Windows registry (NTUSER.DAT) always taken from server profile.

  • 3271369
  • 27-Feb-2007
  • 30-Apr-2012

Environment

Novell ZENworks Desktop Management 7 - ZDM7 Desktop Management
Novell Client for Windows 2000/XP/2003 4.91 Support Pack 2 Login

Situation

When Roaming Profile is enabled and the workstation is not connected to the corporate network, changes to the registry key HKCR are lost if the workstation logs in back to the network.

Resolution

Fixed in ZENworks 7 Desktop Management Service Pack 1 Interim Release 3a, available at https://download.novell.com

Additional Information

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

Step 1:
Setup a user with roaming profile support located on users home directory.
Login several times to make sure that the local and server profile is the same, meaning time stamp are the same.
Enter the following registry key:
HKCU/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Run
calc.exe =
C:\Windows\system32\calc.exe
Now you should have roaming profile working and the program calc will be started with each user login.

Step 2:
Unplug the network cable from the test workstation and login locally with the same user. (calc is still started)
Now extend the registry key from step 1 by the following entry:
notepad.exe = C:\Windows\system32\notepad.exe

Now after several local logins and proving that calc and notepad are started, shut down the workstation.
Reconnect the network cable and login to the network.

RESULTS:
The result is that the changes made as the workstation worked in local mode are now lost. In fact Notepad is not started.

EXPECTED RESULTS:
The expected result should be, that local changes should not be lost because they have a newer time stamp. Calc and notpad should be started.