Windows NT migrate local user profiles to a new terminal server session

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jorge R
  • Start date Start date
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Jorge R

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.
 
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:
> 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.
 
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...@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.
 
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...@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.
>
>
>
 
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...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> 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...@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.
 
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:
> 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...@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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