JSI Tip 9474. When Group Policy processing runs a logon script on Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, the wrong script is processed?

The subject behavior may occur if the Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 computer cannot connect to a domain controller.

When Group Policy runs a logon script, it first forces the PATH variable to include the SYSVOL path, the %SystemRoot% folder, and the %SystemRoot%System32 folder. If the computer fails to connect to a domain controller, the logon script in the SYSVOL cannot be located, causing the other folders listed in the PATH variable to be searched. If a file with the same name as the logon script is found, it is run.

You can use this behavior to run a different logon script when the domain cannot be contacted.