Updating User Profiles

The Windows NT and Windows 95 networks follow these rules for updating user profiles.

1. Each time a user logs in to a computer, Microsoft Windows searches the Registry to determine whether the user has a local profile. On Windows NT, the local profile path is stored in the Registry key:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Windows NT\Current Version\ProfileList   

   On Windows 95, the local profile path is stored in the Registry key:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Windows\Current Version\ProfileList 
   

2. Windows NT checks for the user profile in the User Profile Path specified in User Manager, User Profiles. If the user profile on the server is the most current, Windows NT copies it to the local computer for use during the current session. Windows NT then loads the settings in this local copy into the Registry. Windows 95 checks for the user profile in the user's home directory on the server. If the user profile on the server is the most current, Windows 95 copies it to the client computer for use during the current session. Windows 95 then loads the settings in the client copy into the Registry.

3. If no user profile exists on the client, Windows copies the server version to the client computer. If no profile is found on the server, Windows creates a new user profile on the client computer using default settings. If the user does not log in, then Windows automatically uses the default user profile.

4. Both the client and network copies of the user profile are automatically updated with the current settings when the user logs out.

5. If the user is logged in to more than one computer at the same time, any changes made to the profile on the computer where the user first logs out will be overwritten when the user logs out of the other computer. In other words, the last logout is saved, and no merging of changes occurs.