How can I reset my own roaming profile on Windows 7 Professional?
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
My University uses Windows 7 professional roaming profiles with a domain. I'm not entirely sure how it works, so forgive me if this is a stupid question.
Is there a way I can reset my profile to its vanilla "out of the box" state for a new account? I've tried deleting pretty much every file I have write permissions on, but things in AppData like my Firefox profile, start-menu ordering etc all seem to get restored when I log back in.
Is this possible, or should I just ask the administrator? All the resources I've found have been for administrators to reset users profiles, not for users to reset their own.
windows-7 roaming-profiles
asked May 7 '12 at 18:45
Rory
5082819
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
My University uses Windows 7 professional roaming profiles with a domain. I'm not entirely sure how it works, so forgive me if this is a stupid question.
Is there a way I can reset my profile to its vanilla "out of the box" state for a new account? I've tried deleting pretty much every file I have write permissions on, but things in AppData like my Firefox profile, start-menu ordering etc all seem to get restored when I log back in.
Is this possible, or should I just ask the administrator? All the resources I've found have been for administrators to reset users profiles, not for users to reset their own.
windows-7 roaming-profiles
asked May 7 '12 at 18:45
Rory
5082819
Why exactly do you want to do this? What is your end-goal?
– Shankensteinium
May 24 '17 at 0:48
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
My University uses Windows 7 professional roaming profiles with a domain. I'm not entirely sure how it works, so forgive me if this is a stupid question.
Is there a way I can reset my profile to its vanilla "out of the box" state for a new account? I've tried deleting pretty much every file I have write permissions on, but things in AppData like my Firefox profile, start-menu ordering etc all seem to get restored when I log back in.
Is this possible, or should I just ask the administrator? All the resources I've found have been for administrators to reset users profiles, not for users to reset their own.
windows-7 roaming-profiles
asked May 7 '12 at 18:45
Rory
5082819
My University uses Windows 7 professional roaming profiles with a domain. I'm not entirely sure how it works, so forgive me if this is a stupid question.
Is there a way I can reset my profile to its vanilla "out of the box" state for a new account? I've tried deleting pretty much every file I have write permissions on, but things in AppData like my Firefox profile, start-menu ordering etc all seem to get restored when I log back in.
Is this possible, or should I just ask the administrator? All the resources I've found have been for administrators to reset users profiles, not for users to reset their own.
windows-7 roaming-profiles
windows-7 roaming-profiles
asked May 7 '12 at 18:45
Rory
5082819
asked May 7 '12 at 18:45
Rory
5082819
asked May 7 '12 at 18:45
Rory
5082819
asked May 7 '12 at 18:45
Rory
5082819
asked May 7 '12 at 18:45
Rory
5082819
5082819
Why exactly do you want to do this? What is your end-goal?
– Shankensteinium
May 24 '17 at 0:48
add a comment |
Why exactly do you want to do this? What is your end-goal?
– Shankensteinium
May 24 '17 at 0:48
Why exactly do you want to do this? What is your end-goal?
– Shankensteinium
May 24 '17 at 0:48
Why exactly do you want to do this? What is your end-goal?
– Shankensteinium
May 24 '17 at 0:48
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
With a roaming profile, your data is copied down from the server when you log in and (depending on organisational policy) copied back when you log out. It may also be configured to sync in the background.
Without access to the server you can't remove the server copy of your profile. But thinking about it, your user has permission to write to it so you could probably empty the folder...
You can find where your profile is stored on the server and open that path with windows explorer to delete the remote version. Doing it this way, you would need to empty the local and remote versions. You may even have to hard-power off the computer to stop it from trying to put anything back.
There's also stuff stored in the registry. Overall, to delete cleanly you need to follow this procedure by logging in as a different user (with administrative privileges): How do I delete a user profile on a Windows 7 machine that is part of a domain? You would have to have emptied the server copy first.
That said, it's probably just easier to ask your network administrator!
edited Mar 20 '17 at 10:17
Community♦
1
answered May 7 '12 at 18:59
john
473312
The user profile simply reports as C:UsersFoo. I know the remote location is \servernameprofilesfoo, and I can delete both, but something is putting it back when I sign back in. Including my Downloads folder, weirdly, but not my Documents, Pictures etc.
