How to Configure multiple Users in Outlook/Exchange enviroment at desktop level

[nelix]

I have a small problem that is driving me nuts and sending me round the
bend.

Our company has 80 people and over 60 desktops accross 2 sites, now
typical users decided to keep whole collections of the family photos ,
mp3's ect on there desktops so using roaming profiles is not an
option.

each time a user signs onto a new pc for the first time i get a phone
call asking me to configure outlook to the exchange for them.

now in the old days when 1 server was enough and we ran SBS this
happened on its own, outlook was configured for the user and my phone
did not ring. but with the added bonus now of running 5 servers non sbs
and 2 sites, my phone is ringing a lot more.

what i want to happen is this : when a user logs on outlook will take
the username and configure its self up and connect to the exchange,
even when the person has never logged onto the computer in question.

this will help me no end, as we are introducing a new site, in which
people will be hot site-ing let alone hot desking, and as i said using
a roaming profile is out of the question as we only have a 256kb / 25%
QOS link between sites.

If anyone has got any ideas, scripts ect, this would be excellent

With regards

Richard

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

An easy solution would be to create a PRF file that they can run to set up the new mail profile and launch Outlook with it. You could store it on a network drive. You can create such .prf files with the Custom Installation Wizard or Custom Maintenance Wizard tools in the Office Resource Kit. For more details, including a variety of .prf deployment methods, read the excellent white paper "Configuring Outlook Profiles by Using a PRF File" at http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?assetid=HA011403051033&QueryID=pHm7c_60I&respos=3

The page at http://www.slipstick.com/exs/olroam.htm includes information on other profile tools and resources, including some for "walk-up profiles."

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers