Profile location

Hello Jim, Roaming profiles should only be processed upon logon, and loggoff. This is because they are simply the users HKEY_CURRENT_USER Regitry keys. When the user logs on, the server downloads a copy of the profile (Users Registry) to the local system and thats how they are able to "ROAM". The most common place to keep the profiles is in the home directory, Im not sure whats up with your NT4 BDC but in answer to your question, during the day, unless your users logon or off, it should have noactivity. I think you will see a great improvement of using profiles in conjuntion with GPO's when you move to a native 2000 mode as you can then have multiple domain controlers. Check out Window 2000's resource kit, chapter 21 for some good information on roaming profiles. Have a great day, email me if you have more questions!

Pete

Jim,

There are two thing we should consider here: (1st) You can store the "roaming" profile anywhere, but the rule of thumb is not to store them on the domain controllers for the performance purpose on the domain controller itself. However, if you would store them on the domain controller, the performance would not be degraded so much, assuming that your server is an adequate one for the number of your domain users. (2) You can have NT 4.0 domain controllers working w/ NT 5.0 workstation. However, because you don't have NT 5.0 domain controller, you can't have group policies implemented. There is a trick, though. On your workstation, assuming that you have the domain admin right, open the Run line and type mmc. Next, add the so-called group policy on each of the remote compters you know they will be used by the romaing users. After that, you hsould go through the lists under Computer and Users, and set up so that:

1. My Document folder is removed (if you haven't set it to point to the network folder).
2. All the Tem File, Temporary Internet File will be excluded form the profile.
3. Extend the logon time process.

The reason is, if My Document folder is left untouched by default, it will point to user' local profile, hence will be copied to the roaming profile as well as soon as user logs off. Same as those two Temp files. Imagine what will happen if roaming users store all their data in My Document folders, and trying to log on. It will be a long process.

Contact me at tnguyen@ci.lenexa.ks.us for more details. Hope it would help.

Tam T. Nguyen
MCSE

Hey great stuff from Tam! What she is reffering to is the local system policy. You can use this tool as she says to apply GPO, like policies. Its a very close relationship to the policies used in NT 4.0, they in them self are again, just registry modifications. You can also modify profiles directly, with caution, by using regedt32.exe and loading it as a hive so you can further adjust your profiles. I dont want to give you half baked answers though, it would be best if you looked at the best way to set your policies by following the best practices for using Windows 2000 Professional in a mixed enviroment! Hope this helped, Thanks again Tam for the great point!

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