Windows 7 - Copy a User configuration from one PC or User to another

Asked By David

14-Nov-09 05:07 PM

I have 10 PCs running XP HOME/SP3 in a small business I own.  Each PC
has 3 active users (the admimistrator, a staff account, and a customer
account).  The staff and customer accounts are all limited accounts.

I want to make all 10 PCs as identical as possible.  This includes
screen savers, font sizes, and in-numerable other settings. Installing
identical versions of programs on all the pcs is a hassle, but I can
do it.  Currently, the machines are not on a network.

Is there any way I can copy the configuration for the staff limited
account on one pc to the staff account on another PC without sitting
in front of a pc and manually setting up hundreds of individual
settings?  All the PCs are absolutely identical.  The only difference
I know about is the serial number on the licensed copy of XP/HOME.

14-Nov-09 09:19 PM

Are the machines on the internet?  If not, and they are truly identical in
hardware, set up one machine and clone it to all the others using a program
such as Acronis True Image.  As long as they do not have to be updated across
the internet regularly with MS patches then there will be no issue even with
retail Home versions.

Now, if they are all from a major manufacturer like Dell their license
stickers on the back or bottom will be different but I would venture a guess
that their license key in the machine is identical especially if purchased
at the same time.  Use Keyfinder from
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/old.shtml  (download the 1.51
version for your XP use) and see if I am correct.  If so even if they are on
the internet you will not have any issues with these pre-activated versions of
XP updating OK.

15-Nov-09 01:17 PM

Look into 'imaging'.  That way you install *one* PC and get it setup the way
you want it and then take an image of it and apply to the other machines...
Perhaps changing the SIDs, definitely changing the names *(member of a
domain?  no need to change the SID - they get new SIDs when they join the
domain.)

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

15-Nov-09 01:46 PM

Shenan, the OP said they were XP Home computers and not currently on a
network (cannot join a domain anyhow ) Any network the computers would be
same with a clone of the first drive.  The OP would need to change the
machine name if and when the OP puts the machines onto a peer-to-peer
network otherwise even the machine names can be the same.  IIRC the IP
address is by default auto-assigned so even the IP address would be
different on each machine when booted up on a peer-to-peer network as long
as the OP does not assign a fixed IP address to the original machine.

15-Nov-09 02:31 PM

Good catch on "Home" - my bad.

NEWSID would change the name and SID.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

15-Nov-09 09:49 PM

Never used it on an XP Home installation.  Guess it will work but do not
know.  We all miss things plenty of times.

16-Nov-09 01:28 AM

I considered imaging, but I (at least initially) rejected the idea.  I
do have a valid Microsoft license for XP/HOME on each of the 10
machines.  But, if I were to image the hard drive on 1 machine & use
that image on the other machines, I would be duplicating the XP/HOME
s/n 10 times.  While I do have 10 licenses, would not it be some sort
of violation to have the same s/n on 10 machines?

David

16-Nov-09 02:15 AM

Just like you change the name/SID - you could change the product key.

The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for
users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key
to a genuine COA sticker or genuine Product Key - all without a
reinstall!
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=50346&clcid=0x409

Not that this is the only method - but it is one from Microsoft.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html