• Migrating Config from Admin to Limited Account (XP SP-2)

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    #430080

    Hi all,

    If the explanations below seem too many or too little it’s because I’m new at this smile.

    Until just recently we had a bunch of machines running WinXP. We had them networked together (don’t know the details).
    Each PC used a single local admin account, and all admin accounts have the same password. We had an XP machine acting as a file server for the others (i.e., it had a shared directory, end of the story).
    Now we were given a Windows Server 2000 machine. And the idea is to do away with local admin accounts for all users save for one or two designated ones who’d have administrator privileges.
    In turn, we created new limited accounts for each user. Not locally, but as network accounts (i.e., in any machine, on Windows logon they use their username and password and point to the Server machine domain). They are NOT roaming user accounts, FWIW.
    The problem (or rather, my problem) is that my new limited account is “empty” — nothing on the desktop, default startup menu, few programs available, and all the etc.’s I’m sure you already know.
    The local admin account I’m still using is heavily customized, and it’s a real pain to go re-configuring my new limited network account. Besides, I fear reinstalling programs for that account would mean size duplication in the HD (maybe there’s a way to configure something to keep only one installation files folder for each program and have designated users access the programs from their accounts).

    So, my question is:

    Is there a way to pass the local admin account programs & configuration to my new limited network account user? Not for all machines, but only for the one in which I have the local admin account. In fact, I only seldom change workstation.

    The closest thread I’ve found is this one and it looks like it won’t be easy (providing it’s even possible). Any ideas? Maybe from a year to this time you had ellaborated on the subject grin.

    Thanks!

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    • #1003311

      If installed programs on your computers do not require Administrative rights to run them, it is easy to make them available to all accounts: copy all files from folders

      C:Documents and SettingsAdministratorDesktop
      C:Documents and SettingsAdministratorSendTo
      C:Documents and SettingsAdministratorStart Menu

      and, if needed, C:Documents and SettingsAdministratorApplication Data
      to folders

      C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersDesktop
      C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersSendTo
      C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersStart Menu
      and C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data respectively.

      This will not save some of your Windows customizations (desktop wallpaper, for example). You can do it modifying your Registry.

      • #1003408

        Hi kaplinb,

        I’d thought about copying those files/folders, but I wasn’t so sure it would work. Besides, as you say, some customizations wouldn’t be passed over to the limited user account. And I’d rather not to delve into the registry.
        Thanks.

    • #1003352

      Once upon a time, I bought a new laptop. I took it home and created a new account using my network username and spent many hours configuring it. When I came in the next day to join the network, Windows automatically created a new username for me, with my old username then a period then the name of our domain. This was a completely unconfigured user. I was not happy. My network admin went into a user management screen (not sure which one) and copied the profile I had created to the blank new profile. It was over quickly and if I remember correctly, worked basically without a hitch.

      Hopefully this description will jog someone’s memory as to where that dialog is. (It doesn’t seem to be in the User Accounts control panel.)

    • #1003365

      Try right clicking My Computer | Properties | Advanced User Profiles Settings. You should be able to copy one profile to another.

      Joe

      --Joe

      • #1003424

        Hello Joe,

        I found the option. Before having a go at it, will my limited network account stay “limited”? Or will it gain admin permissions?
        Also, the admin user has a LOCAL account and the limited user has a NETWORK account. Would you expect any conflicts when passing profile settings from the former over to the latter?

        Thank you.

        • #1003446

          I would not expect any conflicts. As to changing permissions – I’m not sure. Try creating another limited local user and copy to the new user. If it is not how you want it then delete the user and do the copy of individual files/folders as described in post 561,368.

          Joe

          --Joe

          • #1003454

            Thanks, Joe.
            The network admin told me we’d run the test, but he’d rather not create a new network account right now for we are experiencing some network problems. So we’ll wait until things get calmer, then do as you suggested.

            Thanks!

          • #1008415

            Hi Joe,

            I’m back after a little while. We created a dummy network limited account called, er, “dummy” and now want to copy the local admin profile and paste it onto dummy. When I click on the “copy to” button I am prompted to specify a directory as the attached image shows (“Copiar perfil en” = “Copy profile to”). What should I do? Point to the root C:documents and settingsdummy directory?

            • #1008429

              Right click My Computer. Select Properties | Advanced. In the “Use Profiles” section press the “Settings” button. Then select the account you wish to copy from and ‘push’ to “Copy To” button. Select the account to which you wish to copy. OK your way out.

              Joe

              --Joe

            • #1008594

              Well that’s what I was doing. But I get prompted as shown in my previous post. I click on the user whose profile I want to copy; I click on the “Copy To” button; I get prompted. When doing this I’m logged on as local administrator.
              Is this just abnormal or am I still doing something wrong?

            • #1008601

              Sorry, I misunderstood what you were doing. the repsonse is normal and expected. You want to copy to the folder in your prior post.

              Joe

              --Joe

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