for redirected folders automatically. User’s explicit action is not required to cache the files of these folders locally. This provides access to the files without any disruption even if the network in down.
How to disable offline files for redirected folders in Windows 7?
This can be done by configuring group policy. If you are a domain administrator, and if you want to disable offline files for all users in a OU group, then you can configure the domain group policy. Otherwise, if you want to disable it on only one computer, you can configure the group policy on the local computer.
In both the cases, the steps are similar and are given below.
Navigate to the below path in group policy editor.
User Configuration -> Administrative templates -> System -> Folder Redirection
In the right side pane, double click on the setting ‘Do not automatically make redirected folders available offline’. Set the status of this setting to enabled.
Close group policy editor. You can manually do gpupdate to update the group policies on your account. The next time users log in, they will notice that ‘Always available offline‘ is not ticked for redirected folders.