How do I set up a default profile on a machine attached to a Windows 2003 Domain (not roaming profile)?

Question

I want to set it up so that any new user logging in to the machine for the first time will be configured to use whatever printers are available to that machine.

I cannot use roaming profiles due to another technical limitation of a mission-critical application.

Answer 1

You have several options. Creating a logon script to run on the local machine is one option. The other is to create a new security group in AD and put this local machine into that security group. You can then create a GPO specifically tailored for that machine, with whatever policies you like. You could have that single machine use a mandatory user profile, whatever...

Personally, I would do both. I would create the security group and apply a GPO that required running the logon script for every user that logs on. I could then add additional workstations to the group without further effort, modify the logon script for them all with just one change, require/change a mandatory user profile, could modify other policies in the future, etc.

Answer 2

I think you can create a logon script for mapping the printer and shared drive rather than customizing the Default profile.

If you want to customize the default profile, you login as a normal user. Configure every thing which you want. Log off and log in as administrator. Go to
C\Documents and Settings\Username (Which u configured the profile)

Copy everything and paste it into Default Profile (This folder is Hidden)

Try this as its only a guss.

Cheers!

Shaba

Answer 3

You need to Create a Global Domain Policy called a group policy object (GPO). Below is a very good starting point. The Domain Policy Editor is in the Server Admin tools. WALK a careful road when creating the policy as in the link below states KEEP IT Simple!