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Don Powell said:
For the last several months my users have randomly started "losing"
their Windows 2000 profiles. By that I mean that they logon and are
presented with whole new desktop based on the default profile. Their
old profile folder still exists in Documents & Settings but only the
new profile shows up in the
User Profiles section under System Properties. This first started
occurring about 8 months ago. Is this caused by some communication
problem with our 2003 Server domain controllers or is it something
local in their workstation O/S and, more importantly, how do I
troubleshoot it?
Thanks in advance
1. Check the event logs
2. Make sure all workstations have the MS User Profile Hive Cleanup Utility
installed
3. Use roaming profiles so this sort of thing doesn't present a huge problem
and you can restore from a backup. (I'm presuming that, since you mention
domain controllers, your users are logging in to the domain, not the local
workstation, right?)
4. Make sure the workstations are kept up to date with all patches.
Microsoft Update or WSUS or something.
Roaming profile tips, should you care to implement them:
General tips:
1. Set up a share on the server. For example - d:\profiles, shared as
profiles$ to make it hidden from browsing. Make sure this share is not set
to allow offline files/caching!
2. Make sure the share permissions on profiles$ indicate everyone=full
control. Set the NTFS security to administrators, system, and users=full
control.
3. In the users' ADUC properties, specify \\server\profiles$\%username% in
the profiles field
4. Have each user log into the domain once from their usual workstation
(where their existing profile lives) and log out. The profile is now
roaming.
Notes:
* Make sure users understand that they should never log into multiple
computers at the same time when they have roaming profiles (unless you make
the profiles mandatory by renaming ntuser.dat to ntuser.man so they can't
change them). Explain that the
last one out
wins, when it comes to uploading the final, changed copy of the profile.
* Keep your profiles TINY. Redirect My Documents; usually best done to the
user's home directory on the server - either via
group policy (folder redirection) or manually (far less advisable). If you
aren't going to also redirect the desktop using policies, tell users that
they are not to store any files on the desktop or you will beat them with a
stick. Big profile=slow login/logout, and possible profile corruption.
* Note that user profiles are not compatible between different OS versions,
even between W2k/XP. Keep all your computers. Keep your workstations as
identical as possible - meaning, OS version is the same, SP level is the
same, app load is (as much as possible) the same.
* Do not let people store any data locally - all data belongs on the server.
* The User Profile Hive Cleanup Utility should be running on all your
computers. You can download it here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...6D-8912-4E18-B570-42470E2F3582&displaylang=en