Update Default User Profile
I keep getting an error that the file already exists and needs to be deleted and recreated when I try to update the default user (aka c:\user\default) profile. I can force it to work if I take ownership and give the administrators group full control, but then when I try to use the new profile, it indicates that it cannot be loaded. I know that taking ownership is not the answer. What is the correct means to update the default user profile?
October 17th, 2006 8:48pm

Try using the built in Administrator account which is disabled and hidden by default in Vistaand has no password. From an elevated command prompt issue the net user administrator /active:yes command enable it.Log on as 'Administrator'go to Control Panel\System and Maintenance\System\Advanced System Settings, and copy thedesired default profile to "C:\users\Default" without editing permissions on that folder, defaults will work, just leave the field blank. New users seem to work fine although I have not thoroughly tested it, nor can I speak to best practices yet. Be sure tore-disable the Administrator account after completing this action and logging on as a different user by reversing the above command with an /active:no. For the purposes of imaging or managing many machines the way to do this from audit mode andwith an unattend.xml in sysprep passes. Read the WAIK for that.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
December 7th, 2006 6:22am

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics