Offline Files and Folders - MADNESS!

Greetings,

I am having two issues with Offline Files and Folders (client-side caching). Can you
assist?

The workstation is a Windows XP SP2 notebook which is not a domain member. The server(s)
are Windows 2003 SP1 running on a native 2k3 AD. I use a local profile on the
workstation. I've used Manage My Network Passwords to map an appropriate domain account
to the local profile.

Multiple drive letters are mapped using Windows Explorer, Reconnect at Login is checked
and alternate credentials are not specified in the Map Network Drives dialog. The drives
are tagged "Make available offline."

On the servers, the shares are set to "Only the files and programs that users specify will
be available offline."

2 of the mapped drives connect to shares on the domain controller. 1 of the mapped drives
connects to a share on a member server.

My Documents, the Windows Desktop, Favorites, Document Templates, and the My <media>
folders are redirected to one of the mapped drives via local login script. The registry
values used are all under
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\User Shell Folders .

User and machine scripts are set to run synchronously via local policy. The wait for the
network at logon, and subfolders always available offline policies are enabled. The do
not automatically make redirected folders available offline policy is disabled.

Everything appears to work fine most of the time. I can perform multiple
disconnects/reconnects, and synchronizations, almost always without difficulty.

The first problem is that, with no trigger which I've been able to detect, I will suddenly
lose access to files cached from the domain controller, after a seemingly random number of
restarts when disconnected from the network.

That share is the user folder, and contains the redirected Windows Desktop folder, so the
problem is easily detected when Explorer has finished loading, and the Windows Desktop is
devoid of my icons and subfolders. Another key is that the Favorites menu in IE is blank.

Interestingly enough, I retain access to files which have been modified since the last
synchronization, and to all of the files cached from the member server. But WINDOWS\CSC
seems to be cleared of the unmodified files cached from the domain controller. I've
checked the folder from a Windows PE boot, and it certainly appears as if those files have
been deleted from the disk.

Any ideas on how to alleviate this problem?

The second problem is, that when the system boots in a disconnected state, it seems to sit
at "Applying your user settings" for upwards of 60 seconds, before proceeding with the
logon process.

I've come to understand that the delay is probably caused by Windows searching for the
server hosting the shares, even though the server cannot be found because the workstation
is in a disconnected state. Is there any way to prevent this search from occurring, or to
lessen the timeout?

Thanks very much,

Tim ==