One profile many users

[Allen]

Hi,

I looked on google and various places for the solution to this problem
and thought I post a question.

I have a mixuture of windows 2000 machines and windows xp machines on
a network. (Mostly winodws 2000) This is in a high school situation,
anyways the problem is occuring that the userprofiles are taking a
most of the space on machines. The user profiles are small anywere
from 3 to 10 megs depending on what software is on the machines.

What I was wondering is it possible to have a group of users or
perhaps all users that sign on to specific machines use the same
profile? e.g. C:\Documents and Settings\user


ttyl,


Allen Armstrong

 

[Herb Martin]

I have a mixuture of windows 2000 machines and windows xp machines on
a network. (Mostly winodws 2000) This is in a high school situation,
anyways the problem is occuring that the userprofiles are taking a
most of the space on machines. The user profiles are small anywere
from 3 to 10 megs depending on what software is on the machines.

What I was wondering is it possible to have a group of users or
perhaps all users that sign on to specific machines use the same
profile? e.g. C:\Documents and Settings\user

Yes. But generally this should be a MANDATORY profile.
(This will make it "read only" so that they will not fight over
the profile.)

But if you set it to the specific path (in the user properties)
you can get them all set to the same place which will share
the profile.

You may also select many users if you use Win2003 AD Users
and Computers and set them all at once.

Perhaps another choice would be to just point all of the users
to the same "Tempary Internet Files" (etc.) which are typically
the largest collection of files for casual users.

 

[Allen]

Yes. But generally this should be a MANDATORY profile.
(This will make it "read only" so that they will not fight over
the profile.)

I am reading up on mandatory profiles right now.

But if you set it to the specific path (in the user properties)
you can get them all set to the same place which will share
the profile.

When I make the changes in user properties a documents and settings
folder is still created. Which what I wanted to avoid.

You may also select many users if you use Win2003 AD Users
and Computers and set them all at once.

Perhaps another choice would be to just point all of the users
to the same "Tempary Internet Files" (etc.) which are typically
the largest collection of files for casual users.

Actually I have set a gpo that keeps this to a minimum.


ttyl,


Allen Armstrong

 

[Herb Martin]

I am reading up on mandatory profiles right now.

When I make the changes in user properties a documents and settings
folder is still created. Which what I wanted to avoid.

Chances are that you have the USER Names in there -- if you
put a different user name in for the profile you will get separate
directories (created if necessary.)

If you put them all to a SINGLE path then you will not get additional
directories.

This (BTW) is how Mandatory Profiles work anyway -- except in
that case YOU (the Admin) move the actual profile files to that
location and RENAME the "ntuser.dat" file to "ntuser.man".

It is this act of "renaming" the file that makes it mandatory.

It's a stupid way to set the mandatory attribute (e.g., should be
a check box) but that is the way it was done historically in NT.

This can allow you to change a bunch of INDIVIDUAL directories
to a single path.

 

[Allen]

Chances are that you have the USER Names in there -- if you
put a different user name in for the profile you will get separate
directories (created if necessary.)

If you put them all to a SINGLE path then you will not get additional
directories.

I have tried putting my mandatory or not mandatory profile outside and
in side the local computers documents and settings folder and in both
senarios it still creates the folder in the documents and settings
folder.

The machine I am using is a Windows XP machine if that helps.

This (BTW) is how Mandatory Profiles work anyway -- except in
that case YOU (the Admin) move the actual profile files to that
location and RENAME the "ntuser.dat" file to "ntuser.man".

It is this act of "renaming" the file that makes it mandatory.

It's a stupid way to set the mandatory attribute (e.g., should be
a check box) but that is the way it was done historically in NT.


This can allow you to change a bunch of INDIVIDUAL directories
to a single path.

It looks as though I can script this if I can get it to work.

 

[Herb Martin]

I have tried putting my mandatory or not mandatory profile outside and
in side the local computers documents and settings folder and in both
senarios it still creates the folder in the documents and settings
folder.

So what? If you give it a path (and you are authenticating against
a replicated DC) then it will USE THAT PATH.

You can make up a directory name; you can use something like
a "Group name" (but notice that this has nothing directly to do
with any group -- it's just a human, i.e., admin, convention.)

The machine I am using is a Windows XP machine if that helps.

Is this a Domain account? If so, are you sure that the AD is
replicated AND that the user/machine are authenticating against
the domain?

If the machine can't find a DC it won't find out about the user's
new settings.

It looks as though I can script this if I can get it to work.

Script what?

 

[Allen]

So what? If you give it a path (and you are authenticating against
a replicated DC) then it will USE THAT PATH.

It seems to creates all folders and ntusers.dat files. There is only
one domain controller in the system (test system) and it defently
picking up the mandatory profile settings. The problem that I am
having is it is still creating the profile directory within the
documents and settings folder on the local machine. Which I want
avoid.

My guess is that it is redirecting the profile as fresh logins are
login much quicker than if the profile was just created when the user
logins. I am just trying to figure out why it's creating the folder
in the documents and settings folder.

You can make up a directory name; you can use something like
a "Group name" (but notice that this has nothing directly to do
with any group -- it's just a human, i.e., admin, convention.)


Is this a Domain account? If so, are you sure that the AD is
replicated AND that the user/machine are authenticating against
the domain?

Yes the accounts athenticating against a domain. Single domain
controller.

 

[Allen]

I forgot to answer this section of your message it might help you
further. I could write a batch file or a vb script that would modify
the user preference.

e.g. batch file net user username /PROFILEPATH[ath]


ttyl,


Allen Armstrong

 

[Herb Martin]

So what? If you give it a path (and you are authenticating against

It seems to creates all folders and ntusers.dat files. There is only
one domain controller in the system (test system) and it defently
picking up the mandatory profile settings. The problem that I am
having is it is still creating the profile directory within the
documents and settings folder on the local machine. Which I want
avoid.

My guess is that it is redirecting the profile as fresh logins are
login much quicker than if the profile was just created when the user
logins. I am just trying to figure out why it's creating the folder
in the documents and settings folder.

Sorry. I have been answering your questions rather than thinking
this through fully: What you are likely seeing is the LOCAL
CACHED copy of the profile.

I don't know how to stop the cache OR to consolidate them
(I can think of some schemes but they are ugly) -- you might
search Microsoft for such settings.

I believe you are seeing the CACHE -- and I was discussing
how to consolidate the ACTUAL profile.

Also note that this might not happen if you make the profile
"truly/fully mandatory": Rename the .dat file to .man AND
use a directory with a .MAN extentions too (also must match
this in AD Users properties.)

Note: If you do this and the directory/server is DOWN the
user will NOT be able to logon. (Also, I haven't thoroughly
tested this stuff since NT4.)

Yes the accounts athenticating against a domain. Single domain
controller.

 

[bournejason]

You can prevent the cached copy from storing on the local machine by
using a registry hack:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Current Version\Winlogon\

Make a new DWORD DeleteRoamingCache and set its value as 1

This should prevent the roaming profile from getting stored on the
local computer. Usually it will dissapear after a reboot.

 

[Herb Martin]

You can prevent the cached copy from storing on the local machine by
using a registry hack:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Current Version\Winlogon\

Make a new DWORD DeleteRoamingCache and set its value as 1

This should prevent the roaming profile from getting stored on the
local computer. Usually it will dissapear after a reboot.

Is there an entry to get it to cache everything (all users)
in the same directory path?