How to Create Individual Home Directories

• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51

SUMMARY

This article provides specific instructions, through an example, on how to create and assign each new user a Home Directory in a Windows NT domain. That is, each user will connect to a share that contains only their files and directories and nothing else.

MORE INFORMATION

In the following example, the user ID is referred to as HomeUser and the server where the home directories reside is referred to as \\HomeSrv.

1. Create a directory and share on the server:

      a.    On \\HomeSrv, create a directory called HomeUser. This directory
   can
         be in any location on the server hard drive, but user home
         directories are typically created under the C:\Users directory.
   
      b. Share the HomeUser directory as HOMEUSER. Each user subdirectory
         must be shared separately.
   
   

2. Create the user ID:

   a. From User Manager for Domains, choose New User from the User menu.

   b. Enter a valid user name, description, and password. For the example,

         the username is HomeUser.
   

   c. Click Profile.

   d. In the Home Directory box, click the option button next to Connect

         and choose a drive letter. This drive letter will be used only by
         Windows NT clients. For this example, choose H.
   

   e. In the To box, enter the UNC path where this user's home directory

         will reside. For example, \\HomeSrv\%username%.
   

3. Secure the \\HomeSrv\HomeUser share so only HomeUser has access to it.

   a. Run File Manager, select C:\Users\HomeUser, and choose Share As from

         the Disk menu.
   

   b. Click Permissions and then click Add.

   c. Select the HomeUser name and click Add.

   d. Set the type of access that this user should have to the share.

         Because this is the user's home directory, they should either have
         Full Control or Change access to the share.
   

   e. Click OK.

   f. Click Everyone and then click Remove.

4. Create a logon script if needed.

   If this user will be logging on from different clients (Windows NT, Windows 95, or Windows for Workgroups) then assign a logon script that issues a NET USE H: /HOME command. On Windows NT, the command will simply fail because the home directory has already been assigned. On the other clients it will connect drive H: to the \\HomeSrv\HomeUser share.

   For more information on creating and assigning logon scripts, see the Windows NT documentation and the Knowledge Base.