In an on-going effort to improve the UWSTUDENT lab system, Information Technology enforces a quota limit on the amount of space a person's profile can occupy. This is designed to prevent profile corruption and to speed up the logon process.

To find out what the current default quota is for a student's personal profile, see the UWSTUDENT Computer Accounts page (http://microlab.uwyo.edu/accounts.htm). If a user exceeds this quota limit, the user will be prompted by a Profile storage space warning message stating: "You have exceeded your profile storage space quota. Before you can log off, you will need to move some items from your profile to your H: Drive storage. Please go to the following Web page: http://microlab.uwyo.edu/profile.htm for further explanation, or contact the Lab Assistant for assistance."

This message will reappear every five minutes until the user is under profile quota. In addition to this window, a red X will be placed in the System Tray in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.

Going over profile quota is generally caused by general use of the lab system over time, which can cause the ntuser.dat file to grow and become too large.  

NOTE: If the ntuser.dat file is the main cause of the error, see the Lab Assistant on duty for help. This file cannot be reduced. A lab assistant will need to assist you in recreating your profile to correct the problem.  If you are in a non-staffed lab, shut down the computer by holding in the power button for 15 seconds and then releasing it. Restart the computer for the next person, and then go to a staffed computer lab for assistance.

Double-click the red X in your System Tray to open the Profile Storage Space window. You will also see this window if you try to log off while you still exceed your profile quota.  

This window shows all of the extra files in your profile directory and how much space is being used by each file. This will give you a good idea which files you may want to move or delete in order to get back under quota. You can then go to C:\Documents and Settings\Username (where Username is your UWYO domain username). From this directory, you can then move or delete files until you are under quota.

Many times the files which are pushing the user over quota are in the Desktop or Cookies folders. Deleting these files, if they are not necessary, or moving these files into your H: drive or onto a disk should bring you under quota again. You will not be able to log off until your profile is back under the quota limit. Once you are under quota, the red X will disappear from the System Tray, and you will be able to log off as usual.

If Cookies appear to be one of the main causes of the error, see the Cookie Management on UWSTUDENT Lab Computers FAQ (www.uwyo.edu/askit/displaydoc.asp?askitdocid=594&parentid=1) for information on deleting these files.

NOTE: If the ntuser.dat file is the main cause of the error, see the Lab Assistant on duty for help. This file cannot be reduced. A lab assistant will need to assist you in recreating your profile to correct the problem.  If you are in a non-staffed lab, shut down the computer by holding in the power button for 15 seconds and then releasing it. Restart the computer for the next person, and then go to a staffed computer lab for assistance.

If you have troubles in deleting any items or are unsure of the location of these items, see the   Lab Assistant on duty for help.