How to create an OS X Default Profile/Template & Bind to AD - 10.5 - 10.8

[Carter]

Ahh ok I under stand what you are saying now and gave it a test and it works

 

So the quick fix is to just remove the user used for the default profile but recommended that you still have an alternate Admin user created. If you need to make changes later just create the same default user again, make your changes, run the script then delete the user. A few more steps but it's a work around and it will fix a lot of complaining we've had over this.

 

Thank you @harryn !!!!

[Carter]

Are you saying if you run the automator command and then delete the default user the sidebar will work? I have noticed in the automator script that it references the admin account and not the default account for El Capitan I changed this manually was this done for any particular reason?

 

Thanks

 

Yes this is correct. So if you delete the use you use to build your default profile (do this after you run the default user script) then log in as a new user you will have a fully working sidebar.

[Carter]

Thanks again @harryn

 

I've posted a topic on this here http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mac/167318-os-x-finder-sidebar-favourites-missing-permission-issue.html#post1432897

 

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[SamanthaD]

Hi there,

 

Thanks for writing a true idiots guide to this - so far it's been awesome... Except I'm getting an error "The action "Run Shell Script" encountered an error." when running the El Capitan default user profile script. No idea where to start fault finding this!

 

Machine specs - iMac 21.5" Mid 2010, 3.06 GHz with 4 GB ram. Any suggestions or help appreciated.

[Carter]

Hi there,

 

Thanks for writing a true idiots guide to this - so far it's been awesome... Except I'm getting an error "The action "Run Shell Script" encountered an error." when running the El Capitan default user profile script. No idea where to start fault finding this!

 

Machine specs - iMac 21.5" Mid 2010, 3.06 GHz with 4 GB ram. Any suggestions or help appreciated.

 

Try opening up Automator then open this script in Automator and run it inside the application. It will show you the steps and tell you where it's failing. This will help to figure out what the issue is.

[SamanthaD]

Thanks - my admin user name wasn't Administrator. Sorted that and it ran straight through. Many thanks!

[legasie]

@Carter,

*I am having some problems.. When running the script to test in Automator and I want to ask how do I backup the template English.lproj before doing anything else..

*When I run the script I get an error with the command ( sudo cp -r /users/administrator/* /System/Library/User\Template/English.lproj/ i can't seem to input the correct info to get past this..

thank you for all the work you put into this.. I am new to this and this will help me a great deal to get my feet on the ground.

[Carter]

@Carter,

*I am having some problems.. When running the script to test in Automator and I want to ask how do I backup the template English.lproj before doing anything else..

*When I run the script I get an error with the command ( sudo cp -r /users/administrator/* /System/Library/User\Template/English.lproj/ i can't seem to input the correct info to get past this..

thank you for all the work you put into this.. I am new to this and this will help me a great deal to get my feet on the ground.

 

Just uploaded an update here Downloads

Use the one called "OS X 10.11 El Capitan - Default User Profile with Profile Backup". This one will create a backup of your profile before it deletes and re applies a new one. It will be found beside the default user profile folder at /System/Library/User Template/

 

If you're getting that error, are you creating your profile under an account called "Administrator" or is it named something else? If you have a different name you just need to open Automator and adjust the task that has this line.

 

Also keep in mind for new images with OS X Yosemite 10.10+ you will have an issue with the Finder Sidebar Favorites. I covered this here OS X Finder Sidebar Favourites Missing or Permission Issue

[Carter]

UPDATE: Please only use for macOS High Sierra or older

 

This solution pretty much died off and ended after macOS High Sierra 10.13. After macOS Mojave and newer OS's this script will not work properly. When implemented profiles will have a lot of permission issues. Please only user for macOS High Sierra 10.13 or older.