solution to nagging XP issue (for me) finally found?

One of the things I've liked about 2k and XP is that much like linux, all the information for a user is stored in one directory (documents and settings) but it has given me a fair share of headaches when it comes to getting systems to people, because I always want to move data away from the OS. moving the documents and settings folder is easy enough with an unattended XP CD and modifications to the winnt.sif. but my problem has always been after a machine is restored from backup image all the crap on the desktop remains and the programs list in the start menu is not accurate anymore as it reflects programs that are no longer installed. . . . . so I had to try to find a way to re-image the pc and restore baseline desktop and start menus for users.

so some time with VB may have paid off.

I dump the i386 directory from the CD to C: and change the reg so that a cd is not required to install windows components, so inside i386 I put a little text file named flag.txt

I wrote a small backup preperation tool which when executed collects a list of usernames on the local machine, and if that username has a folder in documents and settings, it copies the desktop folder and start menu folder of that users to a folder with their username in d:\backup. it also copies the all users start menu and desktop folders there too. after it copies everything, it deletes flag.txt from i386

when the pc is reimaged, the image contains an entry in the ....current version / run portion of hklm that is d:\restore.exe. the program checks for the existance of flag.txt. if it exists, it exits. if it doesn't exist, it copies the start menu and desktop folders from the backup location then creates the flag.txt file.

I haven't fully tested yet, but I'm hoping that will solve this issue for me, because I often give a person their PC back with a set of restore Cds but also with a backup/restore CD (writes/reads image file from e: partition) with instructions to get internet / printer working and any baseline software installed then run the backup CD.

if this solution works and anyone else wants the code or exe I'll gladly post either or both. I'm just finally happy to have maybe licked this thing.

Personally, I like to redirect the My Documents folder to the D:\ When problems arise and a rebuild is needed, the data is intact.

I know it's longer to rebuild and reinstall, but it's also much cleaner. I also don't know how to write scripts :sad: