W2k User Profiles

I have a system that is running Windows 2000, with all service packs updated. Until now, system has been running smoothly. And now i have come across a couple of systems with this problem. As a user logs on, a new user profile is created with all default settings (my documents, internet connection wizard) - just a blank profile. But as i check the Documents & Settings Folder, i see that the old profile is still there, but a new profile with the same name followed with a dot and the computer name. .. like profile JOHN, but a new one with JOHN.SYSTEM1 is created .. anyone know what this means?

I try to login witha difference username, then delete the newly created Profile (JOHN.SYSTEM1) and hope that JOHN will be used next time i reboot, but it doesnt. Im starting to see this, mostly on my W2K workstation. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks for any responses.

-Jaymon

 

The extension on the user name (in your case username.SYSTEM1) is used to differentiate profiles for users with the same name on different domains. By default, you log into the local computer (yours must be named SYSTEM1)... but if you rename the computer, this changes (ex username.NEWCOMPUTERNAME)...or, if you add the machine to the domain, (for example, the 'CORP' domain) you will have THAT as an extension. username.CORP will be created.

It's all about the "Log Onto:" field after pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL at startup. If you have the details hidden, you will not see this!

Rebuilding a profile is easy when you have the old profile. You need to log in as an administrator, and you can copy files from the "Desktop", "Send To" and "Start Menu" folders of one profile to another. That should recreate your Desktop, Send To context menu and Start Menu.

Also, Microsoft Outlook keeps data files in the HIDDEN directory "Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook"