How to create Mandatory User Profile

[omotomilola]

Hi All,

I run Windows 2003 Active Dire. Services on my network. I have a group of users on my network that needs to have the same desktop environment.

I will appreciate step-by-step information on how to do this so that each of the users in this group can have the same user desktop environment.

Thanks.

Omomtomilola

 

[porkchopexpress]

You can follow this document to create a profile and then rename the ntuser.dat file to .man.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314478

If you just need to give a group of users the same desktop look then i would recommend using folder redirection.
I use the desktop and start menu redirection feature to give a group of my users the same desktop, you can then control all other aspects and lock down the desktop using group policies.

http://computerperformance.co.uk/w2k3/gp/group_policy_folder_redirect.htm

 

[omotomilola]

Thanks for the response,

The link you provided is on how to create Roaming Profile and not Mandatory profile.

I will appreciate information on how to create mandatory Profile.

Thanks.

Omotomilola

 

[porkchopexpress]

If you read the sentence i posted as well it tells you, rename the ntuser.dat file to ntuser.man then place the profile in a read only share.

 

[porkchopexpress]

Take a look about halfway down this link.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/deploy/confeat/09w2kadb.mspx

 

[porkchopexpress]

I would urge you to take a look at folder redirection, it's the future of this style of desktop management. This approach is easy, flexible and does not require you to mess around at the user account level you can assign the policy to an OU containing many users.

Post back with any probs.

Cheers.

 

[omotomilola]

Thanks Porkchopexpress,

I appreciate the time you have spent so far on this issue.

But can you give me a simple step-step-step on how to use Folder Redirection to solve this problem. I dont seems to know how to go about it.

Once again, thanks a lot.

Omotomilola

 

[porkchopexpress]

Ok here goes

1. Create a share on a server and allow access to the users that require the desktop, then create two folders inside one called desktop and one called start menu

Desktop (Shared)
- Desktop
- Start Menu

Place in this folder all of the shortcuts that you would like on your users desktop and start menu in the appropriate folders.

2. Create an OU and place all users that require the desktop in there.

3. Create a group policy and attach it to the new OU and set the folder redirection settings. Below are the settings I have.

Navigate to the folder redirection area of the policy

User Configuration – Windows Settings – Folder Redirection

Right click the Desktop icon and select properties then select

‘Basic – Redirect everyone’s folder to the same location’
‘Redirect to following location’
\\share\profile\desktop

Follow step 3 again to redirect the start menu as well but alter the share path to \\share\profile\start menu .

Once you have the icons setup you can start locking down the desktop, if you don’t want all of the common folders or icons in the all users folder to show then you can set the ‘Remove common program groups from Start menu’ policy.

I would try this in a test OU first to get the hang of it and post back with any problems.

 

[omotomilola]

Thanks Pockchopexpress,

I used the microsoft link (

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/deploy/confeat/09w2kadb.mspx)

you provided but the steps on how to convert roaming to Mandatory did not work.

Can you explain step by step on how to convert Roaming to Mandatory.

Thanks and God Bless.