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This a manual approach to creating one’s own default profile useful for imaging/syspreping, when CopyProfile True is not working as desired alongside Audit mode.

Alternatively: Changing the default profile in Windows 7 registry is still viable, but again some cases where it should be working and does not.

This is a brute force method, I know it isn’t exactly best practices, but was highly successful once I got the hang of it and since it retains 90~99% of my settings for each new user I find it insanely more beneficial.

Note: If Syspreping, CopyProfile=False.

Step 1: Customizing the Image

Install all the software you will be using, browsers, Notepad++, 7-Zip, WinAmp, etc. etc.

Step 2: Creating an Admin account to use as blank slate.

Logon to an non-used admin user. Not built-in Admin, preferably not your logon or the company’s local admin logon. So, essentially create a blank Admin profile to work with.

When naming it, avoid the words Temp,Temporary, or Panther. I suggest something catchy like Jaguar. I will use Jaguar for the remainder of the guide.

Few things to note, if Java and similar software is installed, they often place JARs/binaries in each users account. It is quite annoying and can take up to 180~300MB of space per user. These are safe to delete for this procedure.

You can clean out your temp profile.

Step 3: Log onto this new account.

Logon said Profile.

While logged in, configure all the software to your hearts content, including Start Menu, Taskbar, etc. When you are absolutely sure you are finished, you will need to log out. Be sure to clear out temporary internet files (take a visit to %appdata%).

And delete any annoying shortcuts in the Public Start-Menu and Taskbar you don’t want reappearing again.

Every account has two layers to the Start-Menu and Taskbar, one is the personal one, the other is public. Windows utilizes both when populating.

Step 4: Log back into your previous Administrator account.

Once logged out of “Jaguar” you will want to log in as another Administrator account.

Navigate to the C:\Users folder.

Step 5: Identify the account you want to be the new default profile.

Identify the account that has been configured, in this case, “Jaguar”.

Now, what you want to do is copy it, and to the same location. This will create Jaguar - Copy.

This is a “file ownership” and “OS protection/security bypass” trick that is necessary for the next step.

Step 6: Making it non-“Read Only”

Once you have a complete copy, you want to right-click and go to properties.

Here you will want to un-check Read-Only. Click apply to all sub-directories and files as well, then click apply.

Step 7: Adjusting permissions for users to access the copy of the profile.

Once read-only has been un-applied, you will want to go to Security tab and ensure non-Admins have access to said folder (since you are doing all work as Admin, you aren’t running into access denied.)

I suggest on a Domain to use “Domain Authenticated Users” or just generally add “Everyone” the built-in group with Full Control.

Step 8: Showing, Renaming, and Hiding the Default Profile

You want to show all hidden folders (we are still in C:\Users) and you will now see the Default profile folder.

You want to rename this bad boy to “Default.OLD” or Original just in case you break something in the coming step.

Rename “Jaguar - Copy” to “Default” folder.

You now want to right click the new Default folder, and you want to go back to properties. You want to make this folder Hidden, so check it hit apply, and when prompted, just say you want the “apply changes to just this folder” (not the sub-directories/files).

Step 9: Making it a real Default Profile

Now here comes the tricky part.

The Default folder has a special file called NTUSER.DAT.

It is a binary hive of the user’s registry information.

Now this is all user specific and it matches everything the original Default user profile (and more!) but there is one small issue. Everywhere it should say %username%, it now says “Jaguar”. We have to fix this. We need to load the Hive via registry editor.

Open up Regedit as Admin.

Step 10: Loading the Hive to Regedit

Now that Regedit is open, make sure all branches are closed and select HKEY_USERS. Once you have selected it, click File, Load Hive.

Navigate to C:\Users\Default (the new one we just made hidden) and open NTUSER.DAT. It will ask you what do you want to name the import it as. Name it something completely unique but not the username! So name it something like Lighthouse, instead of Jaguar.

Step 11: Making Changes, Quickly

Navigating through Regedit for this stuff will be a pain in the ass and prone to mistakes. We do it much easier.

Once Jaguar user has been loaded as Lighthouse into Regedit, you will see it under HKEY_Users.

Here you will want to right click the top level “Lighthouse” and Export. Save to wherever you can remember it will be at, Desktop or what not, as Jaguar.reg.

Step 12: Editing Jaguar.reg, Importing the Changes

Leaving regedit open, minimize it, and open up the Jaguar.reg in either Notepad or Notepad++.

You will want to do a find and replace of Jaguar with %username%. You then want to save it.

You then want to “double click” it to import it back to Registry with changes made.

If you are Windows 8, you may have to UAC completely disabled or import through an Administrator elevated Command Prompt (Reg import “\DirectoryToJaguarReg\Jaguar.REG”).

Step 13: Finalizing the Default Profile

Maximize Regedit and select Jaguar top level.

You then want to go to File, and you now want to Unload hive.

This will load everything back into NTUSER.DAT.

Now you are ready to try and use your new Default profile. (You can test it out before capturing the image, by logging in as a new user that has never logged in before.)

