Roaming Computing System (Windows Edition) 3.2
Create a User Account
Estimated time to complete: 30 minutes.
Contents
- Requirements
- Create Samba Account - on the Server
- Create an Email Account - on the Server
- Create Windows Profile and Configure - on the Workstation
Requirements
Twix from thegoldenear.org/toolbox/unices/twix/.
TWEAK version 0.9.0 RC2 or later from thegoldenear.org/tweak/.
Create Samba Account - on the Server
Login to the server as the user root (using Putty from a Windows workstation or the command-line from a Linux workstation).
Run Twix: ./twix.sh
Run option 'R. Roaming Computing System (Windows Edition) 3.0 - 3.2 Configuration' → 'M. Create a new Roaming Computing System user account'.
- For access to shared files (S:) add them to the organisation's group <organisation>-staff (otherwise they only have H:)
- If you want them to be a member of any sub-groups, do so
Other Optional Permissions
If you print through a print server on SERVER and want them to be a print administrator:
adduser <username> lpadmin
Create an Email Account - on the Server
If they're to have a dedicated mailbox, it could be either in their own name (as per your organisation's naming convention), or the name of the role they're performing.
Go to the GRSoft Virtual Mail Manager at http://server/mailmanager/login.php.
Login with your mail server administration account, either mail master account ('mailadmin@...') for the whole mail server, or individual domain account (postmaster@...) if you have one.
Manage virtual users → Select a virtual domain: → select domain → Add new virtual user to selected domain →
- Name of virtual user:
- Password (default auto): (this needs to be documented)
Add any forwardings and/or aliases if required.
→ Save new virtual user
Create Windows Profile and Configure - on the Workstation
Logon to the workstation with the new account. Windows automatically creates a profile on the workstation, which it will then copy to the server when you logout.
Windows Configuration
TWEAK: A → L - Use D: for this user's temporary system files, E: for their data
Logoff and logon again for some of these settings to take effect.
TWEAK: A →
- N - Configure this user's Windows interface
- R - Configure this user's IE interface
- S - Lock down this user's local intranet zone security
- W - manually configured settings →
- 1 - Turn off sound scheme
- 2 - Windows Explorer's look and feel
- 3 - Remove any unnecessary input locales
- 4 - If using a flat panel monitor - Clear Type - test it because it may look worse on some monitors
- 5 - Configure Quick Launch taskbar
- 7 - Organise Desktop, Start Menu and Quick Launch shortcuts (if you can be bothered, we don't any more)
- P → P - use H: for home directory
Logoff and logon again for some of these settings to take effect.
Shortcuts and Icons
TWEAK: D → E - Create shortcut suite (you can customise shortcuts.ini for organisation-specific shortcuts here if you want)
Software Application Configuration
Applications and Utilities
Core RCS Applications
Adobe Reader
TWEAK: B → A → D
Manual configuration for version 8 only:
- Beyond Adobe Reader splash screen - Do not show at startup - chosen. Close window with 'X'
- Tools → Customize Toolbars →
- File Toolbar → choose Save
- Select & Zoom Toolbar - choose Select Tool
Eraser
TWEAK: B → E → L
FileZilla
Edit → Settings → Update Check → Enable automatic update check - off.
Irfanview
TWEAK: B → I → G
Notepad++
Settings → Preferences... → MISC → 'Enable Notepad++ auto-updater' - off.
OpenOffice
TWEAK: B → O →
- Either
- H - default to saving files in OpenOffice / OpenDocument file format
- I - default to saving files in Microsoft Office file format
- L
Firefox
- Start Firefox
- At 'Welcome to Adblock Plus' choose 'EasyList (USA)' → Subscribe
- Close Firefox
- Go to the Firefox profile directory %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<this user's profile name>.default
- Edit user.js
- Remove the comments (//;) from the two user_pref lines
- Change 'PUT_USER_TEMP_LOCATION_HERE' to 'D:\\<username>' (where you change '<username>' for the actual username of this user)
Thunderbird
If they are to have access to a mailbox, add their mail account and/or any others they wish to use:
- Run Thunderbird, you'll be prompted to setup a new account
- Choose 'Email account'
- Your Name: whatever you want mail to appear from
- Email Address: your full email address
- Select 'IMAP'
- Incoming Server: server
- Outgoing Server: server (you'll only be asked this for the first account you setup and it will henceforth be known by this name)
- Incoming user name: your full email address
- When you first use the mailbox you'll be asked for your password, you should choose to have it remembered.
- Send an email to another Internet site. When you first send an email you'll be
- Asked if you want to setup Enigmail - say 'No', Enigmail will be explained later
- For the outgoing mail password - enter your mail password again and choose to have it remembered
Add any additional mailboxes you want to use in the same way.
(If you mistakenly save a wrong password in Thunderbird you can remove the saved password using Tools → Options → Privacy → Passwords → Edit Saved Passwords)
Lightning
Set time zone: Tools → Options → Lightning → Timezone - set it to yours, such as Europe/London
Windows Media Player
Start → Programs → Windows Media Player → Custom Settings
- Enhanced Playback Experience → Uncheck 'Download usage rights automatically when I play a file'
- Next → choose 'Add a shortcut to the desktop'
- Next → choose 'Don't set up a store now (you can set one up later in the Player)'
Major Proprietary Applications (If Any)
For major proprietary applications (if any) that are likely to only be required on particular workstations see our separate guide to creating a user account (major proprietary applications).
Drivers and Runtime Environments
Sun Java Runtime Environment (JRE)
TWEAK: B → J → M
Printing
If you print through a print server on SERVER - connect to any appropriate printers by navigating to the print server using Windows Explorer, i.e. \\server, right-click on the printer name and choose 'Connect'.
If you print direct to the printer (whether over USB, network or through hardware print server box) - the printer driver, as configured by the administrator for this workstation, will be already available and configured for this user.
If you have more than one printer configured (or pseudo printing device listed) then set whichever you want as the default printer: Start → Printers and Faxes → right-click on the specific printer → Set as default.
Saving The Windows Profile
Logout from the workstation. The newly configured user profile should be copied back to the server. Be careful, if the profile fails to copy to the server and you logon to a different workstation your changes will be lost. So keep a lookout for any messages such as "unable to save roaming profile", in which case you should log back in and out again.
Migration
If you're migrating from another system you may want to migrate these for the person: home directory files; email; email Address books and distribution lists; browser bookmarks; browser saved passwords.