Domain profiles.

I'm not sure if this is the right newsgroup to post this, but this is
something I always wished I knew how to do. Scenario:

Small network of 2000/XP workstations. Domain controller is added to
network, computers are added to domain. Domain user accounts are added as
local users/administrators on workstations using "control userpasswords2"
OK, now what I *want* to do, is use an existing profile on the workstation
for when the user logs in to the domain. I've tried copying the profile to
where the computer loads the domain profile from (usually C:\Documents and
Settings\user.DOMAIN) and checking permissions, etc.. no joy...

Is there any easy way to do this? Do any proposed solutions also allow one
to copy a domain profile to a local user profile?

Thanks in advance!

There are a couple ways to do this, it just depends on how much work you
want to put into it (doesn't everything?).

The first - and easiest - is to use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.
This tool will allow you to transfer files and settings from one profile to
another. It's located at Start / [All] Programs / Accessories / System
tools.

Secondly, you could copy the profile manually, as you have done, but you've
got to get the security right. Profiles will not work correctly if the user
is not the *owner* of all of the files and folders in their profile. Using
Windows Server 2003, I know you can assign ownership of files and folders to
a specific user. In earlier version of Windows you cannot do that natively.
I'm not aware of any other utilities that perform that task, but that
doesn't mean they don't exist.

Out of curiosity, is there a reason you're not using Roaming Profiles?

--
Mike Kolitz MCSE 2000
MS-MVP - Windows Setup / Deployment


"Brian" <brian@bold.net.au> wrote in message
news:OG3H1VnPEHA.832@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> I'm not sure if this is the right newsgroup to post this, but this is
> something I always wished I knew how to do. Scenario:
>
> Small network of 2000/XP workstations. Domain controller is added to
> network, computers are added to domain. Domain user accounts are added as
> local users/administrators on workstations using "control userpasswords2"
> OK, now what I *want* to do, is use an existing profile on the workstation
> for when the user logs in to the domain. I've tried copying the profile
> to
> where the computer loads the domain profile from (usually C:\Documents and
> Settings\user.DOMAIN) and checking permissions, etc.. no joy...
>
> Is there any easy way to do this? Do any proposed solutions also allow
> one
> to copy a domain profile to a local user profile?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
>

Thanks for your help.

re: roaming profiles.

I've never used them because they've always seemed more trouble than they're
worth. Aren't they really designed for larger scale networks where PCs have
identical software installations? Most of the clients I work for have
disparate workstations that have been purchased at different times, have
different software, etc. My understanding is that roaming profiles are not
suitable in such instances - please tell me if I'm wrong!


"Mike Kolitz" <mikekol@idontlikespam.mvps.org> wrote in message
news:uut6t0qPEHA.1476@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> There are a couple ways to do this, it just depends on how much work you
> want to put into it (doesn't everything?).
>
> The first - and easiest - is to use the Files and Settings Transfer
Wizard.
> This tool will allow you to transfer files and settings from one profile
to
> another. It's located at Start / [All] Programs / Accessories / System
> tools.
>
> Secondly, you could copy the profile manually, as you have done, but
you've
> got to get the security right. Profiles will not work correctly if the
user
> is not the *owner* of all of the files and folders in their profile.
Using
> Windows Server 2003, I know you can assign ownership of files and folders
to
> a specific user. In earlier version of Windows you cannot do that
natively.
> I'm not aware of any other utilities that perform that task, but that
> doesn't mean they don't exist.
>
> Out of curiosity, is there a reason you're not using Roaming Profiles?
>
> --
> Mike Kolitz MCSE 2000
> MS-MVP - Windows Setup / Deployment
>
>
> "Brian" <brian@bold.net.au> wrote in message
> news:OG3H1VnPEHA.832@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> > I'm not sure if this is the right newsgroup to post this, but this is
> > something I always wished I knew how to do. Scenario:
> >
> > Small network of 2000/XP workstations. Domain controller is added to
> > network, computers are added to domain. Domain user accounts are added
as
> > local users/administrators on workstations using "control
userpasswords2"
> > OK, now what I *want* to do, is use an existing profile on the
workstation
> > for when the user logs in to the domain. I've tried copying the profile
> > to
> > where the computer loads the domain profile from (usually C:\Documents
and
> > Settings\user.DOMAIN) and checking permissions, etc.. no joy...
> >
> > Is there any easy way to do this? Do any proposed solutions also allow
> > one
> > to copy a domain profile to a local user profile?
> >
> > Thanks in advance!
> >
> >
>
>

Roaming profiles are really a mixed blessing.

Personally, I agree with you - differing software versions have the capacity
to add more 'junk' to the users' roaming profile. That doesn't necessarily
corrupt it or anything like that, it just bloats it, and it *could* cause
issues between versions - but that's an issue that really specific to the
software.

On the other hand, it's nice to have consistent and personalized settings no
matter which computer you happen to log in on.

I was just curious - I wasn't making a recommendation

--
Mike Kolitz MCSE 2000
MS-MVP - Windows Setup / Deployment


"Brian" <brian@bold.net.au> wrote in message
news:%23RI6c5uPEHA.1340@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Thanks for your help.
>
> re: roaming profiles.
>
> I've never used them because they've always seemed more trouble than
> they're
> worth. Aren't they really designed for larger scale networks where PCs
> have
> identical software installations? Most of the clients I work for have
> disparate workstations that have been purchased at different times, have
> different software, etc. My understanding is that roaming profiles are
> not
> suitable in such instances - please tell me if I'm wrong!
>
>
> "Mike Kolitz" <mikekol@idontlikespam.mvps.org> wrote in message
> news:uut6t0qPEHA.1476@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>> There are a couple ways to do this, it just depends on how much work you
>> want to put into it (doesn't everything?).
>>
>> The first - and easiest - is to use the Files and Settings Transfer
> Wizard.
>> This tool will allow you to transfer files and settings from one profile
> to
>> another. It's located at Start / [All] Programs / Accessories / System
>> tools.
>>
>> Secondly, you could copy the profile manually, as you have done, but
> you've
>> got to get the security right. Profiles will not work correctly if the
> user
>> is not the *owner* of all of the files and folders in their profile.
> Using
>> Windows Server 2003, I know you can assign ownership of files and folders
> to
>> a specific user. In earlier version of Windows you cannot do that
> natively.
>> I'm not aware of any other utilities that perform that task, but that
>> doesn't mean they don't exist.
>>
>> Out of curiosity, is there a reason you're not using Roaming Profiles?
>>
>> --
>> Mike Kolitz MCSE 2000
>> MS-MVP - Windows Setup / Deployment
>>
>>
>> "Brian" <brian@bold.net.au> wrote in message
>> news:OG3H1VnPEHA.832@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>> > I'm not sure if this is the right newsgroup to post this, but this is
>> > something I always wished I knew how to do. Scenario:
>> >
>> > Small network of 2000/XP workstations. Domain controller is added to
>> > network, computers are added to domain. Domain user accounts are added
> as
>> > local users/administrators on workstations using "control
> userpasswords2"
>> > OK, now what I *want* to do, is use an existing profile on the
> workstation
>> > for when the user logs in to the domain. I've tried copying the
>> > profile
>> > to
>> > where the computer loads the domain profile from (usually C:\Documents
> and
>> > Settings\user.DOMAIN) and checking permissions, etc.. no joy...
>> >
>> > Is there any easy way to do this? Do any proposed solutions also allow
>> > one
>> > to copy a domain profile to a local user profile?
>> >
>> > Thanks in advance!
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>