User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installation

Gotcha! :) As I have plenty of spare HHDs I'll just let Windows do its thing and backup C & D, then use Acronis to just backup C and when the time comes to reinstall (again) I'll see what happens and let you know.

Thanks
Ted

I encountered a problem when using sysprep - it failed with an error. I could also not reboot back into oobe mode. I looked in the c:\windows\system32\sysprep\Panther folder and opened the setuperr.txt file. The error message given was:

Failure occurred while executing 'drmv2clt.dll,Sysprep'

Googling this I found this post:

Sysprep - "Failure occurred while executing drmv2clt.dll" - Fix

The advice is to disable Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service, although I simply stopped it. I had to do this when rebooting back to oobe also.

I have Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit SP1, if that makes any difference.

Also, after completing the process my desktop background was black - simple fix.

Also, I still had a ProgramData folder on the c:\ system drive. It contained a Microsoft folder containing stuff for Security Essentials, Search and Windows\Cache. After uninstalling Security Essentials, I renamed the folder to ProgramData_Orig and created Junctions from c:\ to d:\ for the ProgramData and Users folders in case programs access the c:\ with hard coding. See this post:

Win7: how do I move user folder to a different drive - Microsoft Answers

BrianWilder's post on Oct 6, 2011.

I used Link Shell Extension to create the Junctions.

Also, when rebooting back to oobe, I had to Activate windows again, so I needed the product key.

Hope this helps somebody.

@kari Re your post 47

Kari said:

but library default save location is set to J:\Music. All music is there.

Prresumably I can create another folder on the d:\ drive for music? And that would not be included in the system image? Rather than adding another drive or partitioning d:\? So I would have Users, ProgramData and Music on d:\.

I followed the steps but when i exited audit mode and finish the installation i get an error saying it can't finish the installation and that i should reboot and try again. I have now revooted 10+ times so it wont work.

What did i do wrong?

Kari, in post #22, you wrote:

If you want to install Seven on an SSD: Install Seven normally to SSD, disconnecting all other disks. After Windows has booted first time normally after installation, shut the computer down and reconnect other disks. Reboot Windows.

Why do you recommend disconnecting other drives before installing W7 on an SSD? I just finished installing W7 on my SSD, and moved the Users and Programdata to my HDD. Everything seems to be working fine. Am I missing something? Will I have better performance if I'd disconnected the HDD first then followed your instructions in post #22?
Thanks...

Tofraz said:

I followed the steps but when i exited audit mode and finish the installation i get an error saying it can't finish the installation and that i should reboot and try again. I have now revooted 10+ times so it wont work.

What did i do wrong?

You might want to take a look at this thread:
Common Installation Problems and Their Solutions
and see if your problem is there, if not post it there. Your problem may be unrelated to these instructions... just a thought.

I executed the tutortial with no problems (errors) using the XML script with new user folder drive to be Drive D

Two problems:
1) A user folder for Admin and Public were created on BOTH drive C and Drive E (which wasn't even specified in XML file).

The user folder is still on drive C -and- drive E. Nothing was created on drive D as desired and noted in the XML file.

2) When I create a new user, then logon as that user, the user folders are created only on drive C - not drive E nor drive D....just drive C.

3) The Apps_Data folder isn't anywhere.

Hardware setup:
Physical Drives (old spinners - Western Digital "black" series)
Disk 0 - SYSTEM (100mb)
Disk 0 - Drive C = Boot / primary - 500 GB
Disk 0 - Drive D = data / primary - 1.5 TB

Disk 1 - drive E = data / primary - 950 GB
Disk 1 - drive F = data / primary - 950 GB

I did install this after an initial Win 7 install, after which I learned I could re direct user folders....so I deleted all paritions, etc when I did the 2nd install following Kari's tutorial.

No errors were encountered when running process.

Before I run this again, any ideas why this might occur?

thanks!
REM

First, that's a wonderfull thread and guide ! Thanks Kari for all the work.

I'm planning a clean install to an Intel 520 - 120G with ProgramData and Users moved to the drive currently having W7 (VelociRaptor 300G). I've looked at every message in this thread but didn't find answers to my questions.

First problem I see is that my W7 HomePremium is an upgrade. This requires current W7 to be in the computer to reinstall it on the SSD. It's mentionned in the thread to previously disconnect every other HDD specially one with Windows. Is this requirement (disconnect HDDs) only for moving ProgramData and Users or is it for installing W7 on a SSD ? If I could keep the current HDD, then I will install W7 on the SSD and then move the ProgramData and USers to the new HDD partition. I hope it's possible ?

Is there an easier way to complet this job with a W7 upgrade ? There may be one.

If I really need to remove HDD, there's a way to complete this but I would like to avoid it : Decrease the current 300G W7 partition to say 115G. Move the current W7 system to the SSD. Do a clean install on the ssd (Raptor can now be disconnected). Reformat the raptor with 2 partitions. Connect the raptor and move the ProgramData and Users to the Raptor. This should work but what a PITA ...

Second question is around language. My W7 is a french one. I saw few posts about language but without any clear indications. I understood I will have to find french names for everything in the xml file to have it working ??? I will try it as it is because sometimes, english does the job in a french system ! If I have to, I Imagine I find much of the right words in the French AIK ? I will be back with the results and the french xml if I have to have one.

Thanks in advance