04/04/2016

Here'showtocreateaDefaultProfilewithoutusingSysPrepWindows7HelpForums

Here'showtocreateaDefaultProfilewithoutusingSysPrep

OS:Windows7
IhavebeenlookingathowtocreateadefaultprofilewithoutusingSysPrep.Thereisalotof
informationonthewebonhowitcouldbedoneinXPbyjustusinga"copyto"command,and
howitisnotpossibleunderWindows7.TheofficiallysupportedmethodfromMicrosoftinvolves
usingSysPrep.Officialmethoddespitebeingtoocomplexformostalsohastheadded
disadvantagethatitismeanttobeusedwhensettingupanimagefordeploy.Ineededa
methodthatIcoulduseonaPCduringanystageofitslifecycle(i.e.bothpredeployandpost
deploytimes)withoutgoingthroughSysPrep.
Thereareseveralwayslistedonthewebonhowto"fool"Windowsintoacceptinganyprofileas
Default.Asamplingofthosemethodsis:creatingauserandthencopyingitsc:\usersfolderand
renamingittoDefault,ORupdatingDefaultProfileregistrykeytopointtothedesiredprofile's
folder,ORusingahacktoenable'CopyTo'buttoninWindowsProfilesdialogbox,etc.Allof
thosemethodsworktoanextentBUTalsoresultinsideeffectstosolvewhichMS
broughtuptheSysPrepmethod.Ihavealsocomeacrossmethodswhichattempttoresolve
theseissuesbyrunningabatfiletoupdatecertainregistrykeysuponeverylogon.Thatwasnt
acceptabletomeeitherduetoextraoverheadofmaintainingabatfile/loginscript,etc.
Aftermuchtrialanderror,Ihavebeenabletocombineinformationfromvarioussources(with
someofmyowntriessprinkledin ),andhavecomeupwiththefollowingmethodofediting
andupdatingDefaultprofileWITHOUThavingtouseSysPrepANDavoidingmuch(ifnotall)
drawbacksofusinganonSysPrepmethod.PleasetryitandpostyoursuccessrateheresoIcan
validateitsusefulness.Ihavebeensatisfiedwithmytestingbutneedtoseehowothersfindit.
Steps:
Pleasenotethatyoucandoitatanytime:duringimageprep,onadeployedPC,auditmode,
nonauditmode,younameit...
1.LoginasAdministrator
2.Createauser(atthistime,theDefaultprofileistheoriginalWindowsone).Let'scallit
to_be_default
3.Loginasthatuseranddowhatevercustomizationsyouneedtomake(desktop,poweroptions,
IEsettings,etc)
4.LogoffandloginasAdministrator
5.DoacopyandthenpasteofthenewuserfolderinC:\users.Youwillendupwithafolder
named"to_be_defaultCopy"inC:\Usersfolder.
6.RenameC:\Users\Defaulttosomethinglikec:\users\Default_original.Thiswillbethebackup
copyyoucanfallbacktoifthingsgowrong.
7.Rename"c:\users\to_be_defaultcopy"toc:\users\Default.
8.Verifythat'Everyone'and'Users'have"Read&execute","listfoldercontents",and"read"
permissionsonthisnewlyrenamedc:\users\Defaultfolder.
9.Runthisincmdwindowwithc:\usersascurrentdirectory:"attrib+H+SDefault"
10.RunregeditasAdministrator(requiredevenifyouareloggedinasAdministratororLoad
HivecommandwillnotbeactiveinFilemenu)
11.ClickonHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEandthenonLoadHiveinFilemenu(note:loadhivemaynot
beactiveuntilyouclickonHKLM).
12.Selectc:\users\Default\ntuser.dat
13.regEditwillaskforanameforthishive'snode.Giveitanyname(let'scallitDefaultProfile)
14.ClickonthenewDefaultProfilenodewhichjustcreatedinregeditunderHKLM,andthen
selectExportfromFilemenu.Itwillexportoutentirekeystructurepresentundernew"Default
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Here'showtocreateaDefaultProfilewithoutusingSysPrepWindows7HelpForums

Profile".
15.Openthenewlycreated.regfileinnotepad.ItisimportanttoopeninNotepadbecauseyou
needtheendfiletohaveANSIcoding.
16.SearchforthefollowingandchangeUsernamefromto_be_defaulttoDefault.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\DefaultProfile\Software\Microsoft\ActiveSetup\InstalledComponents\
{44BBA840CC5111CFAAFA00AA00B6015C}]
"Version"="6,1,7601,17514"
"Locale"="*"
"Username"="to_be_default"<Changeto"Default"
17.Doabulkcopyandreplaceasfollowing:
Searchfor:c:\\users\\to_be_default
Replacewith:%USERPROFILE%
18.SaveyoureditsandcloseNotepad.
19.BackinRegedit,selectImportfromtheFilemenuandselectthe.regfileyoujusteditedand
saved.
20.Acceptanywarnings,andcontinue.Ifimportfailswithanerrormessagethat.regfileisnot
aregistryfile,makesureyouusedNotepadforabovesteps.Tofixthiserror,justreopenthe
.regfileinNotepadandhitsave.
Youarenowdone.Fromthispointon,ifyoucreateauser,itwillinheritDefaultsettingsasyou
configuredinstep#3above,andthenewusersregistrysettingswillallbepointingto
rightlocations(i.e.nocrosstalk,andpointingbacktowronguserfolders,etc).
PLEASEDOLETMEKNOWWHATYOUTHINKOFTHEABOVEANDWHATYOURTESTINGREVEALS.
WeintendtouseitinproductionenvironmentwherewemanagehundredsofPC's.Thismessage
ofeditingDefaultprofilewillsaveusalotoftimeandeffort.Pleasedoletmeknowwhatyou
thinkaboutthisapproach.
ThanksandIamgladifitworksforyou.....

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