Windows: Have a new user to utilize another user profile

this is a bit tricky and hope you can help me. I'm migrating from an old domain to a new one lots of Windows Servers, now I'm in a point where some years ago somebody set up two VMs (Win 2k3) to run a specific software. Now, that sofware only allows you to run and edit its configuration from a single account, guess what account they've chose? The Domain Administrator account.

So basically I can't migrate the account.

What I want to do is create a local account, now the question, is there a way to link this local account to the Administrator profile on those machines? So basically I want to link the local account to the Domain Admin account.

Any suggestion is much appreciated.

Thanks :)

Simone

Posted 2013-09-12T11:20:07.527

Reputation: 93

Are you saying that this application only runs if a specific user profile is used or it only works if a domain administrator account is used? – Ramhound – 2013-09-12T11:27:49.650

Hi, this application runs only with a single user. It doesn't need to be a domain admin. So if I use my personal domain admin account, I won't be able to open the configuration settings as the only one who can do it is domain\administrator. – Simone – 2013-09-12T11:33:22.797

You can make any account a domain user. I am trying to understand if the application work with ONLY a specific user profile or not. It working ONLY on Domain\Administrator is different then working on any user in the Domain\Administrator user group. – Ramhound – 2013-09-12T11:51:22.840

It will ONLY work with that user profile. Which could have been also local\mrbeen, it's just a case that they've used domain\administrator. So the only option I see is to re-link a new user to that profile..I don't know how though.. Tnx – Simone – 2013-09-12T11:54:54.097

If the Domain/Administrator account isn't used you could link the User Profile to the Domain/Administrator folder location but this would cause problems if that user is ever used. Will the software work with the local Administrator account? Trying to understand if this is a directory location pathing problem or a permission problem. – Ramhound – 2013-09-12T12:33:26.390

My colleagues and I think that it's hard coded in the software after the installation. How can I point a new user to the domain\administrator profile? Because the problem is not only pointing it to %userprofile% folder but also let it believe that the user never changed. That's what I'd like to achieve. Thanks again – Simone – 2013-09-12T12:48:05.253

The first part of the problem is possible the second part is not if the user account is actually checked. How critical is this software, lol – Ramhound – 2013-09-12T12:55:16.880

Ok, bear in mind that nobody will use that user on these VM, and, once in the new domain, nobody will ever use the Administrator account. So, if we're able to fool Windows let it believe I'm that user, then also the software should work 100%. So, how would I go ahead? - The software is vital and if this doesn't work, I'll see big money to be spent for it. – Simone – 2013-09-12T13:00:05.173

I can't join chat currently but the people in Root Access might have some ideas. The more I hear about this software the more I think you might be better off just getting rid of it. – Ramhound – 2013-09-12T13:11:12.957

It's not that easy.. it's a pretty big company and nobody knows anything.. – Simone – 2013-09-12T13:35:32.183

Windows: Have a new user to utilize another user profile

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