Deleting user profiles

[JonathanMortimer]

Hi,

In Windows XP Pro our machines tend to gather user profiles that are no longer needed, what is the best way to remove them from each machine? My Documents is held on the server, it is only things like desktop settings that are stored locally.

When I go to My Computer - Properties - Advanced - User Profile Settings and delete profiles from there, I often see some that are listed as something like Unknown Account - why do these appear and is it OK to delete them?
Also, I have noticed that even if I delete a profile in this way, Windows still attempts to sync the profile with the server (even though I have deleted it); what's going on here, and what can I do to stop it from syncing deleted profiles? It may still need to sync the current user's profile so I don't want to turn it off completely.

Is there anything more I should know about profiles?

Thanks!

 

[cdogg]

I believe the "unknown" accounts are ones that were once part of the domain but have since been deleted. Removing profiles the way you are doing it is the correct way, as it helps ensure that the hive is removed from the main registry properly under HKEY_USERS.

What do you mean that it's still trying to sync the profile after you delete it? Does this happen after rebooting?

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[JonathanMortimer]

When I delete the profile and then later go to either log off, shutdown, or restart there is a pop-up about synchronising with the server (where the user's My Documents folder lives, or lived); it will sometimes do several of the profiles that I had just deleted in the case of a reboot, as well as some that I didn't. I haven't been able to determine a pattern as it doesn't always happen and not always for all users profiles.

I'm fairly certain it still happens after a reboot too. The annoying thing is that old user profiles should not be taking up network bandwidth in this way, particularly between remote sites and every single time the machine is switched off regardless of who has been logged in that day, and particularly if the files it may be syncing could be quite large.

 

[Davetoo]

Turn of file sync.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

There are no more PDC's! There are DC's with FSMO roles!

 

[cdogg]

While logged in with admin rights, disable Offline Files (Open My Computer -> Tools -> Folder Options -> Offline Files).

Reboot and try removing the profiles again. Once you have removed all that you need, reboot "before" turning that setting back on.

 

[linney]

This will introduce you to DelProf,exe.

Profiles
thread779-1265691

More on Offline files and synchronizing.

File Sync error
thread779-1239243

Delete Offline Flies
thread779-816712

How to use offline files in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307853&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH