Local Settings Copy Problem

[mseaney]

I'm having probleming try to ensure that new users that login pick up the customizations I have made to Microsoft Office 2003.

I created a build user with admin writes to the PC. Made all the appropriate changes to applications etc. I used My Computer > Properties > Advanced > User Profiles > Settings to copy the 'Build User' profile to the 'Default User' setting the permissions to 'Everyone' before copying.

For some reason some settings have not been carried across. I have rearranged or added additional menu buttons to the top toolbars (these buttons are existing excel buttons not user created one), none of the changes made appear.

Can anyone help?

[ChrisH]

Are you doing this per machine? If so try dropping the default user in your DCs netlogon share as this will overide any local ones.

[mrforgetful]

Are you doing this per machine? If so try dropping the default user in your DCs netlogon share as this will overide any local ones.

Really?

How does that work? So I could get rid of the profile paths I have set in AD and just place something in Netlogon then just update that one when I needed to?

[NetworkGeezer]

How does that work? So I could get rid of the profile paths I have set in AD and just place something in Netlogon then just update that one when I needed to?

No. It sounds like you use roaming profiles. Putting a copy of Default User on the LOGON share only creates a default profile for where a user hasn't log onto a machine before.

It would have to be pretty generic anyway, as I don't think there's a way to distinguish between different groups.

[mullet_man]

Have you made sure that there is not any 'older user profiles' still local on the machine?

To ensure the default profile works you must ensure that no user profiles are present (don't delete admin, all users etc) , so when a user logs on they pick up the new default user profile.

Hope that makes sense!!

[NetworkGeezer]

/me slaps forehead.

Of course! I had assumed this was a new build.

[ajbritton]

If you are using Active Directory (Win2K or 2K3), then you can use Group Policy Admin Templates (from the Office Resource Kit), to customize a lot of the Office functions. You can then apply these to whichever users you like.

[NetworkGeezer]

You can only do somethings to Office with admin templates. Changes to the user interface (location of toolbars, button, cutom views etc) have to be done in most cases during a logon session. This is fine you doing new build or mandatory profiles but not so good if staff look dimly to having their profiles being overwritten. It might have taken them ages to align their desktop shortcuts according to feung shui principles.