– Rory
May 7 '12 at 19:08
That is weird. It sounds more like a mandatory profile, so you would receive the same profile every time regardless. Your Documents, Pictures, etc are probably redirected elswehere (like your home folder) is it possible your downloads are redirected too?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
What exactly are you trying to get rid of?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
do not delete the two folders without deleting data from system registry; the risk is to be forced to use a temporary profile each time you sign it
– AndreaCi
Nov 3 '14 at 13:36
Rather than logging in as a different user, try the fix-all solution: REIMAGE THE COMPUTER!
– InterLinked
Feb 18 '17 at 20:45
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
0
down vote
Instead of posting questions on this site why not ask the people who manage your account and the server that stores your account: The IT Department
Just explain to them you are having login issues with the roaming profile and either
- Want to have roaming profiles turned off for your account
- Or you want to have the roaming profile cleaned out.
As for the part where you say it keeps "reappearing" its likely you dont have delete permissions on that share but have write (so the profile only grows)
or they have an auto backup that keeps the profile from being deleted by a non-system admin
answered May 9 at 15:48
Cory M
3417
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
With a roaming profile, your data is copied down from the server when you log in and (depending on organisational policy) copied back when you log out. It may also be configured to sync in the background.
Without access to the server you can't remove the server copy of your profile. But thinking about it, your user has permission to write to it so you could probably empty the folder...
You can find where your profile is stored on the server and open that path with windows explorer to delete the remote version. Doing it this way, you would need to empty the local and remote versions. You may even have to hard-power off the computer to stop it from trying to put anything back.
There's also stuff stored in the registry. Overall, to delete cleanly you need to follow this procedure by logging in as a different user (with administrative privileges): How do I delete a user profile on a Windows 7 machine that is part of a domain? You would have to have emptied the server copy first.
That said, it's probably just easier to ask your network administrator!
edited Mar 20 '17 at 10:17
Community♦
1
answered May 7 '12 at 18:59
john
473312
The user profile simply reports as C:UsersFoo. I know the remote location is \servernameprofilesfoo, and I can delete both, but something is putting it back when I sign back in. Including my Downloads folder, weirdly, but not my Documents, Pictures etc.
– Rory
May 7 '12 at 19:08
That is weird. It sounds more like a mandatory profile, so you would receive the same profile every time regardless. Your Documents, Pictures, etc are probably redirected elswehere (like your home folder) is it possible your downloads are redirected too?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
What exactly are you trying to get rid of?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
do not delete the two folders without deleting data from system registry; the risk is to be forced to use a temporary profile each time you sign it
– AndreaCi
Nov 3 '14 at 13:36
Rather than logging in as a different user, try the fix-all solution: REIMAGE THE COMPUTER!
– InterLinked
Feb 18 '17 at 20:45
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
0
down vote
With a roaming profile, your data is copied down from the server when you log in and (depending on organisational policy) copied back when you log out. It may also be configured to sync in the background.
Without access to the server you can't remove the server copy of your profile. But thinking about it, your user has permission to write to it so you could probably empty the folder...
You can find where your profile is stored on the server and open that path with windows explorer to delete the remote version. Doing it this way, you would need to empty the local and remote versions. You may even have to hard-power off the computer to stop it from trying to put anything back.
There's also stuff stored in the registry. Overall, to delete cleanly you need to follow this procedure by logging in as a different user (with administrative privileges): How do I delete a user profile on a Windows 7 machine that is part of a domain? You would have to have emptied the server copy first.
That said, it's probably just easier to ask your network administrator!
edited Mar 20 '17 at 10:17
Community♦
1
answered May 7 '12 at 18:59
john
473312
The user profile simply reports as C:UsersFoo. I know the remote location is \servernameprofilesfoo, and I can delete both, but something is putting it back when I sign back in. Including my Downloads folder, weirdly, but not my Documents, Pictures etc.
