User profiles are comprised of the profile directory, a cached copy of the Windows NT Registry HKEY_CURRENT_USER subtree, and the common program groups, contained in the All Users folder.
Every user profile begins as a copy of Default User, a default user profile stored on each computer running Windows NT Workstation or Windows NT Server. The Default User profile folder, user profile folders for each user, and All User profile folders are located in the Profiles folder in the system root (usually C:\Winnt). The Default User folder and individual user profile folders contain an NTuser.dat file plus a directory of links to desktop items.
The user profiles folders contain links to various desktop items.
User profile folder | Contents |
Application Data | Application-specific data. For example, a customer dictionary. Application vendors decide what data to store in the User Profile folder. |
Desktop | Desktop items, including files and shortcuts. |
Favorites | Shortcuts to program items and favorite locations. |
NetHood | Shortcuts to Network Neighborhood items. |
Personal | Shortcuts to program items. |
PrintHood | Shortcuts to printer folder items |
Recent | Shortcuts to the most recently used items. |
SendTo | Shortcuts to document items. |
Start Menu | Shortcuts to program items. |
Templates | Shortcuts to template items. |
Note
The NetHood, PrintHood, Recent, and Templates folders are hidden and, by default, do not appear in Windows NT Explorer. To view these folders and their contents in Windows Explorer, click Options on the View menu, and then click Show all files.
The NTuser.dat file is the registry portion of the user profile. NTuser.dat is a cached copy of the Windows NT Registry HKEY_CURRENT_USER subtree on the local computer. The registry is a database repository for information about the computer's configuration, including the hardware, installed software, environment settings, and other information. In the registry, the settings that determine the work environment for the user who is currently logged on to the computer are stored in HKEY_CURRENT_USER.
Although they are not copied to user profile folders, the settings in the All Users folder are used with user profile folders to create the user profile.
The Windows NT platform supports two program group types:
Common program groups are stored in the All Users folder under the Profiles folder. The All Users folder also contains settings for the Desktop and Start menu.
On computers running Windows NT Workstation or Windows NT Server, only members of the Administrators group can create common program groups.
For information on adding new program groups, see "To add a new submenu to the Programs menu" in Windows NT Help.