Domain Local Profile Problem

[Chris W]

Has anyone ever experienced a problem where users local domain profile
is recreated from the Default Users profile when they log in. This
started two weeks ago and is increasing in frequency. All clients are
Windows 2000 SP4. thanks.

 

[Herb Martin]

Has anyone ever experienced a problem where users local domain profile is
recreated from the Default Users profile when they log in. This started
two weeks ago and is increasing in frequency. All clients are Windows 2000
SP4. thanks.

Sure. It happens in any case where the users profile is missing, lost, or
unavailable.

Some reasons include:

1) Logging onto a machine with a roaming profile where no "local cached
profile" is stored) while the roaming profile server is down or
the net is disconnected.

2) Taking a machine out of a domain, and then using a user account
that is not the "same" -- this can even happen if the machine is
unjoined and rejoined to the domain under certain conditions

3) Deleting and re-adding the users account

4) Using a different account for any reason (even if it appears to have
the same name)

5) Anything that makes the local and/or roaming profile unavailable.

 

[Chris W]

Sure. It happens in any case where the users profile is missing, lost, or
unavailable.

Some reasons include:

1) Logging onto a machine with a roaming profile where no "local cached
profile" is stored) while the roaming profile server is down or
the net is disconnected.

2) Taking a machine out of a domain, and then using a user account
that is not the "same" -- this can even happen if the machine is
unjoined and rejoined to the domain under certain conditions

3) Deleting and re-adding the users account

4) Using a different account for any reason (even if it appears to have
the same name)

5) Anything that makes the local and/or roaming profile unavailable.

None of the above is the case. I have a pretty good understanding of the
logon and profile load process. I know that it checks the user SID
against the list of SIDS under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. If a match is found it uses the profile
path from the ProfileImagePath value. In this case the user accounts
have not changed and none are using roaming profiles.

 

[Herb Martin]

None of the above is the case. I have a pretty good understanding of the
logon and profile load process. I know that it checks the user SID against
the list of SIDS under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. If a match is found it uses the profile
path from the ProfileImagePath value. In this case the user accounts have
not changed and none are using roaming profiles.

[It would save time if you mentioned that. Most people don't know this
well, and these problems are common.]

I doubt that it is anything unusual, but is still likely one of the weird
ways
the profile cannot be found and so a new one is created.

 

[Len A]

Has anyone ever experienced a problem where users local domain profile is
recreated from the Default Users profile when they log in. This started
two weeks ago and is increasing in frequency. All clients are Windows 2000
SP4. thanks.

I do have to agree with the other answers in that I have seen all of this
before.

The only thing I can add is that somtimes DFS can interfere with where
machines look for profiles- look that over carefully if you are using DFS.
The "cant find profile" message usually reveals a path you don't expect so
it is pretty obvious.

It is usually user-error. The user gets (one of about 4 variations of) the
message " I can't log you on, I will use a local profile"- they say "OK"-
because they want on! Then it picks up a blank profile if the local profile
is not cached and -could- upload this blank profile when conditions get
better. (But usually doesn't)

The way I stop the monkeys from doing this is by setting the policy to not
allow them on unless they get a profile. (don't remeber where, it is in the
comptuer settings) If you have users who need to roam off-line, then they
need to be astute enough to understand the "I can't load your profile"
message and cope with it properly!

I also keep a 3-day snapshot of all my roaming profiles so I can peel back 3
days and give a user back the documetns they (or my servers) carelessly
lost....