Default User Custom Profile in Windows 7 (without sysprep)

[IronHedge]

Hi all,

 

I have just made a Windows 64-bit image however, im having a little issue. windows 7 no longer supports copying a custom users profile over as the default user (Even if i use Windows Enabler or open and paste profiles) it just will not do it. I even i go into HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\ and change the default profile to a nomal profile with just everyone persmission set to read and execute.

 

Anyone have any idea's other than using sysprep?

[IronHedge]

this seems to be the only solution!!!

 

How to customize default user profiles in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008 R2

 

These methods dont work

 

Windows 7 - Default Profile. How can I edit it? - Page 10 - Windows 7 Forums

 

How to Change User Profile Default Location in Windows 7 | Windows7hacker

 

If anyone has there own solution id love to hear it?

[IronHedge]

SOLUTION: http://x1domain.weebly.com/technical-support-qa.html

 

In pervious versions of Windows (in this case XP) you could login as a user, change setting, reboot the computer, login as the adminnistrator and copy that profile to the default user so everyone had the same settings. With Windows 7, that option is greyed out and you are required to do either of the following as shown in the links below:

 

How to customize default user profiles in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008 R2

How to customize the default local user profile when you prepare an image of Windows XP or Windows Server 2003

Windows 7 – Unable to Copy a User Profile - Windows Live

ubuntu administrator: Windows 7 "copy to" user profile button disabled

 

 

However, another solution if you were to scoll down on joeelway's blog or ubuntu admin there is a good solution to avoid using sysprep and mandatory profiles. First you need to download a free simple tool called Windows Enabler (Windows Enabler). This does not install and can be run off a USB thumb drive and 'enables' locked menus and buttons.

 

1) Download Windows Enabler

2) Save it to a thumb drive

3) Right-Click and choose "Run As Administrator" on the Windows Enabler EXE on the system you wish to copy the profile

4) Click the Notification Tray icon to turn Windows Enabler on

5) Open the USER PROFILES dialog and click on the greyed out COPY TO... button to see it become enabled.

6) Copy the profile as you used to in XP and Vista.

 

MORE on using Windows Enabler:

 

Run Windows Enabler, it will appear in the system tray. Open up your system until you see the greyed out Copy To.. option. Now double click Windows Enabler to activate it. Now, click once on the greyed button and you'll see it becomes a usable button again. Proceed with profile copying as normal!

 

Also if you need to go one step further and restore an account listed as "Account Unknown" combine the Windows Enabler trick with this tip:

 

Resurrecting "Account Unknown" Profiles from the Dead!

This worked for me on Windows 7 64bit.

 

Special thanks Chris, Los Angeles.

 

 

ANOTHER METHOD without Window Enabler

 

Joe Novo

September 3, 2010 at 4:18 pm I have a method that has been working consistently for me for quite some time now.

 

1. create and configure your model profile. For example lets say the name of the model profile is “modelprofile”

2. log off model profile, login the local administrator account.

3. launch regedit, navigate to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList]

4. Note that the value data DEFAULT (reg_expand_sz) is….. %SystemDrive%\Users\Default

5. right-click and Modify the string and change the path to ….%SystemDrive%\Users\modelprofile

———–

NOW COPY THE PROFILE

 

6. Right click “Computer”, click properties

7. Click Advanced System Settings

8. Under User Profiles, click on Settings…

9. Choose (click) on “Default Profile”

10. Click on “Copy To…”

11. Browse to or enter the path to the default user profile “C:\Users\Default”

12. Under “permitted to use” click on “change” type the object name “everyone”

13. Click OK, then OK again.

————————-

AFTER PROFILE COPIES SUCCESSFULLY THEN REVERT REGISTRY TO DEFAULT BY REPEATING STEPS 1-4.

 

14. Revert the original value data for the DEFAULT (reg_expand_sz) string path back to…. %SystemDrive%\Users\Default

———————

What did we just do? Well since Windwos vista and 7 only allow us to copy the Default user profile where ever we want, we just tricked the computer in thinking that MODELPROFILE was the default user profile, copied it back to the actual default user location (c:\users\default) and then reverted back to system defaults.

 

Alternatively, a less redundant method is simply to point the default user path to the profile of your choice and call it good.

 

I like to first method better because it always leaves me a 2nd copy for backup in case of a user error.

 

NOTES

Take not, if the above fail to work have a look under \\server1\netlogon\default.v2 as profiles for Windows 7 seem to load under here to.