Configuring Windows7 Profesional Workstation For Multiple Users 1

[zoeythecat]

Hi All,

At our school's library we have multiple users that logon to our domain from multiple WindowsXP desktop systems.. We will be replacing these systems with Windows7. I need to configure the desktop computers so that when each user logs in, they will have the same desktop icon settings, printer settings, etc. When we used Windows XP, we would configure these computers like this:

(1) Logon to the domain as a domain admin, install the printer, configure the internet explorer home page, setup the icons I want on the desktop, et c.
(2) Logon to the local domain, delete the contents of the "Default user".
(3) Copy the contents from the "domain admin" profile to the "default user".
(4) After completing the above 3 steps, now any user that logs on to the domain will get the same settings when they logon.

* Can this same procedure be done in Windows7? I'm not sure it can (I haven't tested it yet). Is anyone out there doing this same type of process for Windows7 that can pass on some info how I can do this?

Thanks for your time!

 

[Freestone]

This procedure is no longer supported nor works under Windows 7, much to the surprise of many support people, myself included. You may find in searching the net people detailing ways to manually copy a profile to the Default User profile, but you will also find many others saying not all things work after using these methods. I trust the latter statements are true as my reasoning is Microsoft must have removed support for this method for good reasons (they even disabled the Copy To button in User Profiles).

Microsoft's supported procedure for customizing the default profile can be found here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/973289

It involves the use of the Windows Automated Installation Kit and Windows 7 sysprep. I've used this method and it works. I found the following guide exteremely useful in helping to learn and implement this new process:

http://blog.brianleejackson.com/sysprep-a-windows-7-machine-–-start-to-finish-v2

My suggestion is to get a good piece of imaging software (I believe Microsoft's imagex may do, though I use Acronis True Image), and minimally image a base Windows 7 install, your desired setup while it's in Audit mode, and your final image in OOBE mode.

 

[zoeythecat]

Thanks for the links and your valuable input. I will take a look through these and see what best fits us. I'm also thinking about a computer domain policy for these computers, but haven't researched how that will play out yet.

Thx

 

[linney]

Here's one vote (not mine) for the old way.

How do I customize the default user profile in Windows 7?

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7security/thread/54c135b0-fa37-499b-9e2f-ac90df19bb67

This thread starts with RC1 and is still growing and is a good read.

Windows 7 RC1 Default User Profile

http://social.technet.microsoft.com...l/thread/0be9b1f0-a21f-4889-9568-6ec455689aa9

This is still available in Windows 7.

How to use Windows Easy Transfer to migrate files and settings from one Windows-based computer to another Windows Vista-based computer

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928634/en-us

Description of Windows Easy Transfer for Windows Vista

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928635/en-us