Delprof Does Not Delete Profiles When Run by the Schedule Service (262223)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server Edition
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q262223

SYMPTOMS

You may experience problems when you schedule the Delprof.exe utility to run by using the AT command (also known as the Schedule service). When you do so, the targeted profile folders are not deleted from the %SystemRoot%\Profiles folder. However, users with existing profiles are logged on with a new default profile, or a new copy of their roaming profile with a Username.00x file name.

CAUSE

By default, the Schedule service runs under the Local System account. The Local System account does not have network privileges. Delprof cannot perform its tasks correctly when it is running under the Local System account.

RESOLUTION

Reconfigure the Schedule service to run under a user account with administrator privileges on the local computer.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

This is actually a limitation of the Local System account. Because Delprof.exe is network-aware, it is designed to make a network connection to the computer on which it is deleting profiles, even if that is the local computer. It does so by making a connection to the Admin$ share on the computer. The Local System account has no permissions to access the computer by using this method.

However, the second function of Delprof.exe is to delete the appropriate user's entry in the registry at:

Hkey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

This second function does not require a network connection when it is run on the local computer, and succeeds. The files for the profile are left on the server, but the pointer needed to link the user to the profile is deleted. Therefore, the user receives a new profile.

For additional information, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

158825 System and User Account Difference with AT Command

124184 Service Running as System Account Fails Accessing Network

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/13/2004
Keywords:kbenv kbprb KB262223
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.