Win2K8S User Settings

Using Windows Server 2008 Standard as a workstation:

1) Upon initial out-of-the-box installation, an account was created called 'Administrator' - how can I tell if it is the built-in Administrator account or if just a regular user account named "Administrator "?

2) I have the account set up w/ the Desktop, settings & all the configurations the way I want them to be - is there a way to copy these user account settings to set up other user accounts to have identical settings?

 

Should I maybe more this over to the Vista forum? It might be more appropriate there.

 

Sorry,
I haven't even seen server 08.

To answer your Administrator question it would be listed in local users.
Right click on my computer and click "Manage ".
Look for local users in the tree.

As far as copying a profile you will have to use a third party application like Profile Wiz by Forensit
http://www.forensit.com/Profwiz/index.htm

It can be confusing so read the instructions several times.
If you do it wrong you will copy the new profile over top of the existing and it will be gone.
If 08 has a system restore that's a good fall back if you make a mistake on copying the profile.

 

Hi, Scott ~

Well, for all practical purposes, Server 08 workstation is entirely like Vista. So if there is a way to copy the settings from one user account to another, then that is the desired result.

 

Hi Bruce

Here is what works for 2k-XP. I have not done it in Vista or Svr2008.

I do this on all installations and put it to the Default User account which as you know is the base of all new accounts.

Since it does not change the Administrator or an account that can not be removed or deleted then it will not hurt to try. If you decide to do it to the Default user account back up the original Default User to another location.

Here are the steps.

1. Create a new account admin level say Supervisor. This will be the account you wish to be a duplicate of the Administrator account.

2. Log into the account so it will create the profile in Documents and settings. Make no changes as you will be over writing all here. Just log off or reboot.

3. Since you are copying the Administrator account you can not be logged in as Administrator, as well you can not be logged on as Supervisor. Then you need to create 1 more Admin level account, say Bruce. This account can be removed later if you want. This is the account to use to do the rest of the procedure below.

4. Perhaps not necessary but I boot to safe mode then copy the profile I am dealing with. In your case the Administrator profile to another location.

5. Browse into the Supervisor account delete it's contents "all" its contents. If anything will not delete then use Killbox, FileAssassin etc to remove these item on boot.

6. Once the profile folder for Supervisor is empty then just copy the "contents" of the copied Administrator profile into the empty Supervisor folder.

7. Reboot log into Supervisor.

This is not guaranteed to work with Vista/2008 so let us know the results if you attempt it.

The procedure above is how I used to do it. Now I create the accounts then boot up a winpe like UBCD4Win or VistaPe and do the copying etc.

Mike

 

Hi, Mike ~

Nice to "see" you! You are typically on it, so I gave this a go. Here's what I tried:

1) Created comp admin accounts 'Bruce' & 'Supervisor'
2) Unhid all folders & files
3) Signed in & logged out of both & then back into 'Bruce' account
4) I deleted all files in 'C:\Users\Supervisor'
5) Copied all files from 'C:\Users\Administrator' to 'C:\Users\Supervisor'
6) Would not allow copying of 9 of the 40 files/folders, saying permission denied to destination folder, despite my previously setting full control permissions for 'Bruce'
7) Tried to log into 'Supervisor' to see what might transpire, immediately logged out & hung on System Event Notification Service
8) Signed back in & deleted accounts 'Bruce' & 'Supervisor'

 

OK! I didn't mean to buise you bruce!

I warned you it may not work with Vista!

Anyways!

OK I have not switched to Vista yet tho I have to support it for others who bought it pre-installed.

So I do have it in a Virtual Machine, I will boot up soon and try to find you a solution.

The other suggestion is to do it like I now do it on 2k 2k3 and XP.

Create the accounts. Do all as in my last post as far as building the extra profiles and logging in to confirm that the profiles work.

Then use UBCD4Win boot cd and boot from the cd. So Vista is not running, so now do the deletions and copies.

Another possible issue with this. Vista may be especially protective with the Administrator account more so than XP.

If Vista has special protections on the Administrator account you may can do this with another account that has Admin rights but is not "THE" Administrator account.

I have done this on 2k-XP with the actual Administrator account. But for some time I have not.

What I do is leave the Administrator account Pristine make no changes.

Then I build the Supervisor account and install all software like Virus scanners, Anti spyware etc, tweaks, tune and personalize. Get it exactly like I want the do this process to the Default user account so that from then all new accounts come up fully configed same as Supervisor.

Also confirm you did copy the Administartor account to another place and that you copied from there and not the real Administrator account (even tho you were not logged into it.

Mike

 

In rereading I did notice that you tried to copy directly from the Administrator account instead of a copy as I advised.

It still may not work but for some reason years ago when I worked this out I always copied the Account to another location out of Documents and settings then copied form there.

Also I would reboot prior to doing the copy as logging off may leave some hooks to the Administrator account.

Mike

 

I have used Profile Wiz to move domain accounts to local accounts and vise versa.
It even transfers desktop settings as well as all saved user names and passwords in IE. It's the bomb.

Try it you will like it.

 

Mike - I did copy direct from the Admon acct - will try copying to another location and then to the new user account.

