Microsoft Windows NT/Microsoft Windows 2000/Windows XP security requires a user profile for each user account on a computer. The system automatically creates a local user profile for each user when the user logs on to the computer for the first time. The system automatically maintains the settings for each user's work environment in a user profile on the local computer.

To copy or delete a user profile, the administrator selects System from the Control Panel, then the Advanced tab, and then the Settings button in the User Profile area.

The user's profile is not loaded automatically when the user is logged on using the LogonUser function. To load a user profile programmatically, use the LoadUserProfile function. To unload a user profile loaded by LoadUserProfile, call the UnloadUserProfile function.