User Profile handling anno 2022

xavierdelaraunt

After many years doing other stuff I'm back at looking at some user handling at my new job.

In "the old days" I'd create a proper default profile to go with our base image but as I have so far figured out that is today a no-go?

The deployment system I have inherited (currently rolling out Windows 10) does have some rudimentary settings that seem to attempt to set up some default shortcuts and also Tiles.
I'm not a fan of the whole Tiles/Modern UI mess in Windows 10 but at least I'd like to get rid of games etc.
Also We have some internal web pages I'd like to pre-set as favorites in the browsers for new users.

Reinstalling existing PCs I see some things like local files move over through the User profile backup/restore in SCCM but it seems to be like 30/70% hit and miss and I gather something needs being updated?

How are you guys setting up a PC to be as well adjusted as possible for a new user or do you just hand over a vanilla PC?

Any thoughts are most appreciated (cloud/Azure is not currently an option).

sorensenbolinde

@xavierdelaraunt
We do it really simple

The one-time job

Firstly on a reference PC we created a reference user, setting up Desktop shortcuts and other tidbits
Open the individual browsers and add the favorites you want there
Then setup the Start menu with all the shortcut Tiles etc you want grouped logically.
After setting up the start menu, export and then import it
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/customize-and-export-start-layout

Log out from that user and create a backup of that user with for instance USMT.

Now, on PCs for new users, make sure the user account is present on the domain and use USMT to restore the profile on the PC, directed to the to the user.
When the user then logs in first time, all the settings in the restored user will be present for the new user.

Please note that native USMT (however being a very powerful tool) is not the easiest command line tool to use and the config files are not very well updated.
We use USMTGUI, a GUI for USMT, that makes USMT really easy to use and also comes with updated config files. For the above you'd use
MigUser_Profile_only.xml and
MigApp.xml

You can with great improvement also use the updated USMT and updated XML files in you SCCM installation. Just replace the content in the SCCM User State Migration Package - not application, package (remember to update the package).

xavierdelaraunt

@sorensenbolinde
Two quick questions
The GUI for USMT is that the one made by Ehlertech?
Also the optimized XMLs for usage with SCCM I gather you get from Ehlertech?

It really made a big difference on the User profile migrations through SCCM.

They're near perfect using the custom XMLs.

Thanks a bunch

sorensenbolinde

@xavierdelaraunt
Yup, correct.

Pleas also note User Profile Central from EhlerTech. We use that for all profile migrations on the Domain.

We pick up the users profile from the old PC over LAN (stored on a network share) and restore it to the new PC prior to it being picked up

Obsolesce

We keep it simple, vanilla PC through Autopilot if possible, or set up PC with work or school account. In either case, sign in with Okta account and Intune takes over... Config, compliance, policies, remediations, required apps, settings, etc. Typically from opening box to end user working in less than 15 minutes without IT ever having touched the device at all.

xavierdelaraunt

@Obsolesce

Great and stream-lined!
I have quite a lot of settings I cannot get into the default settings in any way like that.

The OneDrive and other skimpy attempts to give users a solid experience moving to a new PC is to be honest not impressing.

I have now been replacing quite a few PCs for existing users already over the last week and two today, and it is REALLY time consuming setting up things to make the user feel at home.
If a Tech and the user spends 2 hours or more each getting everything into place, it equals 16000 wasted hours over a year with roughly 4000 PCs replaced.
That is madness

I'll definitely look into a more basic way to move over profile settings, browser favorites, mail account info and all that.

I realize that during the decade since I worked with this there has been slight improvements like UEV which I will definitely look into more.

Dashrender

@xavierdelaraunt said in User Profile handling anno 2022:

@Obsolesce

Great and stream-lined!
I have quite a lot of settings I cannot get into the default settings in any way like that.

Because I don't know - what settings can you not apply to machines via intune? I assume you've tried and it simply won't work?

Obsolesce

@xavierdelaraunt said in User Profile handling anno 2022:

I have quite a lot of settings I cannot get into the default settings in any way like that.

I have not ran into any policies, settings, etc that could not be don't through Intune. It would be very hard for me to think of something that I can't do to a device related to those through Intune.

If you are referring to user profile migrations across different devices (old device > new device), most of that can be resolved by better systemic practices prior. That can be a shitty experience regardless of MDM or device management system.