Article URL: http://www.bc.edu/helpdocs/SW-winprofiles.shtml

Summary:  Learn how to copy your local Windows profile to the new BC profile you created when you connected to the BC network, so that all your settings and files are available in one place.

Problem: If you have been logging into your computer with a local account profile (such as when you were at home, before you came to BC) and then you followed the "Getting Connected" instructions and joined the Students domain at BC, you will not see the settings & files that you created before you connect to the BC network. This is because a new profile account was created for you when you joined the BC Students domain, and this new profile account does not have your old settings & files in it.

Note: This documentation assumes that your computer has already joined the Students domain at Boston College and your BC username profile account has been added with Administrative rights. If you have not logged in to your computer as an Administrator, do so by logging in with your BC username and password.

Part 1: Create a new local account profile with Administrative rights

To create a new local account profile with Administrative rights:

1. Click the Start button, then right-click My Computer and click Manage (refer to Figure 1).
   
   Figure 1.
   The Computer Management tool appears (refer to Figure 2).
2. Under Local Users and Groups, click the + sign to expand it so that you see the Users and Groups folders.
3. Right-click the Users folder and click New User (refer to Figure 2).
   
   Figure 2.
4. On the New User window, do the following (refer to Figure 3):
   - In the User name box, enter a name for the new user account, such as "admin2"
   - Unselect the User must change password at next logon option.
   - Click Create.
   
   Figure 3.
5. Under Local Users and Groups, click the Groups folder.
6. In the right frame, right-click Administrators, then click Add to Groups (refer to Figure 4).
   
   Figure 4.
7. Click Add (refer to Figure 5).
   
   Figure 5.
8. Click Locations (refer to Figure 6).
   
   Figure 6.
9. Select the first option, which should be your computer name, then click OK. In the example below, the computer name is "johndoesmith" (refer to Figure 7).
   
   Figure 7.
10. In the box, type (refer to Figure 8): admin2
    
    Figure 8.
11. Click OK.
    Admin2 is now added to the Administrators group (refer to Figure 9).
    
    Figure 9.
12. Click OK.
13. Restart your computer and log back in to your computer with the new "admin2" account you just created.
14. Go to Part 2: Copying your old profile to the new BC username profile.

Part 2: Copying your old profile to the new BC username profile

To copy your old profile to the new BC username profile:

1. Click the Start button, then right-click My Computer and click Properties (refer to Figure 10).
   
   Figure 10.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Under User Profiles, click Settings (refer to Figure 11).
   Important: If you have any settings or files in your BC profile account, you will lose these settings and files if you continue with Step 4 below. Call 2-HELP for assistance in completing these instructions.
   
   Figure 11.
4. Each item is a user profile. Select the old profile you want to copy from, then click Copy To (refer to Figure 12). 
   
   Figure 12.
5. Click Browse (refer to Figure 13).
   
   Figure 13.
6. Click the + next to Local Disk (C:) [refer to Figure 14].
7. Click the + next to the Documents and Settings folder, then click the profile with your BC username and click OK (refer to Figure 14).
   
   Figure 14.
8. On the Copy To window, click Change.
9. On the Select User or Group window, do the following (refer to Figure 15):
   - In the From this location box, make sure your computer name appears.
   - In the box, type: Everyone
   - Click OK.
   
   Figure 15.
10. On the Copy To window, click OK (refer to Figure 16).
    Your old profile begins copying to the new BC username profile.
    Note: If you get an error message, call 2-HELP for assistance.
    
    Figure 16.
11. Click OK until all windows are closed.
12. To verify that the copy was successfully, log out of the current account, then log in with your new BC username profile. If everything looks like the old profile, then the copy was successfully.
13. Go to Part 3: Deleting the local account created in this documentation.

Part 3: Deleting the local account created in this documentation

To delete the local account created in this documentation.

1. Click the Start button, then right-click My Computer and click Manage.
2. Under Local Users and Groups, click the Users folder.
3. In the right frame, right-click admin2 and click Delete (refer to Figure 17).
   This deletes the "admin2" account from your computer.
   
   Figure 17.