Yobbo <info@NoSpamIt.com> wrote:
> Hi All
>
> Just want to check if the following procedure is OK to do:
>
> 1) On a local XP Pro SP2 machine I create a 'User' user account so
> that I have 1 x admin user account and 1 x 'user' user account.
>
> 2) I log into the 'User' account and config Desktop, Start Menu, etc
> to the way I want it to look, eg Auto-Arrange, Classic Desktop, 15
> screen saver, My Docs icon on Desktop, etc.
>
> 3) I log out of the 'User' account and log in as the admin.
>
> 4) I copy the NTUSER file from my 'User' account to the default user
> account and also delete unnecessary shortcuts (eg Outlook Express)
> from the default user account.
>
> I now have a user profile 'look' that will 'kick in' for each user
> that logs onto this machine after I've added it to my Win2003
> AD/Domain.
>
> I know I could probably get most of the things working this way
> through GPO, but I could never figure out how to get the Auto-Arrange
> feature and the 'show my own desktop wallpaper, but don't show active
> desktop options in the folder views' method.
>
> Is the above procedure detrimental in anyway to my WinXP installation
> or Win2003 AD setup?
>
> Thanks

I do pretty much what you do - but I make it the default for any new domain
user I create.

I do this to tweak everything I cannot (easily) control via group policy.
This includes power settings, Windows Explorer display settings, etc. Don't
add a mail profile, or anything that will be unique to any domain user -
keep it nice and generic.

Once you're done with this 'template' profile, log out - then log in as a
domain admin (or any account that has permissions to write to
\\DCname\netlogon).

In control panel | system, copy the 'template' user profile you created to
\\DCname\netlogon\Default User (with the proper capitalization & the
space). Set "Allowed to use" to "Everyone".

Then your new *domain* users will have these settings.

That said - a lot of what you are currently configuring in your user profile
can be done/controlled by Group Policy - including Windows Classic & Classic
Start Menu, screensaver settings, and most importantly, folder redirection
of My Documents (and perhaps also Desktop & Application Data). Do whatever
you can via group policy - it is easier to administer and customize.