Move Win2k Profile to a new domain while maintaining user profile

[m3rlin]

Hi,

We recently lost a PDC due to several issues (age, basically), and because of this we've now upgraded to Windows Server 2003, and Exchange 2003. The domain has also been recreated from scratch, to reflect a new company name & naming structure.

Because we didn't have the option of using one of the Microsoft tools to migrate our workstations onto the new domain, we basically had to hack the user profiles apart, and just copy the data back, then reinstall the applications on each machine. This was frustrating, but worked for the basic office machines, however after the Christmas break I've found one we missed - The call monitoring server.

The software that runs on this computer is extremely tempremental, and I doubt it'll just reinstall (To give some perspective, when it was originally installed it took around 15 calls to the tech support number to get it running...).

My question - Is there a way to migrate a user profile on a workstation to a new domain while maintaining all the user & program settings? I am not even able to make this account a roaming profile & then copy all the data back onto the local machine; as the old domain that it still wants to logon to no longer exists!


Thanks in advance for any advice,

Andrew.

 

[wolluf]

I'd suggest copying the old user profile folder on the workstation to the new server, and set the new domain account which is logging onto this workstation to use it as its roaming profile. Then at first logon it will hopefully create a local account with all the original settings intact. Worth trying anyway (may not work as profile hasn't been copied using copyto feature - unless it still appears in the profile list in system properties on the workstation - if it still 'belongs' to the old domain it should).

 

[karlisi]

You can copy old profile on top of new, using Windows built-in system tool. There is the procedure, if you don't know how.

User at workstation must logon in new domain at least once to create new local profile.
Then logon as domain admin.
Right-click 'My Computer', choose 'Properties' and go to 'Advanced' tab.
In 'User Profiles' section click on 'Settings'. You will see all users profiles there.
Select user's old local profile, click on 'Copy To', browse for users's new profile location (you should choose profile root folder).
Then in 'Copy to' window click on 'Change' in 'Permitted to use' section and grant access permissions to appropriate user.
In 'Copy to' window click OK. Windows will warn you if the directory already exists and all contents will be overwritten. Click Yes.
That's all.

===
Karlis
ECDL; MCSA

 

[karlisi]

Sorry, it is for Windows XP, in Windows 2000 there is little diference - there is no Advanced tab in 'My Computer' Properties window, you should choose 'User Profiles' tab.

===
Karlis
ECDL; MCSA

 

[m3rlin]

Thanks both for your replies, I ended up using a combination of them to solve the issue.

Under the user profiles tab, the Copy To feature was disabled for the old account (it wasn't local, it was on the domain), however the folder still existed. I created a roaming profile for the new account, then I was able to logon locally, copy all the files in that account folder over to the server, log off & then back on as the user in the new domain, and then it resynch'd.

Very, very relieved!

Thanks again