– Rory
May 7 '12 at 19:08
That is weird. It sounds more like a mandatory profile, so you would receive the same profile every time regardless. Your Documents, Pictures, etc are probably redirected elswehere (like your home folder) is it possible your downloads are redirected too?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
What exactly are you trying to get rid of?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
do not delete the two folders without deleting data from system registry; the risk is to be forced to use a temporary profile each time you sign it
– AndreaCi
Nov 3 '14 at 13:36
Rather than logging in as a different user, try the fix-all solution: REIMAGE THE COMPUTER!
– InterLinked
Feb 18 '17 at 20:45
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
With a roaming profile, your data is copied down from the server when you log in and (depending on organisational policy) copied back when you log out. It may also be configured to sync in the background.
Without access to the server you can't remove the server copy of your profile. But thinking about it, your user has permission to write to it so you could probably empty the folder...
You can find where your profile is stored on the server and open that path with windows explorer to delete the remote version. Doing it this way, you would need to empty the local and remote versions. You may even have to hard-power off the computer to stop it from trying to put anything back.
There's also stuff stored in the registry. Overall, to delete cleanly you need to follow this procedure by logging in as a different user (with administrative privileges): How do I delete a user profile on a Windows 7 machine that is part of a domain? You would have to have emptied the server copy first.
That said, it's probably just easier to ask your network administrator!
edited Mar 20 '17 at 10:17
Community♦
1
answered May 7 '12 at 18:59
john
473312
With a roaming profile, your data is copied down from the server when you log in and (depending on organisational policy) copied back when you log out. It may also be configured to sync in the background.
Without access to the server you can't remove the server copy of your profile. But thinking about it, your user has permission to write to it so you could probably empty the folder...
You can find where your profile is stored on the server and open that path with windows explorer to delete the remote version. Doing it this way, you would need to empty the local and remote versions. You may even have to hard-power off the computer to stop it from trying to put anything back.
There's also stuff stored in the registry. Overall, to delete cleanly you need to follow this procedure by logging in as a different user (with administrative privileges): How do I delete a user profile on a Windows 7 machine that is part of a domain? You would have to have emptied the server copy first.
That said, it's probably just easier to ask your network administrator!
edited Mar 20 '17 at 10:17
Community♦
1
answered May 7 '12 at 18:59
john
473312
edited Mar 20 '17 at 10:17
Community♦
1
edited Mar 20 '17 at 10:17
Community♦
1
edited Mar 20 '17 at 10:17
Community♦
1
1
answered May 7 '12 at 18:59
john
473312
answered May 7 '12 at 18:59
john
473312
answered May 7 '12 at 18:59
john
473312
473312
The user profile simply reports as C:UsersFoo. I know the remote location is \servernameprofilesfoo, and I can delete both, but something is putting it back when I sign back in. Including my Downloads folder, weirdly, but not my Documents, Pictures etc.
– Rory
May 7 '12 at 19:08
That is weird. It sounds more like a mandatory profile, so you would receive the same profile every time regardless. Your Documents, Pictures, etc are probably redirected elswehere (like your home folder) is it possible your downloads are redirected too?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
What exactly are you trying to get rid of?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
do not delete the two folders without deleting data from system registry; the risk is to be forced to use a temporary profile each time you sign it
– AndreaCi
Nov 3 '14 at 13:36
Rather than logging in as a different user, try the fix-all solution: REIMAGE THE COMPUTER!
– InterLinked
Feb 18 '17 at 20:45
|
show 3 more comments
The user profile simply reports as C:UsersFoo. I know the remote location is \servernameprofilesfoo, and I can delete both, but something is putting it back when I sign back in. Including my Downloads folder, weirdly, but not my Documents, Pictures etc.
– Rory
May 7 '12 at 19:08
That is weird. It sounds more like a mandatory profile, so you would receive the same profile every time regardless. Your Documents, Pictures, etc are probably redirected elswehere (like your home folder) is it possible your downloads are redirected too?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
What exactly are you trying to get rid of?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
do not delete the two folders without deleting data from system registry; the risk is to be forced to use a temporary profile each time you sign it
– AndreaCi
Nov 3 '14 at 13:36
Rather than logging in as a different user, try the fix-all solution: REIMAGE THE COMPUTER!
