Computer and Software Support


How to Create a Base Profile for All Users 

This page is from Microsoft

Article ID : 168475
Last Review : December 18, 2003
Revision : 2.0
This article was previously published under Q168475

SUMMARY

This article details how to create a "base" or Default User profile for all users and how to put it on the Netlogon share.

Note This will only work for users who have a new user ID in a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 domain or in a Microsoft Windows 2000 Server domain and have not logged on as that user before.

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MORE INFORMATION

Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 and Windows XP-based computers follow the following discovery process for creating a new profile:
  • Is there a central (roaming) profile defined in User Manager for Domains?
  • If yes, does the profile exist? If yes, use profile.
  • If no, does this user have a local profile? If yes, use local.
  • If no, does Default User exist on Netlogon share of validating Domain Controller? If yes, use it.
  • If no, does Default User exist in WinNT\Profiles?
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Follow these steps to create a Default user profile:

  1. Log on to a workstation as a generic user (one that does not have Administrator rights in the domain).
  2. Set up your desktop and change the settings that you want to change.
  3. Log off the workstation. The profile is actually created at this point.
  4. Log back onto the workstation as someone who has Administrator rights to the local computer, and also in the domain and continue as described in the following sections for the operating system that is installed in your computer.

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For Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000

  1. Go to control panel (This link will open in a different window)
  2. Double-click System
  3. In the System Properties dialog box, click the User Profiles tab and select the user’s profile that you want to set as the default user profile.
  4. Click Copy To
  5. Under Permitted to use section, click Change
  6. In the Select User or Group window, Select Everyone
  7. Click OK
   
  • Under Copy profile to box in the Copy To window, specify the server name and the share name, and also the name of the profile that you want to copy this profile to in the following format:
    \\Servername\Sharename\Profilename. Note The name of the profile will actually be a directory name and the whole directory and its subdirectories and files are the whole profile.
  • Copy this profile to the Netlogon share and rename the profile to Default User. This will help Windows NT and Windows 2000 to create a new profile based on this profile for a user who does not already have a central or local profile.

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    For Windows XP

    1. Go to control panel (This link will open in a different window)
    2. Double-click System
    3. Click the Advanced tab
    4. Click Settings under User Profiles
    5. In the Profiles stored on this computer list, select the user’s profile that you created in step 1
    6. Click Copy To
    7. Under Permitted to use, click Change
    8. Click Everyone
    9. Click OK
       
  • If Everyone is not available do the following (if it is available, skip to step 11)
    1. Click Advanced
    2. Click Find Now
    3. Click Everyone
  • Click OK
    •    
  • Under Copy profile to box in the Copy To window, specify the server name and the share name, and also the name of the profile that you want to copy this profile to in the following format:
    \\Servername\Sharename\Profilename. Note The name of the profile will actually be a directory name and the whole directory and its subdirectories and files are the whole profile.
  • Copy this profile to the Netlogon share and rename the profile to Default User. This will help Windows NT and Windows 2000 to create a new profile based on this profile for a user who does not already have a central or local profile.

    Note This Default User profile will be used to create new Roaming Profiles and also new local profiles.

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