Aftre creating a new user account,how the profile for that user will be created in c:\doucmnets and settings\ directory?what files will be used by operating system to perform this operation?On what factors the generation of user profile foldr will take time?how an ADaccount generates the local profile in the local system? but not in server directory?please help on this questions.regadsCrew

A Windows user's profile allows the user to have a personalized desktop environment. The desktop environment includes the content and arrangement of Start Menu groups, screen colors, desktop shortcuts, network and printer connections, and mouse / keyboard settings. When a new user logs onto a computer, a profile is created automatically. While a user is logged on, changes made to the desktop environment are saved to their user profile. The profile is created based on the variable %username% .The new profile is in fact created by making a copy of a special profile, named Default User. It is permissible to modify this Default User profile (within certain guidelines) so as to provide a customised working environment for each new user. Modification of the Default User profile should ideally be done from new, prior to any users logging-on to the computer; if a user has already logged-on once or more, the Default Profile has no effect whatsoever for that user. NTUSER.DAT - Within the root of the profile, a file named NTUSER.DAT contains the user's personalized settings for the majority of software installed on the computer, including Windows itself. When the user logs-on, NTUSER.DAT becomes merged with the computer's registry, such that it appears as the HKEY_CURRENT_USER branch of the registry tree. NTUSER.DAT is held open for writing (i.e. 'locked') for the entire time the user remains logged-on, hence somewhat paradoxically this file cannot be copied or backed-up by its owner, but only by another user, whilst the owner is logged-off. My Documents - Is intended to contain the user's work, and in Windows XP-aware programs, dialog-boxes will typically prompt the user to store documents here. 'My Documents' also as a shortcut also appears on the desktop, and in My Computer. It is here that these shortcuts point. Favorites, Cookies and History - These folders are used by Microsoft's Internet Explorer web-browser to store surfing data. They are not used by alternative browsers such as Firefox or Opera, which typically store their data under "Application Data." Nethood, Printhood - Contain the network shares and printers 'discovered' by the user with the My Network Places applet, in the form of shortcuts. Start Menu - contains the shortcuts present on the same-named Desktop feature. Desktop - Similarly contains files and shortcuts present on the user's desktop. Application Data is provided mainly for the use of programmers, as a place to store data related to specific software, but which does not fall into the category of documents that a user might open directly. This folder was made necessary by Windows 'good practice' programming guidelines, which now prohibit the storage of temporary data of any kind in the Program Files folder. Local Settings is functionally similar to Application Data , and in fact it contains a second subfolder of that name. It also contains the temporary files generated by Windows programs themselves, and as a result of Internet Explorer's online activities. For standalone computers the two folders are functionally similar, but on networks employing Roaming profiles , the Local Settings folder is not included in the profile-synchronization process. Thus, data in the Local Settings folder will not be copied between computers when the user roams. Note: some of these subfolders are hidden from the user's view in Explorer. To see them you must uncheck Hide System Folders in the folder-options.Certifications: MCSA 2003 MCSE 2003