Profile Changes in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 and beyond

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 introduce a number of new user profile paths and environment variables that differ from earlier versions of Windows and these changes may have an impact on scripts such as logon scripts and application install scripts. Most scripts should work correctly – VBScript scripts that use system functions to find folder paths should work as expected, however batch scripts that use environment variables or hard codes scripts will require modifications. Here’s a short run down of the changes.

The following table lists the old profile path and the corresponding new path under Windows Vista/Windows Server 2008:

 

OLD PATH NEW PATH
Documents and Settings Users
Documents and Settings\Default User Users\Default
Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data ProgramData
Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
Documents and Settings\{username}\Local Settings\Application Data Users\{username}\AppData\Local
N/A Users\{username}\AppData\LocalLow
Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming
Documents and Settings\{username}\Cookies Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies
Documents and Settings\{username}\NetHood Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts
Documents and Settings\{username}\PrintHood Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts
Documents and Settings\{username}\Recent Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
Documents and Settings\{username}\SendTo Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo
Documents and Settings\{username}\Start Menu Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
Documents and Settings\{username}\Templates Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
N/A Users\{username}\Contacts
Documents and Settings\{username}\Desktop Users\{username}\Desktop
Documents and Settings\{username}\My Documents Users\{username}\Documents
N/A Users\{username}\Downloads
Documents and Settings\{username}\Favorites Users\{username}\Favorites
N/A Users\{username}\Links
Documents and Settings\{username}\My Documents\My Music Users\{username}\Music
Documents and Settings\{username}\My Documents\My Pictures Users\{username}\Pictures
N/A Users\{username}\Saved Games
N/A Users\{username}\Searches
Documents and Settings\{username}\My Documents\My Videos Users\{username}\Videos
Documents and Settings\All Users Users\Public
Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop Users\Public\Desktop
Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents Users\Public\Documents
Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites Users\Public\Favorites
Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Music Users\Public\Music
Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Pictures Users\Public\Pictures
Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Videos Users\Public\Videos

Folders to take note of here are the folders in the All Users path. Many older applications that use out of date methods to resolve system folders, will resolve paths under \ProgramData when looking for common locations. For example the common desktop may be resolved as \ProgramData\Desktop, however this is actually a junction point for \Users\Public\Desktop. A DIR /A:H listing in \ProgramData folder reveals the following junction points:

PATH POINTS TO
ProgramData\Application Data ProgramData
ProgramData\Desktop Users\Public\Desktop
ProgramData\Documents Users\Public\Documents
ProgramData\Favorites Users\Public\Favorites
ProgramData\Start Menu ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
ProgramData\Templates ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates

These junction points should offer backward compatibility for older applications, however I have found that some of my installation scripts are not cleaning up shortcuts from the public desktop as expected.

There are also differences in environment variables between the new version of Windows and the older versions. Windows Server 2003 and below define the following variables relating to profiles:

ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users
APPDATA=C:\Documents and Settings\aaron\Application Data
HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\aaron
TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\aaron\LOCALS~1\Temp
TMP=C:\DOCUME~1\aaron\LOCALS~1\Temp
USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\aaron

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 define the same variables while adding a couple more.

ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData
APPDATA=C:\Users\aaronp\AppData\Roaming
HOMEPATH=\Users\aaronp
LOCALAPPDATA=C:\Users\aaronp\AppData\Local
ProgramData=C:\ProgramData
PUBLIC=C:\Users\Public
TEMP=C:\Users\aaronp\AppData\Local\Temp
TMP=C:\Users\aaronp\AppData\Local\Temp
USERPROFILE=C:\Users\aaronp

In practice, I’ve found that scripts that reference locations such as %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Desktop, are not performing actions as intended and will have to be updated to use %PUBLIC% instead. Certainly something that requires more investigation.

UPDATE: Microsoft have an excellent reference document that details the profile changes in Windows Vista and how roaming profiles should managed in a Windows Vista environment. Check it out for more information that what I’ve listed here:

Managing Roaming User Data Deployment Guide

source: http://blog.stealthpuppy.com/windows/profile-changes-in-windows-vistalonghorn-server/

How to completely remove Symantec Antivirus (without entering password)

CleanWipe Utility

The cleanwipe utility is used to completely remove Symantec Antivirus and Symantec Endpoint Protection products. 
To obtain Cleanwipe please contact Symantec Technical support.

Once the utility has been obtained please follow these instructions:

This utility can be run on Windows 2000, Windows XP (32 and 64 bit), and Windows Server 2003 (32 and 64 bit.)

Warnings:
Do not run this utility on Windows NT, Windows 9x, or Windows Me.
Do not run this utility on systems that have Symantec AntiVirus 8.x or below installed.

You cannot select individual applications to remove. 

CleanWipe may remove LiveUpdate.

CleanWipe will remove Virus Definitions if you select Yes to "Do you want to do a detailed MSI Product Code registry search?...", even when selecting No to "If Virus Defs remain after uninstalling Symantec products do you want to uninstall the Virus Defs?". If you have other Symantec applications that use the VirusDefs folder, it is recommended that you make backup copy of the VirusDefs folder before running the CleanWipe tool. The VirusDefs folder is located under C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\

When using the CleanWipe utility, please be aware that it removes the following products and components from the computer:

Alert Management Server
Firewall Administrator
Quarantine Console
Quarantine Server
Symantec AntiVirus (Version 9.x and above)
Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition
Symantec Client
Symantec Client Firewall
Symantec Client Security
Symantec Endpoint Protection
Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager
Symantec LiveUpdate
Symantec Network Access Control
Symantec Sygate Enterprise Protection
Symantec System Center
Symevent

If you have other Symantec applications on the computer that depend on any of the applications listed above, those applications may not function properly. The customer may need to re-install the missing applications after running CleanWipe.

Note: The zip file is password protected.
Un-Zip Password: symantec

1. Extract the file to a new folder in a convenient location, such as the Desktop, using the un-zip password provided above.
2. Browse to the new folder and execute the utility by double clicking 'CleanWipe.exe'
3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

The utility runs in verbose mode and will ask you about the components you want uninstalled.

Note: If the CleanWipe utility fails to remove Symantec Endpoint Protection, please proceed through the manual uninstall procedure for the version of the product you have installed.

You can find the manual uninstall instructions in the following document: 

Title: How to manually uninstall Symantec Endpoint Protection client from Windows 2000, XP and 2003, 32-bit Editions
Solution ID: 2007073018014248
Document URL:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ent-security.nsf/docid/2007073018014248

Title: 'Manual uninstallation documents for Symantec Client Security products'
Solution ID: 2002031914291648
Document URL: http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ent-security.nsf/docid/2002031914291648

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