Scott - I reviewed the user guide for Profile Wiz. This workstation is not on a domain, so I thought it wouldn't apply - is that incorrect? Also, I noted that two or more users actually share a profile, so if one user is logged in, then the user switched accounts (not log off), the next user signing in would not be able to use the intended configured profile but instead use a new profile created by Windows - has that been your experience?

 

Hi Bruce

Profile Wiz will do what you want. I have been doing it my way for so long I just don't want to change.

May be the best way for Vista.

The terminology is used as a general reference to domain/workgroup if you do not have an actual domain.

As far as switch users I don't like it, don't use it, and turn it off in services. May be ok on a stand alone work station in a home environment but not a server or business. Has issues with updates, power managment cuupted files caused by bad power offs etc.

Bruce do you not have an ERD CD boot disk. Linux recovery disk?

If you don't have one go here:
http://ubcd4win.com/index.htm

It will create the disk and burn it to CD very stright forward.

One thing most people miss is before build click the Plugin button and go down the list. Usually you will want all the default items but you may wish to add some of the items that are off. And some items require config which is usually just downloading virus and antispyware updates. And the Vista Repair console is available.

It requires an XP install CD ( cannot build a Vista UBCD4Win yet ) but you can create the CD under Vista just use and XP cd with at least SP1.

And it comes in handy for more than just this issue.

Mike

 

OK Bruce I loaded up Vista Ultimate and here is what I did.

Created Supervisor account!

Logged on to Supervisor desktop.

Logged off.

Put UBCD4Win boot cd.

Booted from the CD.

Came up to windows UBCD desktop.

Opened My Computer.

Browse to c:\Users\Supervisor.

Double click to enter Supervisor folder.

Ctrl A to select all. Hit delete. Emptied folder.

Browse to the Administrator folder and entered it. Ctrl A to select all. Rt click and copy.

Browse back to Supervisor pasted.

Reboot to Vista.

Log to Supervisor which came up no problems as an exact duplicate of The Administrator profile.

Using UBCD4Win it will not be nessesary to copy the Administrator profile to another location for copying as Vista/2008 is not running.

Now if you Backup the Default User profile and put the Administrator to the original Default user, then all new accounts/profiles created will also be an exact match of the Administrator account.

Note: I usually do this on new clean installs before creating documents and setting up emails etc. But if you have already set these up then they will be included. So you may want to delete these type of things after logging into Supervisor, or remove from Administrator if you are going to use the Supervisor account for you own logon.

Additionally you should clean temps and registry using CClean and ATF-cleaner immediatly before shutting down to clone the profile with UBCD.

Mike

 

Mike ~

Awesome - sounds like a winner!! I will definitely follow your lead & report back the results.

You used CClean and ATF-cleaner right before you boot to UBCD? CClean and ATF... are these separate prograsm or part of some suite?

 

Bruce!!!!!!!!

Where have you been??

You must not read many threads on this BBS!

CCleaner http://www.ccleaner.com/
Get Slim version

ATF-Cleaner http://www.atribune.org/

Mike

 

Working! Don't get to get to the board as much these days.

Yeah, embarrassing, right?

OK, I'll get w/ the program.

 

OK - thanks to Broni, Mike & a little digging around on Google, here is the easy way to do this in Vista Business & Windows Server 2008:

- Delete all the accounts except the Admin with all the settings the way you want them
- Turn off the UAC in Control Panel > User Accounts > reboot
- Create two new user accounts, one (let's call it 'Setup') for using to login since you can't copy the Admin profile while you are in it & one to copy the Admin profile to (let's call it 'NewUser')
- Logon to each of the new 'Setup' & 'NewUser' accounts to initialize them & then log off
- Login as 'Setup'
- Open Control Panel > System > Advanced system settings
- Click 'Advanced' tab > 'Settings' button under 'User Profiles'
- Select the Admin profile > click 'Copy To...' button
- Click 'Browse' button > navigate to 'NewUser' (C:\Users\NewUser')
- Click 'OK' > 'Yes' to 'Confirm Copy' > 'OK' > 'OK'
- Logoff 'Setup' > login to 'NewUser'

A new profile is now created which is identical in feel, look, settings & config to the Admin account.

 

That is good if that is what you want!

That has been available since WinNT.

But there is a method to my madness!

This does not get you an exact copy.

To confirm this, if you had a Windows Mail account set up in the original account for example, it will not be there in the copy.

That may or may not be what you want but it proves M$ is sticking it's finger in and deciding what you want for you.

I don't remember now but years ago when I began doing it my way there were other things that did not get copied.

I think it was some custom reg tweaks.

In any case my procedure will get you an "exact" copy.

If M$ is not copying the mail account then what else are they censoring out?

Mike

 

Good point Mike. M$ is often sticking things in places they do not belong.

I will check that out. My cursory testing did not have in place all the programs & other stuff in place I wanted. Once I do & confirm your claim, then I may well have to use the UBCD4Win method.

 

OK Bruce

I am in a good mood now, was supposed to travel for next couple of days but stayed up late last night working remotely (VPN and RDP) with a local tech at that location. And we were able to get things finished by 2 PM today.

So I thought I would just bug you for the results to date.

Mike

 

Weekender project & will be out of town next weekend jumping out of perfectly good airplanes so it will have to be the week after.