How to customize a default user profile in Windows 7

1. Use the administrator account or an account that has administrative privileges to log on to the computer.
2. Configure the settings that you want to use in the profile. This includes desktop settings, favorites, and Start menu options.
3. Create an Unattend.xml file that contains the Copy Profile parameter. By using this Copy Profile parameter, the settings of the user who is currently logged on are copied to the default user profile. This parameter must be set to "true" in the specialize pass. For example, the parameter must be as follows:
   <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
   You can use the Windows System Image Manager tool to create the Unattend.xml file. The Windows System Image Manager tool is included as part of the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK). For more information about Windows AIK, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
   http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd349343.aspx (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd349343.aspx)
4. At a command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   sysprep.exe /generalize /unattend: unattend.xml
   Sysprep.exe is located in the %systemdrive%\Windows\System32\sysprep directory. For more information about Sysprep, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
   http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766049.aspx (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766049.aspx)
   Note You must use the /generalize switch so that the Copy Profile parameter can be used. The /unattend option is used to point to the desired Unattend.xml file. Therefore, in this example, the Unattend.xml file is located in the sysprep directory.

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How to turn the default user profile into a network default user profile in Windows 7

1. Log on to the computer that has the customized default user profile by using an account that has administrative privileges.
2. Use the Run command to connect to the NETLOGON shared folder of a domain controller. For example, the path resembles the following:
   \\<Server_name>\NETLOGON
3. Create a new folder in the NETLOGON shared folder, and name it Default User.v2.
4. Click Start from the Start menu, right-click Computer, click Properties, and then click Advanced system settings.
5. Under User Profiles, click Settings. The User Profiles dialog box shows a list of profiles that are stored on the computer.
6. Select Default Profile, and then click Copy To.
7. In the Copy profile to text box, type the network path of the Windows 7 default user profile folder that you created in step 3. For example, type the following path:
   \\<Server_name>\NETLOGON\Default User.v2
8. Under Permitted to use, click Change, type the name Everyone, and then click OK.
9. Click OK to start to copy the profile.
10. Log off the computer when the copying process is completed.

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How to turn the default user profile into a mandatory user profile in Windows 7

Step 1: Prepare the mandatory profile location

1. On a central file server, create a new folder or use an existing folder that you use for roaming user profiles. For example, you can use the following folder name "Profiles":
   \Profiles
2. If you are creating a new folder, share the folder by using a name that is suitable for your organization.
   Note The share permissions for shared folders that contain roaming user profiles must enable Full Control permissions for the Authenticated Users group. The share permissions for folders that are dedicated to storing mandatory user profiles should enable Read permissions for the Authenticated Users group and enable Full Control permissions for the Administrators group.
3. Create a new folder in the folder that is created or identified in step 1a. The name of this new folder should start with the logon name of the user account if the mandatory user profile is for a specific user. If the mandatory user profile is for more than one user, name it accordingly. For example, the following domain has a mandatory profile, and the folder name begins with the word "mandatory":
   \Profiles\mandatory
4. Finish naming the folder by adding .v2 after the name. The example that is used in step 1c has the folder name "mandatory." Therefore, the final name of the following folder for this user is "mandatory.v2":
   \Profiles\mandatory.v2

Step 2: Copy the default user profile to the mandatory profile location

1. Log on to the computer that has the customized local default user profile by using an account that has administrative privileges.
2. Click Start from the Start menu, right-click Computer, click Properties, and then click Advanced System Settings.
3. Under User Profiles, click Settings. The User Profiles dialog box shows a list of profiles that are stored on the computer.
4. Select Default Profile, and then click Copy To.
5. In the Copy profile to text box, type the network path of the Windows 7 default user folder that you created in the "step 1: Prepare the mandatory profile location" section. For example, type the following path:
   \\<Server_name>\Profiles\mandatory.v2
6. Under Permitted to use, click Change, type the name Everyone, and then click OK.
7. Click OK to start to copy the profile.
8. Log off the computer when the copying process is completed.
9. On the central file server, locate the folder that you created in the "step 1: Prepare the mandatory profile location" section."
10. Click Organize, and then click Folder options.
11. Click the View tab, click to select the Show hidden files and folders check box, click to clear the Hide extensions for known file types check box, click to clear the Hide protected operating system files check box, click Yes to dismiss the warning, and then click OK to apply the changes and close the dialog box.
12. Locate and right-click the NTUSER.DAT file, click Rename, change the name of the file to NTUSER.MAN, and then press ENTER.

Step3: Prepare a user account

1. As a domain administrator, open the Active Directory Users and Computers management console from a Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2008 computer.
2. Right-click the user account to which you want to apply the mandatory user profile, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Profile tab, type the network path that you created in the "step 1: Prepare the mandatory profile location" section in the profile path text box. However, do not add ".v2" at the end. In our example, the path would be as follows:
   \\<Server_name>\Profiles\mandatory
4. Click OK, and then close the Active Directory Users and Computers management console.

The user will now use the customized mandatory user profile.

Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/973289