– InterLinked
Feb 18 '17 at 20:45
The user profile simply reports as C:UsersFoo. I know the remote location is \servernameprofilesfoo, and I can delete both, but something is putting it back when I sign back in. Including my Downloads folder, weirdly, but not my Documents, Pictures etc.
– Rory
May 7 '12 at 19:08
The user profile simply reports as C:UsersFoo. I know the remote location is \servernameprofilesfoo, and I can delete both, but something is putting it back when I sign back in. Including my Downloads folder, weirdly, but not my Documents, Pictures etc.
– Rory
May 7 '12 at 19:08
That is weird. It sounds more like a mandatory profile, so you would receive the same profile every time regardless. Your Documents, Pictures, etc are probably redirected elswehere (like your home folder) is it possible your downloads are redirected too?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
That is weird. It sounds more like a mandatory profile, so you would receive the same profile every time regardless. Your Documents, Pictures, etc are probably redirected elswehere (like your home folder) is it possible your downloads are redirected too?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
What exactly are you trying to get rid of?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
What exactly are you trying to get rid of?
– john
May 7 '12 at 19:13
do not delete the two folders without deleting data from system registry; the risk is to be forced to use a temporary profile each time you sign it
– AndreaCi
Nov 3 '14 at 13:36
do not delete the two folders without deleting data from system registry; the risk is to be forced to use a temporary profile each time you sign it
– AndreaCi
Nov 3 '14 at 13:36
Rather than logging in as a different user, try the fix-all solution: REIMAGE THE COMPUTER!
– InterLinked
Feb 18 '17 at 20:45
Rather than logging in as a different user, try the fix-all solution: REIMAGE THE COMPUTER!
– InterLinked
Feb 18 '17 at 20:45
|
show 3 more comments
up vote
0
down vote
Instead of posting questions on this site why not ask the people who manage your account and the server that stores your account: The IT Department
Just explain to them you are having login issues with the roaming profile and either
- Want to have roaming profiles turned off for your account
- Or you want to have the roaming profile cleaned out.
As for the part where you say it keeps "reappearing" its likely you dont have delete permissions on that share but have write (so the profile only grows)
or they have an auto backup that keeps the profile from being deleted by a non-system admin
answered May 9 at 15:48
Cory M
3417
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Instead of posting questions on this site why not ask the people who manage your account and the server that stores your account: The IT Department
Just explain to them you are having login issues with the roaming profile and either
- Want to have roaming profiles turned off for your account
- Or you want to have the roaming profile cleaned out.
As for the part where you say it keeps "reappearing" its likely you dont have delete permissions on that share but have write (so the profile only grows)
or they have an auto backup that keeps the profile from being deleted by a non-system admin
answered May 9 at 15:48
Cory M
3417
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
Instead of posting questions on this site why not ask the people who manage your account and the server that stores your account: The IT Department
Just explain to them you are having login issues with the roaming profile and either
- Want to have roaming profiles turned off for your account
- Or you want to have the roaming profile cleaned out.
As for the part where you say it keeps "reappearing" its likely you dont have delete permissions on that share but have write (so the profile only grows)
or they have an auto backup that keeps the profile from being deleted by a non-system admin
answered May 9 at 15:48
Cory M
3417
Instead of posting questions on this site why not ask the people who manage your account and the server that stores your account: The IT Department
Just explain to them you are having login issues with the roaming profile and either
- Want to have roaming profiles turned off for your account
- Or you want to have the roaming profile cleaned out.
As for the part where you say it keeps "reappearing" its likely you dont have delete permissions on that share but have write (so the profile only grows)
or they have an auto backup that keeps the profile from being deleted by a non-system admin
answered May 9 at 15:48
Cory M
3417
answered May 9 at 15:48
Cory M
3417
answered May 9 at 15:48
Cory M
3417
answered May 9 at 15:48
Cory M
3417
3417
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Why exactly do you want to do this? What is your end-goal?
– Shankensteinium
May 24 '17 at 0:48