I suggest you do, you don’t want to break Default profile, or nobody will be able to login correctly or everyone will only have temporary profiles.

Even if you break the profile, you can always log into the first two admins (yours and Jaguar) since the profiles only need Default profile to work at first login.

This can be used on new images, or just creating a new Default Profile on old machines. Once its done and you know it is working, you may copy profile from computer to computer to replace other Default Profiles.

Windows 8 Default Profiles are not the same as Windows 7 Default Profiles. Try not to cross OS profile.

7 Spice ups
2

Great write-up Thyams!
On step 12. After (Find/Replace) all original profiles names with “%username%”… then double-click on the .reg to add it back to the registry.

The result of attempting to add it back is an error stating:
“Cannot import C:.…\test.reg: Error accessing the registry.”

Attempted reboots and logoffs can’t seem to clear the error.
Any thoughts?

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Worked perfect for me. Thanks a ton. I was searching for a while looking for a way to setup the default profile and not have to use SysPrep.

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@Pontiac, I think you may have imported the Hive a little wrong. If you import a hive, make sure you name it something that is different from the Username.

Otherwise, it will replace all of the HKCU\Jaguar replace to HKCU%username% Which will not import. You want it to be something like HKCU\Lighthouse so when you find and replace Jaguar, Lighthouse isn’t damaged. I realized my goof in the instructions and have since fixed it.

@Jp3457, thanks bud.

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Hello Thyams.
I seem to still have that same issue Pontiac had. Even with using the different names i still get the “Error accessing the registry” error message. I am on an updated 8.1 windows install. and have followed the instructions that you put here. UAC is turned to its lowest settings and still nothing.

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For Windows 8/8.1, try to apply changes via an admin elevated command prompt.

Instructions:
Reg import “C:\DIRECTORY\USER.REG”

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I’ve had problems with temporary profiles until I tried this. Great guide, works perfectly so far. thanks.

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Thyams thanks so much for the write up. I’m encountering the same “Error accessing the registry.” situation that Pontiac429 references.

On a Windows 7 system I go through all the steps fine, until step #12. Here’s what I’ve done;

Step 10. Launched Regedit as Administrator, closed all branches and selected HKEY_USERS, then selected FILE > LOAD HIVE, navigated to C:\Users\Default (newly created) opened NTUSER.DAT, named it Lighthouse

Step 11. Exported key; by right-clicking on HKEY_USERS\Lighthouse and selected Export, saving the file to my desktop as Jaguar.reg.

Step 12. Editied Jaguar.reg by doing a FIND & REPLACE of “Jaguar” with the variable “%username%”. I then save the changes and close Jaguar.reg. When I double-click on the Jaguar.reg I get the same error Pontiac429 mentions; “Cannot import C:\Users\smith\Desktop\Jaguar.reg: Error accessing the registry.”

I also get the same error message if I attempt to use Regedit to FILE > IMPORT the Jaguar.Reg back into HKEY_Users\Lighthouse".

What am I doing wrong? Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

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It is tough to ascertain what the issue is.

Somewhere, somehow the %username% overwrote one of these sections [HKEY_USERS\Lighthouse]

I would go through and verify all the headers are correct.

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Having the same issue. How can I fix the problem?

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Can you attach the registry file for me to look at?

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I can verify that this works perfectly. For anyone having trouble: make sure that when you do the Find/Replace in Step 12, use Notepad++ and ensure that “Match Whole Word” is checked. I had a profile named ‘ace’ and it would have created issues if I did the F/R with Notepad since ‘ace’ can be part of other words.

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I experienced the same problem as many above. I have used an almost identical procedure to this one in Windows 7 successfully for years but now in Windows 8.1 it’s giving me the error message. Did anyone find anything to fix this?

The biggest difference I see in my old procedure versus this new one is now loading the Default User hive into HKEY_USERS where I used to load it into HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. I’m no Registry expert so I don’t know what the difference is. I do know that the old procedure doesn’t give an error message in Windows 8.1 but it also doesn’t work in copying profile settings.

Any help would be appreciated.

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I have gotten it to work by importing the registry via command line in Windows 8.1.

Have you 100% confirmed no human error on the find / replace has occurred?

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Those having import issues try this: http://www.windowstechinfo.com/2013/07/solved-cannot-import-to-registry-not.html

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So I’ve been using this for a while and I’ve been having issues with corrupt profiles, stuff not loading, black screens, etc. The odd thing is that when that happens, and if you either restart the pc, unbind and bind the pc to the domain it works. Now I am looking for a solution to fix this. Any ideas?

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Domain GPO changes could be responsible.

Or a mistake was made during the process. You can always revert back to the Default.Old at anytime.

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Checking which GPO would be at fault, would take a while, since we have a lot of policies being pushed out.

I was using a script to delete user profiles since we have a large pc lab, and I though that was causing the issue (was only deleting the folder in C:\user but not on the reg key).

Is there a tool to check for the integrity of the default profile? Or someway to see what the heck is going on? It happens to random people, at a random time.

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Deleting the folder but not the registry key, breaks users login.

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Will this work for Windows 10? If not, is there a similar guide for Windows 10?