Joe said:
Hello,
I currently have a peer to peer of 5 xp pro workstations each with
Unique Local User Profiles. I am planning to install a Windows 2000
Server . Could someone direct me to step by step process to copy the
existing User Profiles to a Shared Directory on the Server. Then
create Mandatory Profiles from the original copied User Profiles ,
inorder to specify particular settings for the users. Is this
possible? I greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thank you in advance.
You'll need a domain for this, you know....you can't use roaming profiles in
a workgroup. Also, why Win2k rather than Win2003?
May want to see
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBP/tip7800/rh7830.htm for help with
copying the local profiles to the domain profile path(s) - but I must
mention that in such a small network, I probably wouldn't bother. I'd just
create new ones when the users log into the domain the first time (& copy
any needed data from the old profile folders to the appropriate locations on
the server). If you do want to copy the profiles from the standalone/local
logins to the domain accounts,
My general advice for roaming profiles is below:
1. Set up a share on the server. For example - d:\profiles, shared as
profiles$ to make it hidden from browsing.
2. Make sure the share permissions on profiles$ indicate everyone=full
control. Set the NTFS security to administrators, system, and users=full
control.
3. In the users' ADUC properties, specify \\server\profiles%\%username% in
the profiles field
4. Have each user log into the domain once and log out. The profile is now
roaming.
For mandatory profiles, you'll want to rename ntuser.dat to ntuser.man after
the profiles are completely configured, if you want them to be mandatory.
See
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q268019& for
info on how to get access to the profile folders on the server.
Notes:
* Make sure users understand that they should never log into multiple
computers at the same time when they have roaming profiles (unless you make
the profiles mandatory by renaming ntuser.dat to ntuser.man so they can't
change them). Explain that the "last one out" wins, when it comes to
uploading the final, changed copy of the profile.
* Keep your profiles TINY. Redirect My Documents to a subfolder of each
user's home directory on the server - either via group policy (folder
redirection) or manually (less advisable). Big profile=slow login/logout,
and possible profile corruption.
* Note that user profiles are not compatible between different OS versions,
even between W2k/XP. Keep all your computers. Keep your workstations as
identical as possible - meaning, OS version is the same, SP level is the
same, app load is (as much as possible) the same.
* Do not let people store any data locally - all data belongs on the server.
