Copying registry settings from one user to a new user in Win XP

[swpmre]

Hi all,

I have a logon for a local Windows XP user. This has had a number of registry changes made to restrict or prevent certain actions (prevent access to command prompt, prohibit access to control panel etc).

I want to create a second local user, and copy the registry settings from the existing one to the other. Or, to put it another way, I would like to create a second user, by coping the first.

I've tried to do it by copying the old user profile to a new user, in Control Panel>System>Advanced>User Profiles but this doesn't seem to copy all the registry settings.

Is there another way to do this?

By the way, this is a standalone Windows XP (SP3) machine, with no network / internet connections.

Thanks in advance for any help,

[quietriot1983]

Try running regedit, then with 'My Computer' highlighted, right click it and 'export' to a file, then log on as the other user, do the same but 'import'.

[somabc]

I wouldn't export the whole registry, why not create .reg files that apply the changes.

[swpmre]

Sadly, one of the registry changes is to prevent access to the registry on that user...... :-(

[gjdb]

Run As.... Local Administrator?

[mattx]

Use Autoit and you can use the RunAs command and the secondary admin account from within XP.
[ Secondary Logon service needs to be running ]

[gjdb]

Or login as local administrator, run regedit
Goto: file
Load component (or something like that, i am not running an english version atm)
Import the ntuser.dat from the user you want parts of registry
Give the key a name (i am using as name: test)
Under HKEY_USERS you will fing the key: test

From there you can export the needed keys.
When done, goto File -> Remove component

[mark]

Would it be easier to copy the newly created user profile over the default profile > which will then be picked up by any new users? (you need to reboot in between steps to unlock any profiles of course )

[3s-gtech]

Or login as local administrator, run regedit
Goto: file
Load component (or something like that, i am not running an english version atm)
Import the ntuser.dat from the user you want parts of registry
Give the key a name (i am using as name: test)
Under HKEY_USERS you will fing the key: test

From there you can export the needed keys.
When done, goto File -> Remove component

Go to HKLU in regedit, go File --> Load Hive, load the ntuser.dat from the already restriced profile. Give it a name (any name really), then right click the hive that appears under HKLU and go to Properties. Change the NTFS properties under the Security tab to allow the new user full access, and set this to apply to subfolders and files. Then click on the hive again, go to File -> Unload Hive. Now the registry settings will be copied across for the other user.

[mac_shinobi]

Reg Shot ??

regshot | Download regshot software for free at SourceForge.net

If it will allow you - logon as the restricted user to run the above util which will create one reg file and then compare to the second user account - or do this in reverse, run it first on the second user account and compare the differences to the restricted user account and it should create a reg file with all the differences which you can then apply to the second account ??

[swpmre]

Hi.... can you clarify.... when you say HKLU, do you mean HKLM (because I don't have an HKLU in regedit)? and I presume you do this operation logged on as a local administrator?

[3s-gtech]

Bah, I mean HKU - It's HK Local Users in my head!

[qcomer]

Would it be easier to copy the newly created user profile over the default profile > which will then be picked up by any new users? (you need to reboot in between steps to unlock any profiles of course )

Have you tried this? Typically this is what we do is create local default user profiles for all of our images so it seems like this should work.

[mark]

Have you tried this? Typically this is what we do is create local default user profiles for all of our images so it seems like this should work.

Yeah I do it all the time

[qcomer]

Yeah I do it all the time

I was talking to OP. lol