Windows 7: Setting default desktop for new users Win7 64bit

I work for a large corp which provides a standard image.
I install this image, and wish to make changes particular to our area (About 8 offices)

Then burn the image for new workstations.

I have been doing the desktop customization, show menus, desktop icon size, etc.
I then go to C:\Users and copy that customized user and rename it to default.

This works but has side effects, such as a new users default location for documents is always the original users. Plus some of our software fails.

So I am now wanting to change the registry to do the same thing.

My question:
Is there a way to edit the "Default User" in the registry so that it would be used for any new user?

That way I could set the default registry and all new users would get those settings.

The "default user" stuff is located in C:\Users\Default
So its registry is C:\Users\Default\ntuser.dat

You know how load and unload that registry hive?
Between load and unload you can change the relevant registry modifications

You understand?

Thank you for the information. I do understand how to load and unload the hive.
So you are suggesting making the changes to the keys in that hive that I wish to set, and the will load to any new user?

Sounds like a good plan. Thank you.

Any user account you create will use that ntuser.dat as template. So yes, that's the way to do it.

Use a registry monitor to monitor what HKCU registry keys are changed when you change a user setting. Or search internet.