Copy user profiles locally

[VerbalKint04]

I have tried following Microsoft's method of copying a user profile to be used by a different user (in this case, a local user profile wanting to be used by a domain user.) I have been unsuccessful in my attempts. Does anyone know the proper way to copy profiles from one user to be used by another user on the same computer? Roaming profiles would not be the answer because in this case I would not want to generate all of the network traffic that roaming profiles would entail.

Thanks for your help!

OUT.

 

[wolluf]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;255095

 

[VerbalKint04]

Yes. I've already followed that. It doesn't seem to be working for me. Any other ideas?

 

[ricpinto]

Did you try this already.

Ask them to login separately then login as local administrator, goto documents and settings. You can see both profiles. Before you copy to and from.. make sure tick "show hidden files and folders" and untick "hide operating system files" in the folder optin.

 

[wolluf]

VerbalKint04 - who were you logged in as when you did this? You need to be logged in with Administrative access, and it not be either the to or from account (I've never had a problem doing this - what issues do you get)?

 

[VerbalKint04]

I was logged in as an administrator to the local machine (and domain) and was logged in as the profile I wanted to copy. The issue I'm having is that the things the users would first notice weren't being copied (ie background, icon arrangement, etc...) When we bring people onto our domain that have already established a local profile on their machine I want to be able to make the process as seamless as possible for them, short of spending three hours on each machine.

Let me know if you need any more info.

 

[wolluf]

As I said - you should NOT be logged in as profile you want to copy (because some of it is in use and won't copy).

But I'm also a little confused as to what you are doing. Eg, where are you copying the profile to? You said you're not using roaming profiles, so you've got a user with an established local profile. Where are you copying that profile to? (I'd assumed copying it over another profile on the same machine, but now...).

 

[VerbalKint04]

Sorry, I misunderstood earlier. I am not logged in as the account that I am copying. I copy the account to a specified folder on the HD, then give rights to that folder to the intended user. When said user logs in there is an error that there was a problem loading the roaming profile... Should I be putting the profile on the network?

THX

 

[wolluf]

If you're getting message saying problem loading roaming profile, then presumably the domain user is set up with a roaming profile specified, and either that profile location does not exist or user has no permissions to it.

But - I thought you were doing things locally (ie, users would just get a local profile - not use a roaming one).

Are you actually specifying the local profile folder name in the user's details on the server (AD or User manager for Domains?)

For local, you need to log 'new' user on - so a local profile is created. Then logon as administrator, and run the copy profile from the 'base' to overwrite the one just created. Then when 'new' user logs on, they should have a copy of this 'base' profile (assuming no roaming profile specified for the user of course)

PS. Depending on the size of your network/number of users, this could be very time consuming. There are other alternatives. Eg, you can omit folders from roaming profile (so, leave out potential big ones - small network traffic overhead). And you can move 'My Documents' elsewhere (eg, area on the server where they're all kept, but are not copied up and down).

 

[rtlinux]

Try this, make a copy of the Default usr profile on the machine. Then use the profile copy to create a "new" default user profile. Now when ANYONE logs onto the box they will get the new settings.

Thank You,

Roger Truss
A+, Network+
Workstation Customer Support Analyst
rtruss@mercmarine.com
Mercury Marine