Do you want to save a lot of time putting a user into a new PC?
If moving an existing user to a new computer or in lieu of physically switching two PC locations, try copying the user?s profile to the new PC. The advantage of directly copying a profile to the new PC is that all NT user information will seamlessly copy to the new PC saving the technician time setting up printers and mail settings, drive mappings, wallpaper, favorites cookies etc. If in a situation where you are physically switching PCs to new desk locations this procedure takes much less time than physically moving two PCs accross a building and saves your back. This procedure can be done quickly and easily if the following rules apply.
1. Both the old and the new PC are on the network and use NT System Properties. (Profiles)
2. The new PC has enough space on the hard drive to accept the new profile.
3. Local administrator username and password are the same on both computers.
STEP BY STEP PROCEDURE:
1. Have the user log in once on the new computer while connected to the Domain or Create a local user to do so. This will create a new “empty” profile on the Computer.
2. Log in as the local administrator on the user?s old machine.
3. In the System Properties window of the NT, 2000 or XP workstation select the profile tab and select the user?s profile.
4. Using the Copy To: function, copy the user?s profile to the hidden path of the new computer using the following format.
\\newcomputername\C$\Documents and Settings\username (To see this path you must be logged in as Local Admin with the same pass as the other computer)
(If on a Domain you will notice that the permissions are inherently set for the domain user you are copying. You can change permissions to Everyone if you wish.)
5. Once you begin the copy you MUST see a warning message that you will be copying over an existing profile. Click YES to overwrite the profile: (This message is critical. This message will verify that you are overwriting the user profile that was created when the user first logged on to the new machine. If you do not see this message the path or system drive letter may be incorrect.)
6. Following the copy have the user log on to the new machine. The user will have the application settings including Desktop, Outlook profile, cookies, drive mappings, certificates and printers etc. Data to local resources residing outside of the profile will not copy. It is good practice to check back with the customer in a few hours or days to verify that everything is OK.
