Roaming Profiles and Multiple Users

This is a very complex subject, for which we can only offer some beginning pointers at this time. Hopefully, we’ll be able to put together more step-by-step information in the near future. Most of the information here also applies to Exchange and Windows Messaging.

Roaming profiles | Sharing the same computer | Log on anywhere
Tools | Additional tips | More information

Roaming profiles

When you configure a profile for Outlook with Control Panel | Mail, those settings are stored in your Windows user profile. If you have Windows NT Server or a NetWare server, you can set up users so that their Windows profile settings follow them, no matter what workstation they log on to. Microsoft has several references on this topic:

The Microsoft Exchange Server Resource Kit includes a Profgen.exe utility that works with Newprof.exe to create profiles. See Log on anywhere and More tools below for other tools.

Outlook 2000 adds a Profile Wizard that you can use to clone Outlook settings from one user’s machine and distribute them to others. This is for user settings, not MAPI profiles. The Office Custom Installation Wizard handles the MAPI profile settings. Also see:

Outlook 2002 changes the way .prf files work, making them easier to load and providing the capability to modify profiles, not just create new ones:

Note that the profile generation tools only handle the user’s MAPI profile. If you want to force certain other settings — those normally set in Tools | Options – you need to use the System Policy Editor to create a policy file with your choices in it.

Sharing the same computer

What if you don’t have Windows NT Server, but several people need to use the same computer? At the very least, each person needs their own Outlook profile, connecting to their own mail account(s) and using with a unique Personal Folders .pst file, probably password-protected. The tools listed below can generate profiles for this situation, too.

See Sharing Microsoft Outlook Info on One PC for a more detailed discussion.

Log on anywhere

If you need to allow Outlook or Exchange users to log on at any computer to get their mail, but don’t have roving profiles implemented, these tools are designed to help: (They can help with roving profiles, too, of course.)

Tools

Microsoft Outlook Roving Client Utility	Tool to make roving (or roaming) profiles. By RedFox Communications
Outlook 2000 Modify Profile Utility	A replacement for Newprof.exe, this tool allows you to modify existing profiles automatically to add new services, as well as create new profiles. (Microsoft)
Outlook Profile	Configure Microsoft Outlook, now includes over 200 new settings with a greatly enhanced deployment approach. Use the graphical 'Configuration File Editor' to create 'Setting Profiles' that group configuration using 'Common Setting Awareness' across different versions of Outlook into an XML file. Specify this file as a command line switch for silent operation or let the user run the application directly.
Outlook TCO Migration Utility	Helps when you want to lock down workstations but users still need access to some Outlook files. (Microsoft)
ScriptLogic	Use ScriptLogic script generating tool to create logon scripts.

Additional tips

If you have people moving around and don’t want sample items created in their mailbox each time they use a new profile with Outlook 97, try adding this string value to your registry (if it isn’t there already):