How to Create a Base Profile for All Users

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SUMMARY

This article details how to create a "base" or Default User profile for all users and how to place it on the Netlogon share. It is important to note that this will only work for users that have a new user ID in a Windows NT 4.0 domain and have not logged on with it before.

MORE INFORMATION

Windows NT 4.0 follows the following discovery process for creating a new profile:

• Is there a central (roaming) profile defined in User Manager for Domains?
  
  
• If yes, does the profile exist? If yes, use profile.
  
  
• If no, does this user have a local profile? If yes, use local.
  
  
• If no, does Default User exist on Netlogon share of validating Domain Controller? If yes, use it.
  
  
• If no, does Default User exist in WinNT\Profiles?

1. Log on to a workstation as a generic user (one that does not have Administrator rights in the domain). Set up your desktop and change the settings that you want to change. Log off the workstation. The profile is actually created at this point.



2. Log back onto the workstation as someone who has Administrator rights to the local computer, as well as in the domain. In the System tool in Control Panel, click the User Profiles tab. Select the user's profile that you created in the previous step.



3. Click Copy To, which will bring up a dialog box that allows you to specify where the profile is going to be copied, as well as being able to specify who is Permitted to Use this profile. To create the Default User Profile (base profile) you should permit the group Everyone to be able to use the profile. Next, in the blank box where it states Copy To:, specify the server name and the share name, as well as the name of the profile that you want to copy this profile to.
   
   It should be in this format:

   \\Servername\Sharename\Profilename.
   

   NOTE: The name of the profile will actually be a directory name and the entire directory and its subdirectories and files are the entire profile.



4. Copy this profile to the Netlogon share and rename the profile to Default User. This will enable Windows NT to create a new profile based on this profile for a user who does not already have a central or local profile.
   
   NOTE: This Default User profile will be used to create new Roaming Profiles as well as new local profiles.

Additional query words: Profile Base Default

Keywords : ntdomain NTSrvWkst
Version : WinNT:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbhowto