User profile - don't understand

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Hi all,
My name is Michshelly and I am new to this site. I too am studying MCDST. I'm having a bit of trouble understanding user profiles. I created two new users and copied the profile of one user and put it in a folder - like they do in the module.

However, It doesn't seem to be doing anything. I can't see any benefit in it. When I log in as the user, I can see no benefit, the desktop wallpaper isn't the same as the copied profile. All I can see is what was on his desktop when the copied profile was created. It was just one word document.

Can someone please explain the actual benefits and how to apply them. I'm working on XP at home.

Thanks
Michshelly

 

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Welcome to the forum.

Im fairly sure that the wallpaper is stored in another section of windows, so copying the user folders would have no effect on that. However, you have already spotted one of the main benefits - all the files of the old profile are available in the new. both on the desktop and in mydocs.

Add to that that all the user specific application files are generally stored in a subfolder of their user folder, so that when they open one of the applications, they will have all their settings intact, etc.

 

Hello Fergal1982,
thanks for your answer.
I don't understand what you mention in the second paragraph - (Add to that that all the user specific application files are generally stored in a subfolder of their user folder, so that when they open one of the applications, they will have all their settings intact, etc.)

Does this mean that if Johnny (whose profile I copied) and give to Jerry. Does this mean that if Johnny had word to display size 20 arial font and with a lime green background. Would Jerry's word then open up like that too?

I actually deleted the profile and did another one. The first time I did it when I went to the command prompt
Jerry's read C:\Profile\Johnny and the second time I created the profile it read C:\Documents and Settings\Jerry>

I wonder what happened there? Still I can see all the new docs and pics I put on Johnny's desktop and his favourite websites.
Thanks for your help - it is most appreciated.

 

It can do. Depends on how word saves those settings, but I believe it would. Why not give it a try and see?

Its also for things like firefox. Firefox stores all the extensions and settings in a user specific area, so doing the transfer should copy all that stuff over.

 

Hi Fergal1982

I redid the copy and changed the settings in word but it didn't work in Jerry's. Doesn't matter though. Jerry
can still see all Johnny's desktop items and favourites etc.

I think I was confused because I believed that the profile would automatically be applied to everything of Jerry's. I think you have to go to the profile folder and choose items from there. But I'm not sure what you actually select if you want the same default settings for Johnny's word documents etc.

The command prompt still shows C:\Documents and Settings\Jerry> and not the original
C:\Profile\Johnny

Thanks again for your help. I hope I know enough of this to pass the exam!

I've got a hardware profile question too but will post another thread about it or look at the other posts first.

 

Hi Sparky,

I saw that folder (C:\Profile\Johnny's_copied_profile\Application Data\Microsoft
C:\Profile\Johnny's_copied_profile\Application Data\Microsoft\Office

But I'm not sure how I would apply the office settings of Johnny to Jerry.

The Desktop stuff: C:\Profile\Johnny's_copied_profile\Desktop

I'm starting to get tired and thus confused. I am pleased that at least Jerry can see Johnny's desktop.

By the way do you guys work in IT in a Desktop Support role? I don't and am trying too. I've had 6 weeks experience in the Wins department of my company. That was too much for me (especially since I've had no experience before and have just done Cert 11 IT and Cert IV Network Management). I learnt a bit though and got familiar with backup software like Backup Exec and View.
Checking the backups was a pain - users got all flustered and I did too. I also remoted into some servers, so I got a bit of experience.

I totally freaked out when I started doing Cert IV Network Management. It was mind boggling!!

So, I've taken some advice and am trying to get into an entry level job like Desktop Support.
The good thing about MCDST is that it is geared toward Desktop support and doesn't divert off the subject. Network Management included everything - DHCP, DNS, Routers, switches, IP, NICs, Standards, Domains,
RAID configurations, authentication, Linux Administration and so on and so on.
Thanks for your help
Michshelly

 

Hey Sparky,

In what Microsoft Certification do you learn about the registry. None of the certificates I did touched on it at all.

I might try to fully migrate - it will be good practise for me.
Michshelly

 

Well that course is a long way off. After MCDST I'm going to do CompTIA.

But I do want to do it, just like I want to learn a programming language and get into Linux more.
It just means sitting at this pc for longer and longer and ever and ever ... oh well I haven't much else to do.

Michshelly

 

You would have been better off doing the CompTIA first then the MCDST.

 

That is what being in IT is all about.. hands on.. play around, break things, read books, research and learn to fix them again. move on to another subject.

learn learn learn.. the learning never stops

Pete

 

Hi Michshelly

I'm also new to this site. For every opinion, you'll almost always get someone who has the opposite opinion. But here goes anyway. You seem to be biting off an awful lot with the various certifications and that's great. You can do it if you have the dedication. You seem to have done quite a lot already. However, and this is just my opinion, programming is a lot more in depth and difficult (in my opinion by a long way) that doing these certs. If you hope to do programming as a job, look at a language that is in demand (like C, C++ and Java - all in great demand). These are in ascending order of difficulty to learn (again - my opinion). So have a look at Java (the easiest one) and try to get to grips with concepts like inheritance and object oriented programming and write something that can be put to a real world use. This will give you some idea of the level of difficulty. If you find you're good at it (and some people do) then you could think about whether you want to do programming instead of user support or networking. If any of you out there reading this have done programming please give your opinions. I just think it will be a huge task to learn to program while doing these certs (at least there's no way I could have learned any cert stuff while I was learning to program and I think everyone when I was at Uni was in the same boat. It took all our time to learn what we had to learn - and most of them didn't manage even that. There was a massive drop out rate). What do you think?

ratfungus