Default User Profile

[MazX_Napalm]

I have taken over someone elses mess, so don't blame me for it.

What I have:

I have a W2K3 Server (Std) with about 70 clients.

The clients are a mix of W2K and WXPP.

There is a default profile set up using W2K.

All new pc's will be WXPP, but rebuilds may be W2K.

I create new users on a regular basis.

All users have roaming profiles.

What is wrong:

Some of the settings are wrong (ie shortcuts to apps I no longer install, Startup items, name of server in Outlook settings ......)

Confilcts between W2K and WXPP settings (sometimes)

They put Office settings in it too, which is realy wrong.

What I want to do:

Create a W2K profile and archive it.

Create a WXPP profile and archive it.

When setting up a new user I know what OS they will be on. I then put the correct profile into %LOGONSERVER\NETLOGON\Default User befor logging on as the new user.

I will have to systematically change all the user accounts because previous guy made a shambles of the roaming profiles paths (he didn't seperate "Profile" from "Home", that kind of thing.) so I want to get it right.

Here is how I create a default user:

1. Create a standard user in the domain and create a basic Windows client installation with standard applications on a computer
2. Log into the computer with the new user account
3. Set your required profile settings
4. Logoff and back onto the computer with a domain administrative account
5. Copy the profile to "%LOGONSERVER\NETLOGON\Default User" via the following

- System Properties / Advanced / User Profiles
- Select the new profile created in steps 2 and 3
- click Copy To
- copy to %LOGONSERVER\NETLOGON\Default User
- Allow the Everyone group to use

6. And you're done. This default profile will now take effect for any user who logs onto any machine in the domain without a pre-existing profile

So, in short, can I change the files in "%LOGONSERVER\NETLOGON\Default User as I need?

[Aaron P]

Yes. You can modify any file in the default profile as you want. To modify the registry use the following process:

Create a user account in the domain dedicated to the role, without a roaming profile of any sort. (disable when not in use). I usually create some 'clean' machines in VMware - Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Professional. Create the profile first in Windows 2000 and copy to the NETLOGON share then do the same in Windows XP. Whenever you need to modify, logon to a clean machine with the dedicated user account, it then gets the current default profile, modify and then copy back.

[MazX_Napalm]

Ok so there will be 2 profiles, UserW2K and UserWXP. When logging on to a clean pc use the appropriate user account. Correct?

[Aaron P]

No, one default profile in %LOGONSERVER%\NETLOGON\Defaul User. You need to use the following process so that it suits both Windows 2000 and Windows XP

1. Log into the Windows 2000 computer with the a user account

2. Set your required profile settings

3. Logoff and back onto the computer with a domain administrative account

4. Copy the profile to "%LOGONSERVER\NETLOGON\Default User" via the system properties

5. Log into the Windows XP computer with the a user account

6. Set your required profile settings

7. Logoff and back onto the computer with a domain administrative account

8. Copy the profile to "%LOGONSERVER\NETLOGON\Default User" via the system properties

[MazX_Napalm]

Then I'm stuck with a WXP Profile. What I wanted to know was, once I have created the W2K profile, can I make a copy of that. Then create the WXP profile and also make a copy of that. Then, depending on what version of Windows I am going to log on with, I put that profile in Default Users

[Aaron P]

If you use the method I've posted you can create one profile that will suit both operating systems. You can't configure Windows to use a specified path for the default profile, it will check %LOGONSERVER%\NETLOGON\Default User first then fall back to %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Default User.