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User profile backup
I am trying to create a profile backup solution for our company. Currently, I am copying the entire %systemdrive&\Documents and Settings\&username% folder from the old system to the new system.
This achieves pretty much everything we want, copying all user settings right down to the placement of icons on the desktop. The only problem is that the user must first log in on the workstation before the old profile can be copied over.
For instance, if the old profile is copied before having the user log in, when they do log in, the system creates a new folder (user.domain) in the documents and settings folder. If I wait until after they have logged in once, everything works perfectly. Is there a way I can 'fool' the OS into thinking the user has already logged in? We'd like to be able to copy multiple user profiles between systems, and having to wait for each user to log in could waste considerable time.
Any assistance in this is greatly appreciated, thank you.
This achieves pretty much everything we want, copying all user settings right down to the placement of icons on the desktop. The only problem is that the user must first log in on the workstation before the old profile can be copied over.
For instance, if the old profile is copied before having the user log in, when they do log in, the system creates a new folder (user.domain) in the documents and settings folder. If I wait until after they have logged in once, everything works perfectly. Is there a way I can 'fool' the OS into thinking the user has already logged in? We'd like to be able to copy multiple user profiles between systems, and having to wait for each user to log in could waste considerable time.
Any assistance in this is greatly appreciated, thank you.
Have you considered roaming profiles?
I'll second bhnmi's suggestion of roaming profiles. This is one of the main reasons for roaming profiles.
Link on how to set them up from MS:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316353
Link on how to set them up from MS:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316353
ASKER
Setting up roaming profiles would be a very large undertaking here, and I don't believe that's where we want to go at this point.
Well, there is no real way to move profiles around that is quick seemless and easy (that I know of).
Are you migrating users to new machines?
Are you migrating users to new machines?
ASKER
Yes, we need this for when we life cycle to newer model workstations. As I said, I've tested copying after the target user has logged in, and everything is there working properly.
I would just stick with that then if it is working for you.
ASKER
We haven't implemented this yet. I was hoping we wouldn't have to have the users log in before we can deploy the new machines. There isn't a registry key or file I could edit to make Windows think they user has already logged in and not remake the user folder?
I think the SID of the profile gets when you copy and paste the profile, this is why when they logon after you move it it creates a new profile.
I found this, read it briefly it may point you in the right direction.
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ASKER
We had looked into USMT before and decided it didn't fit our needs. To bhnmi, I tried this with a test profile and it worked perfectly. I had a problem importing another profile, which I am looking into now. I think this is what we needed.
you cant do it any other way than what you are doing......the profile is created upon logon and there is no way to do anything other than that.....roaming profiles suck - i hate them, but they are your best bet here....or just use them like i do - user gets a new machine, roaming profiles turned on - migrates to a new machine, profile loaded, roaming profile turned off :) quick and easy and best of both worlds
ASKER
It turns out the problem we had with the one profile was a user mistake, so this solution works perfectly now. Here's what I did.
On the source computer:
1. Open regedit, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
2. Locate and export the registry key and subkeys matching the user's folder to be migrated. To do this, navigate through all the keys present (they'll say S-1-5-21.... or something similar) until there is one in which the "ProfileImagePath" entry matches the folder you are copying (%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings\%username%)
3. Copy the user's folder from Documents and Settings on the old computer to the new computer in the same location
4. Import the registry file into the new computer
Now the user can log in on the new computer and see the same profile they would see on the old computer, right down to the placement of the icons on the desktop. All mapped drives, printers, Outlook settings etc are there.
On the source computer:
1. Open regedit, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
2. Locate and export the registry key and subkeys matching the user's folder to be migrated. To do this, navigate through all the keys present (they'll say S-1-5-21.... or something similar) until there is one in which the "ProfileImagePath" entry matches the folder you are copying (%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings\%username%)
3. Copy the user's folder from Documents and Settings on the old computer to the new computer in the same location
4. Import the registry file into the new computer
Now the user can log in on the new computer and see the same profile they would see on the old computer, right down to the placement of the icons on the desktop. All mapped drives, printers, Outlook settings etc are there.
ASKER
Once I read the ProfileList registry key in the link I knew exactly what I had to do. Solved my issue perfectly.