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We are in the process of deploying a new terminal server, the challenge is to migrate the user profile from the local workstations to the terminal server user profiles, to minimize changes in the user community. There was no terminal server before, so the user profiles all are on the local machines running either Windows XP SP2 or Windows 2000 Pro SP4. The domain is a Windows 2003 Active directory.
Any help on how to automate this will be greatly appreciated.
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I cannot recommend highly enough to NOT do this. Workstation profiles are not designed for use in terminal services. They typically contain settings that are not compatible. There is also the fact that you are moving form one OS to the other which will cause it's on problems. In the end what you'll end up with is an unstable server(s) and very very unhappy customers.
Start over from scratch as this will enable you to develop a stable and more secure environment.
Jeff Pitsch Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server Citrix Technology Professional Provision Networks VIP
Forums not enough? Get support from the experts at your business http://jeffpitschconsulting.com
Jorge R wrote:
[Quoted Text] > We are in the process of deploying a new terminal server, the challenge is to > migrate the user profile from the local workstations to the terminal server > user profiles, to minimize changes in the user community. There was no > terminal server before, so the user profiles all are on the local machines > running either Windows XP SP2 or Windows 2000 Pro SP4. The domain is a > Windows 2003 Active directory. > > Any help on how to automate this will be greatly appreciated.
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Generally speaking user profiles should not be migrated from Workstations to Terminal Servers. That is because in most cases installation paths of programs will be different and/or network drives mapped differently. That would cause:
- (Desktop) shortcuts to point to the wrong target - Application configuration settings (in the registry or in INI or similar files) to become invalid due to wrong paths or versions - and others
So, all in all I do not recommend to migrate the profiles from your Workstations to your TS.
Helge
On 12 Jul., 20:24, Jorge R <Jor...[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
[Quoted Text] > We are in the process of deploying a new terminal server, the challenge is to > migrate the user profile from the local workstations to the terminal server > user profiles, to minimize changes in the user community. There was no > terminal server before, so the user profiles all are on the local machines > running either Windows XP SP2 or Windows 2000 Pro SP4. The domain is a > Windows 2003 Active directory. > > Any help on how to automate this will be greatly appreciated.
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The user community is concern about all the custom settings they have on their profiles such as: Office custom dictionaries, signatures, etc. Outlook settings, archive files. We understand that some items should not be transfer.
"Helge Klein" wrote:
[Quoted Text] > Generally speaking user profiles should not be migrated from > Workstations to Terminal Servers. That is because in most cases > installation paths of programs will be different and/or network drives > mapped differently. That would cause: > > - (Desktop) shortcuts to point to the wrong target > - Application configuration settings (in the registry or in INI or > similar files) to become invalid due to wrong paths or versions > - and others > > So, all in all I do not recommend to migrate the profiles from your > Workstations to your TS. > > Helge > > On 12 Jul., 20:24, Jorge R <Jor...[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote: > > We are in the process of deploying a new terminal server, the challenge is to > > migrate the user profile from the local workstations to the terminal server > > user profiles, to minimize changes in the user community. There was no > > terminal server before, so the user profiles all are on the local machines > > running either Windows XP SP2 or Windows 2000 Pro SP4. The domain is a > > Windows 2003 Active directory. > > > > Any help on how to automate this will be greatly appreciated. > > >
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In my opinion there is no easy answer to this. Depending on how much work you are willing to do and how experienced your users are you can:
- Have your users move important files to their home directories - Do the same with (logon or other) scripts and move them back on the TS
Probably the best way would be to set up roaming profiles and use (logon) scripts that move reg entries and files from the local profiles on the Workstations to the roaming profiles on the file server. When this is complete the users will find all important settings and files in the TS profiles.
I hope this helps.
Helge
On 12 Jul., 22:44, Jorge R <Jor...[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
[Quoted Text] > The user community is concern about all the custom settings they have on > their profiles such as: Office custom dictionaries, signatures, etc. Outlook > settings, archive files. We understand that some items should not be > transfer. > > "Helge Klein" wrote: > > Generally speaking user profiles should not be migrated from > > Workstations to Terminal Servers. That is because in most cases > > installation paths of programs will be different and/or network drives > > mapped differently. That would cause: > > > - (Desktop) shortcuts to point to the wrong target > > - Application configuration settings (in the registry or in INI or > > similar files) to become invalid due to wrong paths or versions > > - and others > > > So, all in all I do not recommend to migrate the profiles from your > > Workstations to your TS. > > > Helge > > > On 12 Jul., 20:24, Jorge R <Jor...[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote: > > > We are in the process of deploying a new terminal server, the challenge is to > > > migrate the user profile from the local workstations to the terminal server > > > user profiles, to minimize changes in the user community. There was no > > > terminal server before, so the user profiles all are on the local machines > > > running either Windows XP SP2 or Windows 2000 Pro SP4. The domain is a > > > Windows 2003 Active directory. > > > > Any help on how to automate this will be greatly appreciated.
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And you need to be concerned with the stability of the servers. What use is getting all these profiles over if your servers and profiles are getting corrupted and unstable? Chances are your going to be 'fixing' most of these profiles by deleting/renaming them anyway. It can take some work but your best bet would be to move those things you talked about manually when moving users.
Jeff Pitsch Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server Citrix Technology Professional Provision Networks VIP
Forums not enough? Get support from the experts at your business http://jeffpitschconsulting.com
Jorge R wrote:
[Quoted Text] > The user community is concern about all the custom settings they have on > their profiles such as: Office custom dictionaries, signatures, etc. Outlook > settings, archive files. We understand that some items should not be > transfer. > > "Helge Klein" wrote: > >> Generally speaking user profiles should not be migrated from >> Workstations to Terminal Servers. That is because in most cases >> installation paths of programs will be different and/or network drives >> mapped differently. That would cause: >> >> - (Desktop) shortcuts to point to the wrong target >> - Application configuration settings (in the registry or in INI or >> similar files) to become invalid due to wrong paths or versions >> - and others >> >> So, all in all I do not recommend to migrate the profiles from your >> Workstations to your TS. >> >> Helge >> >> On 12 Jul., 20:24, Jorge R <Jor...[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote: >>> We are in the process of deploying a new terminal server, the challenge is to >>> migrate the user profile from the local workstations to the terminal server >>> user profiles, to minimize changes in the user community. There was no >>> terminal server before, so the user profiles all are on the local machines >>> running either Windows XP SP2 or Windows 2000 Pro SP4. The domain is a >>> Windows 2003 Active directory. >>> >>> Any help on how to automate this will be greatly appreciated. >> >>
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