Q128624: How to Create and Assign User Profiles for Users in a Domain
Article: Q128624
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.5,3.51,4.0
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s):
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001
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The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
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SUMMARY
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This article provides specific instructions for creating and assigning user
profiles for Windows NT users in a domain.
MORE INFORMATION
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1. Create a working User Profile on the server. You will use this as a template
for all user accounts.
a. Create an Administrator account (for example, ProfileAdmin). You will use
this account to create this initial profile template.
b. Create a directory and share where you want to save the user profiles. For
example, create D:\PROFILES, and share it as Profiles. The examples
included in this article use a server called MyServer in a domain called
MyDomain.
c. Logon as ProfileAdmin on MyServer.
d. Configure the Windows NT environment of your computer to be exactly as you
want it for the user profile you are creating. The following environment
settings are saved:
Source Parameters saved
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Program Manager All user-definable settings for Program Manager,
including personal program groups and their
properties, program items and their properties,
and all settings saved by the Save Settings On
Exit and Save Settings Now commands.
File Manager All user-definable settings for File Manager,
including network connections, and everything
saved by the Save Settings On Exit command.
Command prompt All user-definable settings for the command
prompt, including fonts, colors, settings for the
screen size buffer, and window position.
Print Manager Network printer connections and all settings
saved by the Save Settings On Exit command.
Control Panel All settings for the Color, options Mouse,
Desktop, Cursor, Keyboard, International, and
Sound options. For the System option, only the
entries in the User Environment Variables box.
The other Control Panel options do not contain
user- specific settings.
Accessories All user-specific application settings affecting
the user's Windows NT configuration. These
accessory applications include Calculator,
Calendar, Cardfile, Clock, Notepad, Paintbrush,
and Terminal.
Third-party Any application written specifically for Windows
Windows NT NT can be designed so that it tracks application
applications settings on a per-user basis. If this user-
specific information exists, it is saved in the
user profile.
Online Help Any bookmarks placed in the Windows NT Help
bookmarks system.
NOTE: For Common items (such as .BMP wallpaper files) point to a
central server share so everyone can access them.
e. Run Program Manager, choose Options, and then choose Save Settings Now.
f. Run User Profile Editor and select desired options.
g. From the User Profile Editor File menu choose Save As File. Save the
profile with a generic name (for example, USERPROF.USR) and save it in the
shared profiles directory (for example, D:\PROFILES\USERPROF.USR). If you
want to use the profile as a mandatory profile, give it a name such as
USERPROF.MAN (D:\PROFILES\USERPROF.MAN).
2. Create a template user that will use profile based on the template.
a. Log on to MyServer with your regular Administrator account.
b. Run User Manager for Domains, create a new user account (for example,
GenUser), and assign the user the following profile:
\\myserver\profiles\%username%.usr
Use %username%.man if you are using mandatory profiles.
c. In User Profile Editor, open the following template user profile:
d:\profiles\userprof.usr (or .man)
d. Choose the Browse button next to Permitted To Use Profile." Permit the
user to use the profile. For example, permit MyDomain\GenUser to use the
profile. If you want everyone to use the same profile, you can permit
Domain Users to use the profile. If you do this, ensure (with share or
NTFS permissions), that the users won't be able to save any modifications
to the profile. If uses save changes to their profile, the next person to
log on gets the previous user's modified profile. For example, if UserBob
makes a change to the profile, and then UserJane makes a change to the
profile, the next time UserBob logs on, his environment will look
different than when he had saved it.
e. From the User Profile Editor File menu, choose Save As File.
f. Save the file with a new name that matches the user name you just gave
permissions to. For example, if you just gave permissions to GenUser, save
the file as: d:\profiles\GenUser.usr (or .man) If you permitted a group of
users to use the profile, such as Domain Users, give it a name such as
DOMUSR.USR (or .MAN)
3. To create profiles for individual users:
a. In User Manager for Domains, copy the template user to the new user name.
For example, copy GenUser to JaneX.
b. Repeat steps 2.c. through 2.f. to assigning the proper user profile for
each user you create. If you permitted Domain Users to use the profile,
then all you have to do is make sure that the users have that profile
specified.
For additional information on using User Profile Editor, see the Windows NT
Server version 3.5 System Guide, chapter 14.
For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:
Q140417: Controlling Common Program Groups Seen In User Profiles
Additional query words: prodnt
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Keywords :
Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search
Version : :3.5,3.51,4.0
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