Help on User Folder

[antonio.tricoci]

Good morning everyone. exploring the user folder in NTLite I only find the "public" folder and not that of the user I just created in NTLite, I need to find the user folder to put a link to a portable software, does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[garlin]

User accounts are never created before Windows is installed, in the case of offline images.

This is because many system details, including every Local User's SID (Security Identifier) is randomly generated on every install. If you installed the same image twice or more, every time the same User gets a different assigned SID.

Because of this feature, there's no point in creating an \Users\MyUserName folder since the security permissions won't match.

The normal ways of handling user customization:
1. Apply changes to \Users\Default or the Public folders. Changes are shared by all new user accounts.
2. Apply registry or script file changes in Post-Setup (User), so changes are made to the Primary user (you), on first desktop logon.

If you need to add a desktop link that might be used once, copy it to the Public folder.

 

[antonio.tricoci]

I understood the problem: it is that there is a subfolder, in the users folder, called default, which however is hidden (that's why I didn't see it) if I put the links in the users/default desktop, everything works wonderfully. However, there is another problem if I put a .reg file in the NTLite registry entry. Is there anything to do so that this file is applied when Windows starts? Greetings and thank you very much

 

[garlin]

Reg files can be imported in three different NTLite location, each has a different context.

- Registry
Changes are merged into the offline image, so your reg values take effect as soon as Windows reboots after exiting the WinPE Setup screen. This is for situations where you want to prevent some early system behavior. But making changes here may sometimes be too early, because Windows needs to continue installing and may wipe out your changes.

HKCU files don't usually work when added here, because current W10/11 releases will ignore many of the settings during new user provisioning.

- Post-Setup (Machine)
Changes are applied after OOBE, but before the user's first desktop logon. This is for settings you needed to wait for Windows to finish the first-time setup before changing. Great for Windows or tweaking applications if you apply them after running an app installer.

- Post-Setup (User)
Changes are applied during the user's first desktop logon. HKCU edits are best added here, to guarantee they work as applied.

 

[Clanger]

I like to put per user hkcu settings post install as required, different users may want different hkcu customisations.
If a "machine setting"(for the want of a different term) has both hklm and hkcu entries add the reg file to Registry page but as garlin points out it may not always work, in that case add the hkcu Post Setup as garlin says.

because Windows needs to continue installing and may wipe out your changes.

Especially if you have added updates to the image. Captured updated images with everything baked in "should" be ok, but not guaranteed :/