Although you can use local user profiles on a Windows 95-based, Windows 98-based or Windows Me-based computer, you cannot make the profiles mandatory. Attempting to rename a User.dat file to User.man in a local profile folder does not work properly. The result is that changes made to a profile that uses a User.man file are saved to the User.dat file in the Windows folder instead.

Also, if you try to rename the User.dat file in the Windows folder to User.man in Windows 95, you receive the following error message the next time you restart the computer: In Windows 98/Me, the error message reads: In Windows 95, you have the option to restore from a backup. Windows 98 offers to repair the registry for you on the next boot. Windows Me repairs the registry the next time you start your computer.

User profiles are used to allow each user to have a customized desktop, customized programs, and other settings. Mandatory user profiles are used to prevent changes to the profile from being saved when a user logs off a network. In some environments, it may be necessary to disable the ability to save changes to a profile so that the profile remains the same after the user logs off the network. However, mandatory profiles do not work if they are used on the local computer.

For additional information about profiles and mandatory profiles, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: