Windows User Profiles

From Ben's Writing

Contents 1 Configuring a Default Profile 2 Creating a User Profile 2.1 Create a new user account 2.2 To configure a new user account to use as a new user’s profile template 3 Troubleshooting 3.1 To create a detailed log file for user profiles 4 Further Reading

Configuring a Default Profile

You can create a default profile to ensure that all users on a computer receive an identical profile the first time they log on. This option simplifies administrative control over the users’ desktops and settings.

To create a default user profile, you must be logged on as Administrator or be a member of the Administrators group. Create a default profile for all new user accounts on a computer. Include any customizations that you want in the profile. To create subsequent profiles, you can create a new user account as a template.

Before creating a new user account to use as a new user’s profile template, perform the following tasks:

1. Log on to the computer as the new user, and then customize the desktop if appropriate.
2. Optionally, install and configure any applications to be shared by user accounts made from this template.
3. Log off, and then log on as the Administrator.

Bellow you will find more information about creating a new user account.

Creating a User Profile

Create a new user account

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Local Users and Computers.
2. Click Users, from the Action menu, click New User...
3. In User name, type the user logon name.
4. In Full name add the user's first and last name.
5. In Password and Confirm password, type the user's password.
6. In the password options section un-check User must change password at next logon and then remove check Password never expires.
7. Finally, click Create and then Close.

To configure a new user account to use as a new user’s profile template

1. After you create a new user account template, in Control Panel, click System.
2. On the Advanced tab, under User Profiles, click Settings.
3. Under Profiles stored on this computer, select the user that you created in step 1, and then click Copy To.
4. To create the default user profile for the computer, type the path to {WinDir%\Profiles, %SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings, %SystemDrive%\Users}\Default on the computer.
5. In the Copy To dialog box, under Permitted to use, click Change.
6. In the Select User or Group dialog box, enter the object name to select, and then type: Everyone.

Troubleshooting

To create a detailed log file for user profiles

1. In the Run dialog box, type regedit, and then click OK.
2. Locate the following subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.
3. Create a new entry named UserEnvDebugLevel of data type REG_DWORD, and set its value to 0x30002.

The log file is stored in this location: %windir%\Debug\Usermode\Userenv.log.

Further Reading

Another option is to use Security Templates.