HOW TO: Create a Custom Default User Profile in the Windows Server 2003 Family (325364)

SUMMARY

This article describes how to create a custom default user profile. A custom default user profile is useful if several people use the same computer but each user wants both a separate profile and access to shared resources.

When multiple users log on locally to the same computer, Windows uses the built-in default user profile as a template to assign a profile to each new user. You can replace this built-in profile with a custom default user profile so that each new user receives a custom version of the profile.

Because this change is permanent, Microsoft recommends that you create a backup copy of the default user profile, in case you ever want to use it again. The default user profile is located in the drive:\Documents and Settings\Default User folder, where drive is the drive on which Windows is installed.

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How to Create a Custom Default User Profile

1. Log on to the computer as administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
2. Create a new local user account.
3. Log off as the administrator, and then log on to the computer by using the local user account that you created in step 2.
4. Configure the settings that you want to use in the profile, including desktop settings, favorites, mapped network drives, and Start menu options.
5. Log off as the local user, and then log on to the computer as administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
6. Select the Show hidden files and folders option (if it is not already selected). To do so:
   1. Start Windows Explorer.
   2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
   3. Click the View tab.
   4. Click Show hidden files and folders, and then click OK.
7. Replace the current default user profile with the customized default user profile that you created. To do so:
   1. Click Start, point to Control Panel, and then click System.
   2. Click the Advanced tab.
   3. Under User Profiles, click Settings.
   4. In the Profiles stored on this computer list, click the user profile that you created, and then click Copy To.
   5. In the Copy profile to box, click Browse, click the drive:\Documents and Settings\Default User folder, where drive is the drive on which Windows is installed, and then click OK.
   6. Under Permitted to use, click Change.
   7. Type Everyone in the Select User or Group box, click OK, and then click OK.
   8. Click Yes when you are prompted whether you want to continue to operation.
   9. Click OK, and then click OK.

Windows assigns the custom default user profile to any new users who log on to the computer.

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