XCLN: How To Use IExpress To Generate Profiles for Users at Logon

ID: Q198113

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Outlook, versions 97, 98

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SUMMARY

This article explains the steps necessary to create an IExpress package containing the files necessary to generate a profile for each user who logs on to a computer.

MORE INFORMATION

Creating profiles for each user logging on to a computer is a four-step process, which is explained in the following sections.

Modifying the Outlook.prf File

Using a text editor such as Notepad, open the file Outlook.prf. Within this file locate the entry:


   OverwriteProfile=

This is located in Section 1 - Profile defaults, under the heading [General]. Change the value from "Yes" to "No" (without quotation marks).

Save changes to the file and close Notepad.

Creating a User-Specific Profile with IExpress

For additional information on generating user-specific profiles with IExpress, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q193114 XCLN: How To Generate A User-Specific Profile with IExpress and ODK

Make this Package Accessible for All Users

There are three ways to make the file available to users:

Place it on a network location. This should be a location users have access to after they log in to their computer.

Place the file on the computers' local hard drive and run it from there.

You may deploy this file to your user's computers using System Management Software.

Update the Registry on the Workstation

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

To update the registry on the workstation, perform the following steps:

Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).

Select the following Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

From the Edit menu, point to New, and then click String Value.

In the right pane, change the New Value #1 to UserLogin, and press Enter. Double-click the UserLogin value.

In the Edit String dialog box, for Value data, type in the full path name of where you have placed your IExpress package as described in the "Creating a User-Specific Profile with IExpress: section above, and then click OK.

Quit Registry Editor.

Each time a user logs on to the computer, a profile will be generated.

For additional information on using IExpress and Outlook, please see the IExpress Deployment Kit for Outlook available on the Microsoft anonymous ftp server:

File Name: Odkidk98.exe
Location : ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/softlib/mslfiles/odkidk98.exe

Additional query words: idk odkidk profgen newprof multiple runonce inf odk deploy


Keywords          : 
Version           : WINDOWS:97,98
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: June 22, 1999