Win98 Networking

[namccst]

I have a School network with about 150 W98SE workstations with a W2K fileserver. Approx 700 users are able to log on to any w/s.

The problem is the option - "You have not logged on to this computer before ........" - users are offered to save their personal settings on a w/s when they log on. Obviously the workstations rapidly accumulate a large number of user profiles, which can on occasion interfere with the profiles/policies downloaded from the server when the user logs on. A wide range of problems can arise, apparently without any provocation!

Rather than waste my technician's time in going from machine to machine to remove the users using the control panel option, does anyone know of a way either to prevent the option dialogue box from appearing, or to reliably remove user settings on boot?

 

[wolluf]

In the password option in control panel, machine can be set so all users have same profile (same settings), or users can save their own settings. Set it to first option? This should stop local multiple profiles being created - but if you're using roaming profiles, presumably there's going to be a local copy for each user who's logged on to a partitcular machine?

 

[namccst]

Thanks for response wolluf.

Unfortunately roaming profiles are essential for different student groups, staff, admins etc., and are periodically modified to allow access to new software for instance. Each user downloads his/her group (or individual) profile, created and edited using POLEDIT, from the server at logon. In theory this over-rides any locally stored setings for that user but in fact conflicts can occur as what is stored may not agree with the current profile.

I think the option you refer to in the password option is more relevant to multiple users of the same machine in a stand-alone situation.

I was wondering if there is a key in the registry controlling the display of the dialogue box concerned.

 

[wolluf]

The password function option will almost certainly set values in the registry (it requires at least logging off and on to activate - may be restart - I've not used win98 seriously for too long, can't remember), which someone on this site will know! (or you could investigate yourself, using something like regmon from

http://www.sysinternals.com).

It doesn't just apply to standalone situation - it sets up way machine works - your earlier post said - 'You have not logged on to this computer before ........" - users are offered to save their personal settings on a w/s when they log on'. That is generated by the password function setting (if its turned off, they won't get option to save their personal settings).

Also bit confused - poledit is policy editor (generally used to set restrictions) hasn't got anything to do with profiles (except bit where you can exclude folders from roaming profile). Profiles are the folders which contain user's settings and documents.

 

[namccst]

On re-reading your initial reply I tried the password option. After re-booting and logging on as a user the following became apparent:

1. The save setting option did not appear.

2. The user's policies had not been downloaded - the w/s still behaved as if I (administrator) had logged on.

3. The password/settings option had been re-set to allow different settings.

4. When logged off and then logged on as different user the system was back where we started!

I stand corrected over my careless use of the word 'profile' - did of course mean to refer to policies.

Using poledit (default machine set) there are options to allow / disallow remote update - this can prevent downloading of user policies if set wrongly - I did it once and took ages to correct the consequences!

I've looked at a range of .adm files for use with poledit but have not yet found one which solves the problem.

 

[wolluf]

I think you may need to do a 'clean up' of the PC after you disable individual settings, and before you log on to the network. Ie, remove all profile folders and I'd also get rid of all .pwl files in \windows. I'd do this after cancelling logon box (if your policies allow this), so not connected to network. Then I'd reboot and try logging on as a user to the network. You should get prompted to save the windows password. If this action still resets the individual settings function, its likely something in your network policies/roaming profiles overwriting the local registry.
PS I've recently upgraded a school suite of win98 machines to XP. When running 98, they were set to no individual settings & held this ok (children logging on, no roaming profiles). But, there are also some 98 Laptops which teachers take home, and occasionally these would do what yours has - reset machine so individual settings are allowed. I've just remembered, one or two teachers had roaming profiles (most did not) - so just wondering if it is logging on with a roaming profile which triggers this functionality.

 

[namccst]

As your replies imply, I have come to the conclusion that there is a registry value somewhere which is switched when the option in password function is set, but which the downloaded policies re-set.

It looks as if I will have to find the registry value and then create a new .adm file to use with Poledit in setting up the config.pol on the server.

By the way, experiments have shown that it is not the enable/disable user profiles policy - that one prevents the policies being downloaded susequently!!

I'll keep you posted.

Nick