Copy User Profile Questions...

[C J.]

I created a new account C:\Docs & Settings\UserC on my system, and copied
profile settings from a corrupted account - UserB. Once everything was
copied over. I logged into UserC account and everything appearred to be
fine except for a couple of programs that were looking for C:\Docs &
Settings\UserB\myappdata\default profile\datacontent So I copied the
information over manually, and straightened that folder out.

I logged off UserC, and back in as 2nd admin UserA, I disabled the UserB
account and then deleted it. Then I renamed UserC back to UserB and
logged in on UserB. All the stuff I'd transferred over was hosed. It was
like a brand new account all over again. I go back into Docs and Settings
to see whats the heck is going on and I find a \UserB.Self-xxxxxxx folder in
there. I look inside and all my stuff is in this folder, and not in \UserB

So I copied it all back over to the UserB account. Perhaps theres something
I'm doing wrong here... but my problem is - now I've got 2 account folders
called UserB and UserB.Self-xxxxxxxx
I can't delete UserB.self Because it hoses \UserB and creates a new
userB.self.

HELP!!!!

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I created a new account C:\Docs & Settings\UserC on my system, and copied
profile settings from a corrupted account - UserB. Once everything was
copied over. I logged into UserC account and everything appearred to be
fine except for a couple of programs that were looking for C:\Docs &
Settings\UserB\myappdata\default profile\datacontent So I copied the
information over manually, and straightened that folder out.

I logged off UserC, and back in as 2nd admin UserA, I disabled the UserB
account and then deleted it. Then I renamed UserC back to UserB and
logged in on UserB. All the stuff I'd transferred over was hosed. It was
like a brand new account all over again. I go back into Docs and
Settings to see whats the heck is going on and I find a
\UserB.Self-xxxxxxx folder in there. I look inside and all my stuff is in
this folder, and not in \UserB

So I copied it all back over to the UserB account. Perhaps theres
something I'm doing wrong here... but my problem is - now I've got 2
account folders called UserB and UserB.Self-xxxxxxxx
I can't delete UserB.self Because it hoses \UserB and creates a new
userB.self.

HELP!!!!

Renaming UserC to UserB will NOT point that user to the UserB
profile folder. The renamed user will still use the old UserC profile
folder, as recorded in the registry.

Why this fascination with profile folder names? You should let
Windows handle them!

 

[Nightowl]

So I copied it all back over to the UserB account. Perhaps theres something
I'm doing wrong here... but my problem is - now I've got 2 account folders
called UserB and UserB.Self-xxxxxxxx
I can't delete UserB.self Because it hoses \UserB and creates a new
userB.self.

Hello C.J.

As you've found (and Pegasus said!) renaming the profile folder and/or
changing the user logon name doesn't change the registry entry, which is
still pointing at the old folder.

Have a look here at MVP Ramesh's page, particularly the section
"Changing the ProfileImagePath value in the Registry".
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/userpath.htm
That should help, though also be sure to read the important note on the
page concerning programs that may have "hard-wired" pointers to an
absolute path, and of course please make a backup first!

Good luck! Please let us know how you get on

 

[C J.]

Hello C.J.

As you've found (and Pegasus said!) renaming the profile folder and/or
changing the user logon name doesn't change the registry entry, which is
still pointing at the old folder.

Have a look here at MVP Ramesh's page, particularly the section
"Changing the ProfileImagePath value in the Registry".
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/userpath.htm
That should help, though also be sure to read the important note on the
page concerning programs that may have "hard-wired" pointers to an
absolute path, and of course please make a backup first!

Good luck! Please let us know how you get on

Well I'm glad to report back. Mission Accomplished (and not Dubya Style
either.)

After reading Pegasus' post I was sitting here lastnight - figuring all was
lost and I'd never get rid of this \UserB.self and \UserB crapola. I knew
there was something I was doing wrong but I couldn't figure out what that
could be. Suddenly, it dawned on me; I had an image of this\UserB's
account settings I'd saved as a F.A.S.T image file on an old slave drive.

Heres the Steps I used:

1. From \UserA (2nd admin) I created a new account I call User B (space btw
r B.)

2. Next - I disabled old \UserB in computer management. I turned off the
computer. Slaved in my old drive with F.A.S.T image on it, and then turned
PC back on.

3. I logged into the new \User B account.

4. I openned F.A.S.T The entire process was done in about 40 mins (grins.)

5. I logged off \User B, and logged into \UserA and deleted the \UserB (now
listed as unknown) account via System, Advanced, User Profiles. I shut my
system down to remove the old slave drive.

The thing I discovered I had been forgetting to do, was to reboot after
disabling the old account - before removing it.

Now I'm sure I can move what is left out of old remaining \UserB folder
either into my Shared files - or directly into \User B.
At least there is no more UserB.Self-xxxxxxxx in my \docs & settings\
folder to wrestle with.

Since\UserB is now a "orphaned" account folder, I should be able to safely
delete it - once I'm all through moving everything?

Btw, thanks Ramesh for the links.