copying "account unknown" user profile to good user account.

[Guest]

An office had a single Windows 2000 Server acting as a DC. That server died.
We installed a Windows 2003 SBS. Had to create the users again on SBS, no
problem, but of course the have different SIDs from the first DC. the problem
is with the PCs. The domain name is the name for the SBS, but the PCs don't
see the domain. In order to reregister the PCs, I've done the following:
1. move the PC from domain to workgroup.
2. move the PC back to domain.
3. add domain user back to PC with "admin" permissions for prep.

Now, the user profile on the PC from the original domain is showing as
"unknown account", where the same username under the same original domain,
but on a new DC is showing as the "domain\username", and of course it's
pointing to a different folder in "documents and settings".

How can I copy the original profile "unknown account" to the new profile
"domain\username" so the user has all the same settings as before?

my quick workaround is to edit the registry by going to
hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\current version\profile list, finding the
profile for the new user created and pointing the "profile image path" key to
the directory of the original user. This does not do a final cleanup as the
"account unknown" profile of the original user still exists. If I delete it
now, it still deletes all the profile settings for this user.

Also, any way to restore an "account unknown" profile after deleting it
(accidentally)?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

An office had a single Windows 2000 Server acting as a DC. That
server died. We installed a Windows 2003 SBS. Had to create the users
again on SBS,

Youch. No backups, I suppose?

no problem,

Recreating the entire AD/Exchange environment sounds like a problem to me!

but of course the have different SIDs from
the first DC. the problem is with the PCs. The domain name is the
name for the SBS, but the PCs don't see the domain.
Yep.

In order to
reregister the PCs, I've done the following:
1. move the PC from domain to workgroup.
2. move the PC back to domain.
3. add domain user back to PC with "admin" permissions for prep.

Not sure what that means....

Now, the user profile on the PC from the original domain is showing as
"unknown account", where the same username under the same original
domain, but on a new DC is showing as the "domain\username", and of
course it's pointing to a different folder in "documents and
settings".

How can I copy the original profile "unknown account" to the new
profile "domain\username" so the user has all the same settings as
before?

my quick workaround is to edit the registry by going to
hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\current version\profile list,
finding the profile for the new user created and pointing the
"profile image path" key to the directory of the original user. This
does not do a final cleanup as the "account unknown" profile of the
original user still exists. If I delete it now, it still deletes all
the profile settings for this user.

Also, any way to restore an "account unknown" profile after deleting
it (accidentally)?

If you haven't done *all* the PC yet....wait. You need to join the computers
to the SBS2003 domain using the wizards, and that will copy local profiles
to domain profiles.

Create a local user, log in once & back out. Then log in as an account with
local admin rights, and in control panel | system | advanced | settings,
copy the account unknown profile to the new one (c:\documents and
settings\newuser) and make sure "Everyone" is ticked for "allowed to use".

The log back in as the new local user to make sure it worked.

Then disjoin the domain manually, and rejoin it using
http://servername/connectcomputer. It will prompt you for the domain user
you wish to use the PC, and which local user account to copy.

In general, not much should *be* in the profile directory - all data belongs
on the server. You can use folder redirection via group policy to make this
easier. Try posting in m.p.windows.server.sbs for some friendly help with
SBS2003.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the info.

I was able to copy the x domain user profile to the local local user, demote
the PC, promote the PC through the server web as mentioned, and then copy the
profile from the local user back to the domain user. This worked great.

However, I was not able to copy the "account unknown" profiles as the "copy
to" was disabled on them. Suggestions?

As well, do you have any, any, any, any advise on restoring the profile that
was deleted? Any other software to restore the profile files? I'm up for any
way to do this.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Thanks for the info.

I was able to copy the x domain user profile to the local local user,
demote the PC, promote the PC through the server web as mentioned,
and then copy the profile from the local user back to the domain
user. This worked great.

If you ran /connectcomputer, and chose DomainUser as the one who'd be using
the workstation, and then selected LocalUser (the one you copied the old
domain profile to....) in the dropdown menu, you wouldn't have had to do
anything more, note. Some of those SBS wizards are pretty freakin' handy.

However, I was not able to copy the "account unknown" profiles as the
"copy to" was disabled on them. Suggestions?

You could take ownership of the mysterious documents & settings subfolders,
and open 'em up, copy out what you need to the server.

As well, do you have any, any, any, any advise on restoring the
profile that was deleted? Any other software to restore the profile
files? I'm up for any way to do this.

Not unless you had backups, really....but you might google.

In the future, you might set them up with roaming profiles, which can work
well if you set them up right. It's handy even when users don't roam, as it
makes workstation replacement much easier. You also need to configure folder
redirection. Nothing important should live in a profile folder!

Do post in the SBS group for more help setting up this network so disasters
such as you've experienced can't strike again.

 

[Guest]

This worked for me

Lo in to the machine as administrator
Run registry editor
Highlight HKEY_USERS
Click File then Load Hive
Select NTUser.dat in the unknown account folder in Documents & Settings
When prompted for Key Name enter anything, it dosen't really matter
Right click on the newly created key then select permissions
Add the new user you want to use this profile and delete the unknown account
Click File then Unload Hive
You should now be able to copy the entire unknown accounts folder contents
to the new accounts folder - you may need to check the NTFS permissions of
the unknown accounts folder if you have any problems

Good Luck...