What is a "profile"?

An Windows User Profile contains default desktop settings and any changes that the user chooses to make to those settings. Changes might include wallpaper, colors, desktop shortcuts, Thunderbird and other application settings, and user-selected printers.

At present, user profiles are stored separately from user files which makes users less susceptible to inadvertent damage to their profiles, yet there are still numerous ways that users can can get into trouble. 

Technically, a user has 2 profiles:

• Roaming profile – stored in the user's "\\khensu\Profile[nn]\username\Windows Profile" and "\\khensu\Profile[nn]\username\Application Data" directories, available at any MCECS Windows computer where the user can log onto the network.
• Local profile – a copy of the user's roaming profile, created on the C: drive when the user logs onto the network.

Desktop changes are first saved to the local profile. When the user logs off the network, the local profile overwrites the roaming profile. This makes it possible for those changes to be available at other Windows systems on the network.

How can you "lose" or damage your profile?

Consider these situations:

1. Abnormal log off – the system is shut down before logging off normally
2. User's profile exceeds the profile disk quota  – local profile can't be saved back to the network because there isn't enough disk space available.
3. User's profile is corrupted or otherwise unavailable – upon logon, the roaming profile cannot be loaded.

In #1 & #2 above, the local profile is never copied back to the network, causing the local profile on that box to be newer than the roaming profile. The next time the user logs onto that box, the user will get a message that says:

         "Your local profile is newer than your roaming profile.
         Do you want to replace it with the newer file?"

         Answer "NO" to re-instate your roaming profile.
         Answer "YES" if you want to keep the local profile.

Restoring a lost profile is sometimes possible. It involves finding one of the previously over-written roaming profiles. Unfortunately, users can't do this for themselves. You'd have to be logged in to find one of the older files, and when you log out, the local profile will over-write the one you just restored.

Send e-mail to support ( support@cat.pdx.edu ) to request the restoration of a profile.

What do you lose if you lose your profile?

The following list is not exhaustive, but most of the major items you'd lose are:

• desktop settings (user-defined shortcuts, colors, background, etc)
• printer definitions
• user-defined drive mappings
• your Internet Explorer Favorites
• if you are an MS-Outlook or Outlook Express user and have not moved your Outlook folder file from its default location, you will lose your e-mail, address book, and calendar

How do I delete/reset my profile?

Come to one of the Cat Support Pods and they can reset your profile for you.