Copying profiles

[Viper999]

I am completing my unnattended dvd and was wondering if you could copy the administrator profile to the defaul user profile from runonce? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[snorkel89]

You can.

I first tried doing during the unattended install, could not get it to work since the profile was nor total created yet. was going to edit the HIVEDEF.INF, but was WWAAAYYY to much work.

So, I do copy it after a autologon. A installer account logs in and is only used for installing. just make sure you check the attrib of the ntuser.dat (c:\documents and settings\default user\ntuser.dat). I do not remember at this time is XP was hidden or if it was win2k. either way just check it. It will fail if it is hidden.

This has worked great for us.

attrib -h "c:\documents and settings\default user\ntuser.dat"

copy /y %systemdrive%\misc\ntuser.dat "c:\documents and settings\default user\ntuser.dat"

M

[MHz]

M$ supplies a commandline tool, just for profile copying.

And you can just use a copy command, with success.

That tool maybe for network reasons?

Good knowledge. Thanks.

[visaversa]

You can.

I first tried doing during the unattended install, could not get it to work since the profile was nor total created yet. was going to edit the HIVEDEF.INF, but was WWAAAYYY to much work.

So, I do copy it after a autologon. A installer account logs in and is only used for installing. just make sure you check the attrib of the ntuser.dat (c:\documents and settings\default user\ntuser.dat). I do not remember at this time is XP was hidden or if it was win2k. either way just check it. It will fail if it is hidden.

This has worked great for us.

attrib -h "c:\documents and settings\default user\ntuser.dat"

copy /y %systemdrive%\misc\ntuser.dat "c:\documents and settings\default user\ntuser.dat"

M

i don't understand why during the unattended install you could not get it to work.

If you place your profile in" \$OEM$\$docs\Default User\ntuser.dat " it get copied to your system AS the default profile you created.

I rteally see no reason why you should use an other way to copy that profile.

Just my 2cents...

Want more information about this subject? go here a topic i devoted to this techniek...

[Coolsights2000]

you can't just swap the dat files cause when you do that dat has the wrong links in it...

try it some time say swap bills with toms dat...

toms dat points at toms file folders no matter where you put it...

visa versa... bills always points at bills links...

when you create a new user from the default user the windows built in stuff changes the links to links to the new file folders for the new users...

[MHz]

CopyProfile tool from M$ states:

A Microsoft Windows user profile describes the Windows configuration for a specific user, including the user's environment and preference settings. The user profile contains those settings and configuration options specific to the user, such as installed applications, desktop icons, and color options. This profile is built in part from System Policy information (for example, those things that a user has access to and those things that the user can and cannot change) and in part from permitted, saved changes that a user makes to customize the desktop.

The tool CopyProfile allows the administrators to copy profile of one user to another from a command line. As per KB article Q305709(http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=305709) Administrators can create default user profiles by copying profile. This tools removes the dependency on the Graphical interface and lets the administrator copy profile using scripts.

Using the copyprofile tool is relatively easy. The command line for the tool has a single format.

CopyProfile <sourceuser> <destination dir> <permitted to use>

<sourceuser> Source user denotes the user whose profile needs to be copied. This profile should not be already in use when copy operation is taking place.

<destination dir> Destination directory is the directory where the files/registry settings etc. will be copied.

Note: This directory will be deleted if it already exists.

<permitted to use> Permitted to use user is the user who will have access rights on this newly copied profile.

Samples:

CopyProfile administrator “C:\Documents and Settings\Default User” Everyone

Default Location of Copy Profile:

%SystemDrive%\Program Files\Microsoft CopyProfile

[MHz]

When you check this out. You can swap bills profile with toms. To my knowledge.

[Coolsights2000]

If the tools remove the dependency then yes what I was talking about was doing a straight copy file.dat to over written file.dat the links are not released..

The tool will link to the files the new profile,, hopefully

[MHz]

Here is an article on profile change, not sure if it relates directly with Viper999 question. But an open mind may open new doors here? NTUser.dat could be a handy option if compatiblity could be devised?

Here is a tweak?

http://www.tweakxp.com/tweak1591.aspx

Don't want to upset anyone with the word NTUser.dat, but it is an interesting area?

[visaversa]

you can't just swap the dat files cause when you do that dat has the wrong links in it...

try it some time say swap bills with toms dat...

toms dat points at toms file folders no matter where you put it...

visa versa... bills always points at bills links...

when you create a new user from the default user the windows built in stuff changes the links to links to the new file folders for the new users...

No it does not piont to whatever folder, if you read my guide you notice that after creating a suitable profile you just copy that to the default user profile.

then doe as i do.In no way toms dat points at toms file folders because they are all replaced by %username% and thus can be used for every user....

I think that was what viper meanted to do, copy a fully tweaked profile to the default one. That's excactly wehat i describe on my topic, how to do that.

Look again here then tell me if i am wrong