User profile after migrating to a domain

  • Thread starter Thread starter AXJ
  • Start date Start date
A

AXJ

Hi

When a user is moved from a stand-alone Windows XP Pro machine to a Windows
2003 domain, the old user profile is not accessible when user logs into the
new domain.

How can I copy the old profile to the new location without losing any
registry settings? Is there a tool that Microsoft or 3rd party provide?

Thanks

AxJ
 
AXJ said:
Hi

When a user is moved from a stand-alone Windows XP Pro machine to a
Windows 2003 domain, the old user profile is not accessible when user
logs into the new domain.

How can I copy the old profile to the new location without losing any
registry settings? Is there a tool that Microsoft or 3rd party
provide?
Thanks

AxJ
Click to expand...

First, I'd make sure there are no substantial files/folders in that old
local profile (such as My Documents). Copy them out - ideally to the
server - before joining the domain, if possible. I use folder redirection of
My Documents to the user's home directory, usually, so I'd put it there. Or
just somewhere for safekeeping. Same with any Outlook PST files, OE data,
etc. It's much easier to work with profiles when they're smallish.

Join the domain
Log in as the domain user once
Log out
Log in as an administrator
Go to control panel | system
Find the settings button for user profiles (sorry, this is paraphrasing)
Click on the old local profile, and choose Copy To
Pick c:\documents and settings\newdomainuser as the destination
In the "Allowed to Use" pick "everyone"
Log in as the domain user and see whether everything looks OK.

That said - I generally regard the domain implementation as a very good
chance for everyone to start with a clean slate, so all I do is make sure to
get their data out of the old profile folder and onto the server in the
appropriate locations. They can then customize and tweak their profiles to
their hearts' delight, on their own.

You might also check out the ADMT (MS - google for it)
 
AXJ said:
Thanks, Lawrence. Wish MS had made a useful tool.
Click to expand...

There is the ADMT. And FAST (for standalone machines). One of the nice
things about SBS2003 is that if you join your workstations to the domain
using the appropriate SBS wizard, it does this for you (you assign a domain
user to the computer & pick the local user profile to migrate)....it's a
shame they haven't created something similar that works outside SBS. But as
mentioned, if it's important, you can do it manually - or just start with a
clean slate after copying out the stuff you want (including Favorites).
AxJ

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
First, I'd make sure there are no substantial files/folders in that
old local profile (such as My Documents). Copy them out - ideally to
the server - before joining the domain, if possible. I use folder
redirection of My Documents to the user's home directory, usually,
so I'd put it there. Or just somewhere for safekeeping. Same with
any Outlook PST files, OE data, etc. It's much easier to work with
profiles when they're smallish.

Join the domain
Log in as the domain user once
Log out
Log in as an administrator
Go to control panel | system
Find the settings button for user profiles (sorry, this is
paraphrasing) Click on the old local profile, and choose Copy To
Pick c:\documents and settings\newdomainuser as the destination
In the "Allowed to Use" pick "everyone"
Log in as the domain user and see whether everything looks OK.

That said - I generally regard the domain implementation as a very
good chance for everyone to start with a clean slate, so all I do is
make sure to get their data out of the old profile folder and onto
the server in the appropriate locations. They can then customize and
tweak their profiles to their hearts' delight, on their own.

You might also check out the ADMT (MS - google for it)
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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