XP Pro: How to Clone or Share Administrator or other User Settings?

[Clark]

OS: XP Pro

Need to copy my current settings as ADMINISTRATOR to another username in a
Power User Group -- or clone this to All Users.

Basic problem is this - have tweaked desktop, programs, settings under username
Administrator, but for security need to switch to another username I created -
but want same desktop and settings I've created as Administrator. Tried adding
a username to the Administrators group, but logon with this username gave
default XP settings. Also played with Adding User in permissions for
Administrator's "My Documents" (right-click icon > properties > security tab) -
no good, as I suspected.

Any help appreciated.

Clark

 

[David Candy]

type in help
copy profile

 

[Clark]

More info: running a home LAN with 2 computers on XP-Pro and 2 using 98SE. LAN
access and local logon are two separate issues, but from what I can tell Group
Policy settings won't work on the 98 machines - is this correct?

Checked out setting a Group Policy for user logon on main machine since it
seemed a way to solve the settings problem as far as logging on to the main
machine, but didn't get far. Is Group Policy the way to go here?

thanks to anyone who can help out,

Clark

===============================
OS: XP Pro

Need to copy my current settings as ADMINISTRATOR to another username in a
Power User Group -- or clone this to All Users.

Basic problem is this - have tweaked desktop, programs, settings under username
Administrator, but for security need to switch to another username I created -
but want same desktop and settings I've created as Administrator. Tried adding
a username to the Administrators group, but logon with this username gave
default XP settings. Also played with Adding User in permissions for
Administrator's "My Documents" (right-click icon > properties > security tab) -
no good, as I suspected.

Any help appreciated.

Clark

 

[Clark]

in message
type in help
copy profile

================

Wish it were so simple, but this option doesn't work with Administrator
account - "Copy to" grayed out. May have to do a Safe Boot (Diagnostic Startup)
go to command prompt and try doing it manually (under normal boot you can't do
this)

but surely there must be a safer workaround than that ...

 

[David Candy]

You can't copy something if you are using it. Log in on a different account.

 

[Clark]

Thanks - tried this. "Administrator" did not appear in list when I logged in as
a different user (in the Power Users group). Could I add a user to the
Administrators Group, log in as that user, and THEN copy Administrator profile?

=================

in message
You can't copy something if you are using it. Log in on a different account.

 

[David Candy]

Yes that what you have to do. Understand the admin account is usually unused. You should be making your own admin account and using that. It's wise not to alter the inbuilt one and keep it as a reserve.

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Copy a User Profile:

Open System in Control Panel. On the User Profiles tab, and under Profiles
stored on this computer, click the user profile you want to copy, and then
click Copy To.

In the Copy To dialog box, under Copy profile to, type the location for the
new profile, or click Browse to select the path.
Click Change to open the Choose User dialog box, click a new user from the
Names list, and then click Add. The new user name will appear in Add Name.
Click OK to add the user as a new user profile on your computer.

Note: You must be logged on as an administrator to the local computer to
copy user profiles. To open a Control Panel item, click Start, point to
Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click the appropriate icon.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811151
How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile

Note: you cannot copy to or from a profile you are currently logged in to.

 

[Clark]

Thanks again, David, You're right about not using Administrator, but it may be
too late now. Here's what I did:

1) Created a new user and added to Administrators group
2) Logged in with new Administrator username (Admin2)
3) Copied Administrator profile to my (intended) new profile ("Default").
4) Logged out - logged back in as "Default"

Most of the settings were there, but the display was messed up (toolbars locked
and would NOT unlock; Outlook Express required a new identity, no wallpaper
would display (only got background, etc -- sure there are other problems -
didn't stay logged in long enough to find out.

Could go back in as "Default" and start tweaking again, but after a week getting
everything set the way I want it, the risk in using the Administrator account
(security, etc) is beginning to look acceptable! Have both a hub firewall and a
software firewall and latest Norton ...

Given above, any reason why I can't just leave things be?

Clark

=======================

:
Yes that what you have to do. Understand the admin account is usually unused.
You should be making your own admin account and using that. It's wise not to
alter the inbuilt one and keep it as a reserve.

 

[Clark]

Doug,

I know your website and appreciate getting a response from you. Please see the
string above (with David Candy) for the latest on this one ...

With built-in Administrator account, there are some problems. I've already done
what you suggest below (and more) but see nowhere to go at this point.

Any workarounds?

Clark

=====================
Copy a User Profile:

Open System in Control Panel. On the User Profiles tab, and under Profiles
stored on this computer, click the user profile you want to copy, and then
click Copy To.

In the Copy To dialog box, under Copy profile to, type the location for the
new profile, or click Browse to select the path.
Click Change to open the Choose User dialog box, click a new user from the
Names list, and then click Add. The new user name will appear in Add Name.
Click OK to add the user as a new user profile on your computer.

Note: You must be logged on as an administrator to the local computer to
copy user profiles. To open a Control Panel item, click Start, point to
Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click the appropriate icon.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811151
How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile

Note: you cannot copy to or from a profile you are currently logged in to.

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

For 98 machines, you need to use the System Policy Editor for 9x systems.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;147381&Product=w98

Unless you're in a domain environment (a LAN isn't), then you have to apply
policies to the specific machine and or user by running the appropriate
Policy Editor on that machine.