Windows 7 / Getting Started

Creating a Default Network Profile

As explained earlier in this tutorial, when a user logs on to a Windows Vista or later computer for the first time, Windows tries to find a profile named Default User.v2 in the NETLOGON share on the domain controller authenticating the user. If Windows finds a profile named Default User.v2 in the NETLOGON share, this profile is copied to the user's computer to form the user's local profile on the computer. If Windows does not find a profile named Default User.v2 in NETLOGON, the Default profile under %SystemDrive%\Users on the user's computer is copied instead as the user's local profile.

To create a default network profile, follow these steps:

  1. Log on to any computer running Windows Vista and later versions using the Administrator account or any account that has administrative credentials.
  2. Configure the desktop settings, Start menu, and other aspects of your computer's environment as you want users who log on to Windows for the first time to experience them.
  3. Create an Unattend.xml file that contains the Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\ CopyProfile parameter and set this parameter to True in the specialized configuration pass.
  4. At a command prompt, type the sysprep.exe /generalize /unattend:unattend.xml command. Running this command will copy any customizations you made to the default user profile and will delete the Administrator account.
  5. Restart the computer and log on using the Administrator account. Click Start, rightclick Computer, select Properties, select Advanced System Settings, and then click Settings under User Profiles. The User Profiles dialog box opens.
  6. Select Default Profile from the list of profiles stored on the computer and click Copy To. The Copy To dialog box opens.
  7. Type \\domain_controller\NETLOGON\Default User.v2 in the Copy To dialog box.
  8. Click Change, type Everyone, and then click OK twice to copy the local user profile you previously configured to the NETLOGON share as the default network profile Default User v.2.
  9. Type \\domain_controller\NETLOGON in the Quick Search box and press Enter to open the NETLOGON share on your domain controller in a Windows Explorer window. Verify that the profile has been copied.

Note You may already have a Default User profile in NETLOGON that you created previously as a default network profile for users of computers running Windows XP or earlier versions. This network profile is not compatible with Windows Vista and later versions. See the section titled "Considerations for Mixed Environments" earlier in this tutorial for more information.

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In this tutorial:

  1. Managing Users and User Data
  2. Understanding User Profiles in Windows 7
  3. Types of User Profiles
  4. User Profile Namespace
  5. User Profile Namespace in Windows XP
  6. User Profile Namespace in Windows Vista and Windows 7
  7. Application Compatibility Issue
  8. Disabling Known Folders
  9. Windows 7 Understanding Libraries
  10. Working with Libraries
  11. Including Indexed Folders in a Library
  12. Adding Nonindexed Remote Locations to a Library
  13. Creating Additional Libraries
  14. Managing Libraries
  15. Implementing Corporate Roaming
  16. Understanding Roaming User Profiles and Folder Redirection
  17. Understanding Roaming User Profiles in Earlier Versions of Windows
  18. Understanding Folder Redirection in Earlier Versions of Windows
  19. Enhancements to Roaming User Profiles and Folder Redirection Previously Introduced in Windows Vista
  20. Additional Enhancements to Roaming User Profiles and Folder Redirection Introduced in Windows 7
  21. Improved First Logon Performance With Folder Redirection
  22. Implementing Folder Redirection
  23. Configuring the Redirection Method
  24. Configuring Target Folder Location
  25. Configuring Redirection Options
  26. Configuring Policy Removal Options
  27. Folder Redirection and Sync Center
  28. Considerations for Mixed Environments
  29. Additional Group Policy Settings for Folder Redirection
  30. Troubleshooting Folder Redirection
  31. Implementing Roaming User Profiles
  32. Creating a Default Network Profile
  33. Configuring a User Account to Use a Roaming Profile
  34. Implementing Mandatory Profiles
  35. Implementing Super-Mandatory Profiles
  36. Managing User Profiles Using Group Policy
  37. Working with Offline Files
  38. Enhancements to Offline Files Introduced Previously in Windows Vista
  39. Additional Enhancements to Offline Files Introduced in Windows 7
  40. Understanding Offline File Sync
  41. Modes of Operation in Offline Files
  42. Managing Offline Files
  43. Managing Offline Files Using Windows Explorer
  44. Managing Offline Files Using the Offline Files Control Panel
  45. Managing Offline Files Using Sync Center
  46. Configuring Offline Files on the Server
  47. Managing Offline Files Using Group Policy
  48. Offline Files Policy Settings Introduced in Windows Vista
  49. Additional Offline Files Policy Settings for Windows 7