Setting up user accounts on new computer

[TimSuds]

I just purchased a couple of new computers to use in my office. Each computer needs to have 7 user accounts all with the same initial settings and applications available to it.

Do I need to manually setup each user account or can I create 1 and then copy it to the other 6 to save time.

I am not interested in using roaming profiles and after doing some searching it looks like this isn't overly easy in Windows 7.

In the old days, I would do the following:

1) Customize one user with all the settings and application installed as required.
2) Create all necessary users and logon once to create user files
3) Create a temporary user account with administrator access
4) Logon to temporary user account and then manually copy all the user files from the configured user account to all of the other user accounts.
5) Logon as any user and remove the temporary user

Will this procedure still work?

Thanks for the help!

 

[mckillwashere]

If you had a Server with remote install you can setup a domain, and do a network install then push the needed apps out and set a standard security policy to each of the users

 

[Wishmaster]

Just install all apps
Set all settings how you want them.

then create all user accounts

they should all then have access to the apps and same core security settings.
Only desktop layout/themes etc will be diff for each

 

[MacGyvr]

I just purchased a couple of new computers to use in my office. Each computer needs to have 7 user accounts all with the same initial settings and applications available to it.

Do I need to manually setup each user account or can I create 1 and then copy it to the other 6 to save time.

I am not interested in using roaming profiles and after doing some searching it looks like this isn't overly easy in Windows 7.

In the old days, I would do the following:

1) Customize one user with all the settings and application installed as required.
2) Create all necessary users and logon once to create user files
3) Create a temporary user account with administrator access
4) Logon to temporary user account and then manually copy all the user files from the configured user account to all of the other user accounts.
5) Logon as any user and remove the temporary user

Will this procedure still work?

Thanks for the help!

I would set up one machine exactly as you want it and then use Windows Easy Transfer to copy the users and settings to the other machines.

Note however that this will not copy applications, only settings. Applications will need to be installed on each machine by hand.

One question....are the machines identical? If so, you could use an imaging software to copy from the first machine to the others and get apps and all.

 

[TimSuds]

One question....are the machines identical? If so, you could use an imaging software to copy from the first machine to the others and get apps and all.

The machines are identical but won't this cause an activate issue with Windows 7 and Office 2007?

Thanks

 

[mckillwashere]

When installing do not input a key, leave it blank.
Then after the imaging put your keys in

 

[TimSuds]

Another concern I have is the way Windows 7 displays the user names at logon.

XP allowed you to change the way users logon so they had to type their name rather than showing all the user names and icons on the startu screen.

Is there anyway to not have to show all 7 users and their icons on the logon page?

Thanks

 

[zay]

If I understand you correctly, you have two computers and six users, and all six users will be logging on to the two machines. Not six machines for six separate users.



Once you create the account the way you want it with all the settings, just create the accounts, then log on as each account once (this creates their user profile folder), then reboot the machine, (not log off), this is so the accounts can be released. Then log back on as the original account or a separate admin account. Once logged back on:

1. right click computer
2. select properties
3. select advanced system settings
4. click the settings button from the profile section
5. highlight the profile you want to assign the settings to
6. click the copy to button
7. click browse and go to matching user folder of the one you just highlighted
8. you will get a warning about the files being over written, click OK
9. then click the change button and select the same account you highlighted earlier.

when you have done all this on one machine, use the easy transfer and leave the default to move all the profiles, then create the same profiles on the other machines. Once you run easy transfer on the other machine, it put all the profiles like you have them on the other machine.
******************************************************************
To handle the user logon issue
type this in the run field: control userpasswords2, then click the advanced tab, and check the box to make the users have to use crtl + alt + delete when they log on.