speed up profile creation on windows 2003 terminal server

Clear Down the Default User Profile on a terminal server

Posted on by Imran Rashid
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To help speed up the creation of profiles for new users logging onto a terminal server and to enhance security remove the below folders from c:\documents and settings\default user

1) Remove Mail Recipient from SendTo
2) Remove Desktop (create shortcut) from SendTo
3) Remove Compressed (Zipped) Folder from SendTo
4) Remove Accessories from Start Menu\Programs
5) Remove Remote Assistance  from Programs
6) Hide Start Menu\Programs\Startup

In order to modify the default user registry, it must be loaded into registry editor. To do this, follow the below instructions. Please take a backup of your resgistry and system before making any changes.
 
1) Launch registry editor
2) Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
3) Open the load hive window clicking file and then selecting Load Hive
4) Locate and select the default users Ntuser.DAT file which should be located in C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Ntuser.DAT
5) Click the Open button and when prompted type DefUsr for the key name
6) Click OK

After modifying the default user profile it is important to unload the hive. If this is not done a new user will not be able to read the Ntuser.dat file within default user as the system will have it locked.

1) Select the root of the DefUsr key
2) Click file and click Unload Hive