TheCamdenGroup
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Removing Domain User Profiles
I need to remove every profile from the computer so that a new default profile will be used. So far I've tried deleting the directory from C:\Users but the results are my users getting a temporary profile when they logon. The only way to remove a profile that will work is from System Properties -> Advanced -> Users Profiles, but the profiles are from domain users not other local accounts so they don't show up under Users. How can this be done in windows 7?
They don't show up here?
My computer is on a domain
Because your computer is on a domain, you can delete local user accounts from the computer, but you cannot delete user accounts from the domain. All files that were created under the user account will be deleted when you delete the account.
Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts, clicking User Accounts again, and then clicking Manage User Accounts. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
On the Users tab, under Users for this computer, click the user account name, and then click Remove.
In the User Accounts dialog box, click Yes, and then click OK.
My computer is on a domain
Because your computer is on a domain, you can delete local user accounts from the computer, but you cannot delete user accounts from the domain. All files that were created under the user account will be deleted when you delete the account.
Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts, clicking User Accounts again, and then clicking Manage User Accounts. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
On the Users tab, under Users for this computer, click the user account name, and then click Remove.
In the User Accounts dialog box, click Yes, and then click OK.
Here's a fix for the folders that are already deleted (from http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itprogeneral/thread/5ec0b949-effa-4e30-ba09-dc948a4c7a8b)
Now if you accidentally deleted the profile through Explorer, there is an associated registry key that was not deleted which is handled by the above steps which is why you should do it that way. In the case where you are getting the temp profile logon, log off and then back on as another account with admin rights and launch the registry editor (regedit or regedt32). Locate the following key folder:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR E\Microsof t\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileL ist
There will be the standard keys of S-1-5-18, S-1-5-19 and S-1-5-20 along with some longer ones. Look in each of those for the one with the specific user profile path (i.e. C:\Users\jdoe) and you would delete that key folder so if it is S-1-5-21-854245398-1004336 348-725345 534-84926, that is the key folder you would delete along with all the values within it. Below is an example of a real key and all the values within it.
This is the local administrator which should be associated with the key S-1-5-21-2731504920-357048 610-107289 8439-500 and within the key you have the following values:
(Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
Flags REG_DWORD 0x00000000 (0)
ProfileImagePath REG_EXPAND_SZ C:\Users\Administrator
ProfileLoadTimeHigh REG_DWORD 0x00000000 (0)
ProfileLoadTimeLow REG_DWORD 0x00000000 (0)
RefCount REG_DWORD 0x00000000 (0)
Sid REG_BINARY 01 05 00 00 00 00 00 05 15 00 00 00 etc.
State REG_DWORD 0x00000304 (772)
You’ll see that the ProfileImagePath points to C:\Users\Administrator so this is the correct key to delete if the local administrator was the one getting the temp profile when logging on.__________
Now if you accidentally deleted the profile through Explorer, there is an associated registry key that was not deleted which is handled by the above steps which is why you should do it that way. In the case where you are getting the temp profile logon, log off and then back on as another account with admin rights and launch the registry editor (regedit or regedt32). Locate the following key folder:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
There will be the standard keys of S-1-5-18, S-1-5-19 and S-1-5-20 along with some longer ones. Look in each of those for the one with the specific user profile path (i.e. C:\Users\jdoe) and you would delete that key folder so if it is S-1-5-21-854245398-1004336
This is the local administrator which should be associated with the key S-1-5-21-2731504920-357048
(Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
Flags REG_DWORD 0x00000000 (0)
ProfileImagePath REG_EXPAND_SZ C:\Users\Administrator
ProfileLoadTimeHigh REG_DWORD 0x00000000 (0)
ProfileLoadTimeLow REG_DWORD 0x00000000 (0)
RefCount REG_DWORD 0x00000000 (0)
Sid REG_BINARY 01 05 00 00 00 00 00 05 15 00 00 00 etc.
State REG_DWORD 0x00000304 (772)
You’ll see that the ProfileImagePath points to C:\Users\Administrator so this is the correct key to delete if the local administrator was the one getting the temp profile when logging on.__________
"The only way to remove a profile that will work is from System Properties -> Advanced -> Users Profiles, but the profiles are from domain users not other local accounts so they don't show up under Users." ~ TheCamdenGroup
The domain-based user profiles should still appear on that list... they do on our Windows 7 domain workstations.
The domain-based user profiles should still appear on that list... they do on our Windows 7 domain workstations.
Are these roaming user profiles?
Do you want to retain their data?
What is the change in the default profile that you want loaded that can not be set/restricted using GPO?
Do you want to retain their data?
What is the change in the default profile that you want loaded that can not be set/restricted using GPO?
ASKER
Yes they are roaming. I have about 15 profiles on my computer alone from testing accounts after creation. I don't want to delete the accounts just the domain user profiles on a local machine. Theres no need to retain data because the users have their own computers.
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Create the GPO that will set the settings to delete cached profiles
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/274152
Th e cached profiles will only be deleted when he user properly logs off and the roaming profile successfully synhronizes bak to the server.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/274152
Th e cached profiles will only be deleted when he user properly logs off and the roaming profile successfully synhronizes bak to the server.
Reboot,
Have the user login