Persist user profile when removing computer from a domain

[SonOfPirate]

I am in the process of downgrading my home office and no longer need my
computers to be part of a domain. I'd like to remove them from the domain
but do not want to lose my user profile in the process. If I remember
correctly, when the computer is added to a domain, a new profile is created
so I am assuming the same thing will happen when I remove it.

I read a suggestion that I should manually create a local user and copy the
domain profile using Control Panel - System - Advanced - User Profiles - Copy
To button (after rebooting and logging in as Administrator) but the button is
always grayed out (disabled).

Even with this, I'm not confident that this will persist the entire profile.
I'd like to be able to simply remove the computer from the domain and have
use of it as if nothing changed - i.e. same wallpaper, desktop icons,
favorites, my docs, e-mail settings, etc.

Any suggestions?

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "SonOfPirate" <[email protected]>

| I am in the process of downgrading my home office and no longer need my
| computers to be part of a domain. I'd like to remove them from the domain
| but do not want to lose my user profile in the process. If I remember
| correctly, when the computer is added to a domain, a new profile is created
| so I am assuming the same thing will happen when I remove it.

| I read a suggestion that I should manually create a local user and copy the
| domain profile using Control Panel - System - Advanced - User Profiles - Copy
| To button (after rebooting and logging in as Administrator) but the button is
| always grayed out (disabled).

| Even with this, I'm not confident that this will persist the entire profile.
| I'd like to be able to simply remove the computer from the domain and have
| use of it as if nothing changed - i.e. same wallpaper, desktop icons,
| favorites, my docs, e-mail settings, etc.

| Any suggestions?

A Domain based profile is tied to the Domain created SID.

You will have to create a local, non-Domain, account and logon to that account then reboot
the PC. Then using a different account, with administrative rights, copy the data from
the Domain account profile data to the local account profile.

 

[pcbutts1 [MS MVP]]

It is grayed out because, the way you described it, the system does/will not
see the domain account profile it may say something like account unknown if
it does. What you need to do is first create the local user account you want
to use by logging into that account. Log in again as the local admin and
manually copy everything from the documents and settings\domain account
folder to the local user folder, copy everything except the 2 ntuser.XXX
files. Do a select all cut and paste. Make sure your system is set to show
hidden files. You will have to reset your desktop wallpaper because that
will not stay.



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[SonOfPirate]

I did create the local account and logged in to make sure it created the
profile before rebooting and logging in as the local Administrator. That's
when I was finding the "Copy To" button disabled. But, it sounds like you
are saying that is expected??? So manually moving the Docs & Settings folder
is my only option?

 

[pcbutts1 [MS MVP]]

Yes that behavior is by design. Do not copy the documents and settings
folder, you have to copy the files and folders inside the domain account
folder that is inside the documents and settings folder.


--

Newsgroup Trolls. Read about mine here http://www.pcbutts1.com/downloads
The list grows. Leythos the stalker http://www.leythosthestalker.com, David
H. Lipman, Max M Wachtell III aka What's in a Name?, Fitz, Beauregard T.
Shagnasty,Rhonda Lea Kirk, Meat Plow, F Kwatu F, George Orwell

 

[Anteaus]

Rename the profile folder (as Administrator) before taking the computer out
of the domain.

Then, create a local user (with exact same name) and logon once as the new
local user

Logoff and back on as local Administrator.

Delete the unwanted new profile-folder.

Rename the original folder back in its place.

Change its permissions.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I am in the process of downgrading my home office and no longer need
my computers to be part of a domain. I'd like to remove them from
the domain but do not want to lose my user profile in the process.
If I remember correctly, when the computer is added to a domain, a
new profile is created so I am assuming the same thing will happen
when I remove it.

I read a suggestion that I should manually create a local user and
copy the domain profile using Control Panel - System - Advanced -
User Profiles - Copy To button (after rebooting and logging in as
Administrator) but the button is always grayed out (disabled).

Even with this, I'm not confident that this will persist the entire
profile. I'd like to be able to simply remove the computer from the
domain and have use of it as if nothing changed - i.e. same
wallpaper, desktop icons, favorites, my docs, e-mail settings, etc.

Any suggestions?

This is usually pretty easy.

While the computer is still in the domain, create a local user account.
Log in as the local user account and log out.
Log back in as any account with admin rights (but *not* the domain user in
question!)
Go to control panel, system, advanced....in User Profiles, click the
Settings button
Select the domain user's profile, click on Copy To, and browse to the new
local user's c:\documents and settings\username folder.
Click OK.
Click the Change button in Permitted to use and select either the
domain\username account you just copied, or Everyone
Close out.

Log in as the local user and make sure the settings look right. If so, you
should be good to go...disjoin the computer from the domain, making sure you
know the local admin credentials just in case something goes awry.

** If the Copy To button is grayed out, try downloading/installing the MS
User Profile Hive Cleanup tool and reboot, then log in as the admin

 

[SonOfPirate]

Okay, took a bit to try each of the suggestions. End result... NONE OF THEM
WORKED!!!

When I followed the path suggested by pcbutts1, I am able to get all of my
documents, etc. that were contained in the original My Documents folder for
the domain user but NONE of the settings persisted. For instance, when I
fired up Outlook for the first time as the local user it launched the startup
wizard as if it had never been run before. I expected to have my accounts,
address books, rules, feeds, etc. all there as if nothing had changed.

Next I tried Anteaus' suggestion which was a total failure. Obviously the
SID is maintained elsewhere so when I log back in as the local user after
replacing the profile folder, it can't match it up so it ended up creating
yet another profile folder under Docs & Settings!

Finally, I thought a combination of the two might work. I used Anteaus'
suggest except I copied the NTUser.* files from the new local profile into
the old folder before renaming it. This still didn't work.

Looking deeper into the problem now, I see that the original solution was
the cleanest as far as getting the files and folders over to the new local
account. But, the NTUser.* files are the key to the rest of the problem.
These are the files that contain all the rest of the setting information,
preferences and so on that also need to be carried over. My understanding is
that this file is unique to the user and SID, which is why copying them
causes Windows to create a whole new profile folder. So, what I need is some
way to copy the contents of the NTUser.* files from one profile to another.
I am assuming that is the purpose of the "Copy To" function.

This brings me all the way back to the beginning. Copying the files and
folders contained within the Docs & Settings folders is not a problem. It is
the profile settings, the contents of the NTUser.* files, that need to be
carried over so that the user experiences no change when he logs in as a
local account from when he left the day before running on the domain.

What are my options?