Joining a Domain Obliterates User Local Profile Expectations 2

[Live2love]

Hello,

I have to join 2500 XP standalone users to a W2k domain with 2 W2k3 Domain Controllers working in mixed mode. Each user has his XP workstation profile customized the way he wants it but when each is joined to the domain, a new profile will be created on the local XP workstation and his old will be there but invisible.

These users are not tech savvy and can't address this themselves. I have researched automated ways of doing the obvious: Let the users retain their present profiles.

I have come up with one SID Registry Setting hack but was wondering if anyone had a better solution for a mass scale migration.

Here is what I have so far:

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Point the new domain SID to look to the location of the old local profile:

Obtain the SID of new new domain account by using the Win2k Resource Kit utility 'getsid'. i.e.:

c:getsid localhost [username] domaincontroller [username]

Using regedit, drill down to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows/NTCurrentVersion/ProfileList
and find the SID of the domain account. Change the ProfileImagePath to point to old local profile.

Instead of

%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings\kjc.JAX

change HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows NTCurrentVersion/ProfileList/ProfileImagePath
to the location of your old local profile, like this:

%SystemDrive%/Documents and Settings/kjc

Upon next login to the domain account, old local profile will be loaded.

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I haven't tried this, but is this the best solution from Microsoft for Large Enterprise migrations in the thousands?

Seems like many people would like to keep their old local profile. Is this hack, which I still have to script and automate the best thing going?

Thanks!

L,
Me

 

[Roadki11]

Dont know if its the best thing going but i do it all the time manually, never scripted it. Something else to consider is permissions on the old profile. the new domain user has a different sid and thus no access rights on the old profile. ive addressed this in the past by either making the new domain user a member of the local pc admin group or resetting the permissions on the profile folder to the new user and have all sub-folders and file inherit the new permissions.

RoadKi11

 

[monsterjta]

issue with SAM accounts

script it

I once was challenged by a similar project. I went with a simple concept, which was to merge their profiles.

This was accomplished using VBScript. I don't have the script available at the moment. Essentially, workstation is joined to the domain and user logs in for the first time. In this process of creating a profile, you need a Default User right?

That's easy said, and actually not so difficult. Write a computer shutdown script, then a user logon script (run once). During the computers last shutdown as a lonely workstation, before joining the domain during next logon, the script will copy the contents of the user's profile replacing all contents of the Default User. You may want to backup the original Default User.

When the workstation is joined to the domain and the user logs in with their new credentials, their new profile will be created using the contents of the Default User.

There may be some permission modifications involved in this method.

Now, if I can only find that script...

Hope This Helps,

Good Luck!

(Enamoration by Automation)

 

[Live2love]

Hi Monsterjta,

Conceptually elegant I must say. Of course, the concept has more teeth if attached to a script. Any chance it's locatable? This is exactly the kind of solution I was hoping for.

L,
Me

 

[monsterjta]

I'd really have to go through some archives for that one, which may take longer than acutally writing the script! I suggest taking this concept and posting the idea in the VBScript forum.

If you post it in chunks, you may have better success at piecing the whole thing together rather than asking the question to "write this script for me please".

Are you familiar with VBScript?

Hope This Helps,

Good Luck!

(Enamoration by Automation)

 

[Live2love]

Yes, I have written a few scripts, or rather pieced together complicated scripts like a Frankenstein monster, mostly from bits and pieces I found out there.

If you find yours, great! If not, I'll figure something out.

Thanks!

L,
Me