I’ve done it before on 2000 server but just changing the extension doesn’t seem to work on a 2003 server

Hello,

Setting up mandatory profiles for Windows Server 2003 and XP are no different than with Windows 2000. Start out by creating a share on a server and then create a folder which will contain the profile. Be sure to apply appropriate permissions to both the share and folder so that your users will have access to the profile. Next, create the custom profile that your users will use and copy it to the folder you have created on the server share. Change the profile extension from .DAT to .MAN and save your changes. Now in ADUC, edit each users profile path to point to the location of the mandatory profile. Be sure to include the full path ServerShareFolder. This is basically it.

Note: Roaming and Manadatory profiles work best in a standardized computing environment, meaning that all of your computers are configured identical. For example, an XP profile will not function properly if a user logs on to a Windows 2000 or NT 4.0 computer. Same with software. If your profile is created on a computer running a different software set than is installed on the computer from which a mandatory profile is in use, then obviously some of the software shortcuts on the desktop are not going to work. This holds true with shortcuts to files, custom backgrounds etc. Possibly this is what is causing some of your problems?

Good luck!

Are you trying to make a Roaming profile a mandatory profile or actually using the system to create a mandatory profile?
Roaming profiles usually have to be changeable for the user to write back to the stored location.

Thanks for the info. Here’s the problem I’m having. I have a working roaming profile. After renaming NTUSER.DAT to NTUSER.MAN the profile won’t access anymore. Why?

Hello,

Try deleting all stored user profiles from the local computer before logging on using the newly created mandatory profile. When a user logs on to a computer with a roaoming profile, a local profile is also created. The local computer will use this profile in the event the roaming profile cannot be reached due to a slow network. When you changed the NTUSER.DAT file to NTUSER.MAN, it is possible that the local computer is loading a cached copy of the old profile and not the newly created mandatory profile. To resolve a slow network connection preventing a roaming profile from loading, you can set GP to force your computers to wait for the network at logons. This will prevent cached copies from loading first.

Good luck!