PRB: How to Modify the Personal Directory for All New Users (190234)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server Edition
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
This article was previously published under Q190234
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
Registry Key" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key"
Help topic in Regedt32.exe.
SYMPTOMS
When you save mail messages or attachments in Outlook 97 and Exchange
Client, you are taken to the \personal directory in your profile directory,
instead of to your home directory, as specified in User Manager.
This is a problem when you want to centralize the user's personal data to a
Home directory.
CAUSE
Outlook, Exchange Client, and many other applications have the following
registry key hard-coded for the current directory:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\
\Explorer\User Shell Folders\Personal
NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for
readability.
The default value is %USERPROFILE%\Personal, in the user's profile
directory under the system root of the computer on which the user is
currently logged. In the case of Terminal Server clients, this directory is
the user's profile directory in the system root of the Terminal server.
RESOLUTIONExisting Users
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.
If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair
Disk (ERD).
Users with Profile Already Configured
You must edit the registry for each user:
- Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
- Select the following Registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Explorer\User Shell Folders
NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for
readability.
- Modify the following value with the appropriate directory path
(to specify the user's home directory, type %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%):
Personal
- Quit Registry Editor.
New Users
To modify the default setting for all new users, modify the same
registry setting in the %SYSTEMROOT%\Profiles\Default User\NTUSER.DAT:
- Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
- Select the HKEY_USERS Window and click Registry - Load Hive.
- Open the following file:
%SYSTEMROOT%\Profiles\Default User\ntuser.dat - When prompted for a Key Name, type TEMP.
- You will see a TEMP hive under HKEY_USERS. Select the following key:
TEMP\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Explorer\User Shell Folders
NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for
readability.
- Modify the following value with the appropriate directory path (to
specify the user's home directory, type %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%):
Personal - To unload Ntuser.dat from REGEDT32, highlight TEMP under HKEY_USERS and
click Registry - Unload Hive.
- Quit Registry Editor when finished.
STATUS
This behavior is by design.
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 6/24/2004 |
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| Keywords: | kbfix kbprb KB190234 |
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