When I unhide the hidden files in the folder I copied the user profile that I am going to use as the mandatory profile, I do not see a file named ntuser.dat, I only see a file named ntuser (it has no .dat file extension). But I continue to rename this extensionless file to ntuser.man. I created a group called manprofusers and added some users to it, assigned this group read&execute permission to the shared folder, and permitted to use this profile. When I log off with a user assigned to use this mandatory profile, i get a message saying something like "access denied, contact network administrator". Why am i getting this on logoff. I am doing everything correctly step by step???? the problem must be with the ntuser file!

You may have common file extensions set to not show. The file you are renaming may have an extension that isn't showing.

when I log into the client computer with the domain admin account and go to 'document and settings' and open the profile of the testuser, i see an NTUSER file and a ntuser.dat file. When I log into the domain controller to see the profile files that were copied to the folder on the server I only see the NTUSER file. I went back to the client and did a 'copy to' with the ntuser.dat file to the network share that is holding the mandatory profile, renamed it ntuser.man. But when i continue to logoff with a client that uses the mandatory profile i continue to get access denied for this roaming profile. Its not a roaming profile why does this not work????