Windows XP Conversion
Logon, Profile, Logoff, Home Folder Changes
The major difference in our XP deployment is that you will log onto lab and classroom machines with a personal domain account. This allows several improvements, such as roaming profiles, described below.
Logon Accounts
All PSU Access Accounts were replicated in the win.psu.edu "domain" last year to make access to the "U-drive" easier. Although you had to enter your Access Account userid and password when you logged onto a Windows 2000 machine, you were actually logged onto the domain with generic account ("LabUser"). Settings for a few desktop features, and for a few applications were saved and restored for you using a program we developed (UserReg), but many application settings were not saved from session to session.
For U-drive access, Access Account passwords were synchronized with domain passwords with some special back-end software we developed for Macintosh and Windows 2000 logons. That process is not enabled for Windows XP. Soon, however, password changes made via www.work.psu.edu are synchronzed with the win.psu.edu domain when the change is made.
During the summer 2002 transition, users can go to https://clc.its.psu.edu and pick "Change Your Password" to change all passwords (uses www.work.psu.edu) or "Reset Your Password" to set the win.psu.edu domain password equal to the Access Account password.
Roaming Profiles
A "profile" is a collection of files and registry settings. A roaming profile is one that is saved to a central file server when you log off and copied to the local machine when you log on. Numerous system and application preferences are saved and restored this way. Prior to XP, we saved a very limited number of desktop and application settings with software we developed. Now, all applications that save files and registry settings on a per-user basis are automatically supported. (Note, however, that some applications are not written correctly and may save settings on the local machine and not in the user profile.)
Many applications, when used the first time, will display a message that it is being installed. The application isn't exactly being installed, but the individual user settings and files are being prepared for your use. You should see such a message only once per application. Also included are files you have saved to the desktop (which is not a recommended place for data).
Files saved in your profile can be viewed by navigating Windows Explorer to C:\Documents and Settings\<yourid>. Note that not every folder and file found there is going to be saved when you log off. Some folders are excluded, such as ..\Local Settings\temp. There are quotas on how big your profile can be, and if it is too big, you'll be given a message when you try to log off and you'll have to erase some files. The quota is large enough for all application settings, but not large enough for a lot of data saved on the desktop. Click on the (x) icon in the Notification Tray to see how much space your profile is using.
For more information, see the Roaming Profile page.
Automatic Logoff
In order to protect users who accidently leave a lab machine without logging off, an automatic timer will log you off an idle machine. (JTH4, remind us of the timeout.)
Home Folder
The first time you log onto a lab XP machine, you will be asked to choose the location of your "Home Folder". This will be the default location for documents and certain other files, such as IE Favorites. Just as in Windows 2000 setup, you may choose the "U-drive" or PASS space. Now there is now a third alternative, your PROFILE space, for those who do not which to use U-drive or PASS space. This is not recommended for most users because (1) all files in the profile are copied to and from the local machine and, as your profile grows, logon and logoff will get slower; and (2) profile space is limited, but occassional users may find it convenient.
The recommended choice is the "U-drive", our Windows-based file service. If you are not already "enrolled" for space there, it is easy and nearly automatic to acquire space right from dialog asking you to chose a Home Folder location.
Another change is to map both the "U-drive" as the root of the file space for everyone, and the "V-drive", which is your own folder, saving time when you want to view your own files.
For more information, see the UserSetup page.
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This page was last modified: 11/4/2002 10:30:06 AM.