Profile maintenance

Windows user profile

Windows saves user-specific files in a user profile, e.  g. personal adjustments such as background, desktop, quick launch bar and the files, which are related to the various programmes (temporary files, internet explorer cache, MS office settings).

In Windows 7 user profiles are located under C:\Users\Loginname. To navigate to the own profile folder, you can enter %userprofile% eingeben. The profile will be copied after the logging out of Windows to the home drive H: and with every log in it will be copied back to the local drive C:. In doing so, the user can work without depending on the device from PC pool. Therefore the copying back to the local drive enables the user to work with the current user profile and with the Windows configuration.

The limitation of the user profile

The copying of the user profile from the server to the local device or vice versa prolongs the duration of the logging in and logging out. Therefore the size limitation from the central page was implemented (to 50 MB). If the size of 50 MB will be exceeded, every user will be informed about the exceeding during logout.

Normally, only the active user profile should be edited underC:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\Loginname bearbeitet werden and not the copy on the H:.

How big is my current user profile?

There is a symbol In the info area on the left near the time of day, which calls up per double-click the listing of all the files, which are present in the profile. Moreover, the total storage size will be shown.

For the case, when the acceptable storage size is exceeded, a white cross in a red circle near the time will be shown.

How can I make my user profile smaller?

1. Delete the cache of the internet explorer and keep it small

In the menu bar under "extras" the option "delete the browser history" can be found. Per click the selection window will be opened, where you can choose the specific data to delete. "Temporary internet data" and "cookies" consume the most of the storage space.

2. Clean up the desktop

Instead of saving the files on the desktop, in general, they should be saved under H:. The private libraries Eigene Bilder, Eigene Dokumente etc. can be used easily, since they are redirected to the H:.

3. Delete the files in the profile manually

Sometimes even after carrying out the cleaning according to the points listed above, the user profile exceeds the allowed total size. In this case, you can identify with the help of the profile-storage-space-view the biggest files, which are present in the profile. Unimportant files should be deleted manually. If the function of the file is not clear, you should inform yourself on the internet or ask the pool supervisor, before you delete it.