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New features and changes to user profiles

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

New features and changes to user profiles

The following new features and changes in the Windows Server 2003 family affect user profiles:

  • New location for User Profile configuration
    User profiles is located on the Advanced tab of the System Properties dialog box.
  • Error Message changes
    All events have unique identifications and details.
  • Roaming profiles are saved to the server at logoff with user registry keys open
    Previously, applications that kept registry keys open at logoff time prevented the system from saving any changes to roaming profiles until those registry keys were closed. With the Windows Server 2003 family, roaming profiles that are changed during a session will save these changes even if registry keys are open.
  • Delete and Copy To button availability
    The Delete and Copy To buttons are unavailable for the profile belonging to the currently logged on user or for any user whose profile is in use.
  • Group Policy changes
    The following changes to Group Policy in the Windows Server 2003 family affect user profiles:

    • User profiles policies now have their own node in the Group Policy.

      Where?

      • Group Policy object/User Configuration or Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/System/User Profiles

    • Prevent Roaming Profile changes from propagating to the server--This policy determines if the changes a user makes to their roaming profile are merged with the server copy of their profile. If this policy is set at user logon, the user will receive their roaming profile, but any changes a user makes to their profile will not be merged to their roaming profile at logoff.

    • Add the Administrator security group to roaming user profiles--This policy allows an administrator to choose the same behavior as Windows NT version 4.0, and permit the administrators group to have full control of the user's profile directories. In Windows 2000, the default file permissions for newly generated roaming profiles are full control, or read and write access for the user, and no file access for the Administrators group.

    • Only allow local user profiles--This setting determines whether roaming user profiles are available on a particular computer. By default, when roaming profile users log on to a computer, their roaming profile is copied to the local computer. By using this setting, an administrator can prevent users configured to use roaming profiles from receiving their roaming profile on a specific computer.