Windows Theme Changes Per Account

[theorist80]

Hey guys. I am in an AD environment but I have a weird question. We have a SysPrep image that we use to install our OS's on our machines. Once it is installed, everything runs great but this weird thing happens. If I login to the machine with my standard account (j_johnson)...Windows loads with the Classic theme but when I use my Admin account (j_johnson_ad) it gives me Windows in the Windows XP view. Any ideas what would cause the change in the views? And whats even stranger is when I change the theme...it sticks even after I log off

This is what my standard account views in:

This is what my admin account views in:

Anyone have any ideas? Is this something that SysPrep does or something else. It doesn't do it on any machine EXCEPT the ones that have the SysPrep image on them.

[kz26]

I noticed this behavior too at my school, which is also a Server 2003 AD environment. Perhaps it is a default group policy setting?

[PC_LOAD_LETTER]

you need to create a 'Default User' profile to prevent this behavior.

1. logon as either a domain account with local admin rights or a local admin account

2. create a new local user:

My Computer -> Right Click -> Manage -> System Tools -> Local Users and Groups -> Action -> New User.

Do not add the user to the administrators group. This may cause permissions issues if the profile is ever used by a lower privileged user. in my experience, you can promote to power user but i would only do that if all users of the PC will be at least Power User level

3. logout and login locally as the new user (not switch user)

4. Change your Theme, desktop icons, Wallpaper (dont use files from a restricted location ie: My documents. I store mine in c:\windows\Web\Wallpaper) Start menu type/taskbar preferences, IE Preferences, Firefox Profile(including addons)

5. Logout and login as an admin (not switch user)

6. My Computer -> Right Click -> Properties -> Advanced -> User Profiles -> Settings

find MACHINENAME\UserYouCreated click it and select "Copy To..." type in "C:\Documents and Settings\Default User"(will not show up in Browse...) and hit OK answer yes to the dialog. No progress bar is displayed.

7. Optional - Delete the local profile of any account you want to use this on. You will not be able to delete a profile if you are logged on with it. (promote the user you created to admin and log on as him to delete your profile if necessary

8. logout and logon as a user without a local profile on the system. You may notice a pause at "Loading your personal settings...". this is normal. XP is copying the contents of the Default User profile to your new profile.

9. if all your settings stick, then you can delete the local user you created. all new users that logon to that PC will use the default user profile you created instead of the default 'Bliss' one.

[theorist80]

gonna give this a try and recompile my image...ill let ya know how it goes

[theorist80]

worked like a charm...appreciate it a lot!

[PC_LOAD_LETTER]

awesome. thanks for letting me know how it went.