KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q139449: How to Create Individual Home Directories

Article: Q139449
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.1,3.5,3.51,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server, version 3.1 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

This article provides specific instructions, through an example, on how to
create and assign each new user a Home Directory in a Windows NT domain. That
is, each user will connect to a share that contains only their files and
directories and nothing else.

MORE INFORMATION
================

In the following example, the user ID is referred to as HomeUser and the server
where the home directories reside is referred to as \\HomeSrv.

1. Create a directory and share on the server:

  a. On \\HomeSrv, create a directory called HomeUser. This directory can be in
     any location on the server hard drive, but user home directories are
     typically created under the C:\Users directory.

  b. Share the HomeUser directory as HOMEUSER. Each user subdirectory must be
     shared separately.

2. Create the user ID:

  a. From User Manager for Domains, choose New User from the User menu.

  b. Enter a valid user name, description, and password. For the example, the
     username is HomeUser.

  c. Click Profile.

  d. In the Home Directory box, click the option button next to Connect and
     choose a drive letter. This drive letter will be used only by Windows NT
     clients. For this example, choose H.

  e. In the To box, enter the UNC path where this user's home directory will
     reside. For example, \\HomeSrv\%username%.

3. Secure the \\HomeSrv\HomeUser share so only HomeUser has access to it.

  a. Run File Manager, select C:\Users\HomeUser, and choose Share As from the
     Disk menu.

  b. Click Permissions and then click Add.

  c. Select the HomeUser name and click Add.

  d. Set the type of access that this user should have to the share. Because
     this is the user's home directory, they should either have Full Control or
     Change access to the share.

  e. Click OK.

  f. Click Everyone and then click Remove.

4. Create a logon script if needed.

  If this user will be logging on from different clients (Windows NT, Windows
  95, or Windows for Workgroups) then assign a logon script that issues a NET
  USE H: /HOME command. On Windows NT, the command will simply fail because the
  home directory has already been assigned. On the other clients it will
  connect drive H: to the \\HomeSrv\HomeUser share.

  For more information on creating and assigning logon scripts, see the Windows
  NT documentation and the Knowledge Base.

Additional query words: 3.10 3.11 home drive user name

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTAdvSerSearch kbWinNTAdvServ310 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search kbWinNT310Search
Version           : :3.1,3.5,3.51,4.0

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.