Windows 7: User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installation

Kari · 11 Nov 2010

How to Create User Accounts on another Partition or Disk During Windows 7 Installation

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Click here to read the entire tutorial

Last edited by Kari; 17 Apr 2013 at 03:28 PM..

Kryten2k35 · 04 Aug 2012

This guide no longer works for some reason.

I'm trying to get this with a new ssd but it's not working anymore. I'm using the same windows usb and the same relocate.xml that I used last time but I'm getting the parsing error. I have no idea why.

I'm loading the xml from a hdd, install.wim from the usb.

Needless to say after 10 reinstalls I've had enough. Nuts to it.

Guide no longer works.

Kari · 05 Aug 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Kryten2k35

This guide no longer works for some reason.

I'm trying to get this with a new ssd but it's not working anymore. I'm using the same windows usb and the same relocate.xml that I used last time but I'm getting the parsing error. I have no idea why.

I'm loading the xml from a hdd, install.wim from the usb.

Needless to say after 10 reinstalls I've had enough. Nuts to it.

Guide no longer works.

After reading your post yesterday evening, I decided to run some tests.

I have USB stick install media both for 7 Ultimate and Enterprise, 8 Consumer Preview and 8 Release Preview. I also have an extra laptop for test purposes which I can format and reinstall, nothing important is stored on that laptop.

First test, Install 7 Ultimate, running sysprep while installing as described in tutorial, using the answer file (script) as written in tutorial. Absolutely no problems, both Users and ProgramData folders were relocated to D: as I wanted.

Next test 7 Enterprise, everything again OK.

Windows 8 Release Preview, same answer file. Relocated only Users, Windows Store on Metro UI does not like it when ProgramData is relocated. No problems, Users folder was relocated.

Conclusion from tests last night: the tutorial and answer file are working fine, without problems.

I continued my tests early this morning with virtual machines and existing Windows 7 installation on a desktop. I wanted to be sure about the answer file working also when relocating Users and ProgramData when both folders already exist on default location C: and contain quite a lot of data.

Again, no problems. The answer file works as it should work. Here's a screenshot of my last test, relocating both Users and Programdata on a virtual 7 Enterprise. As you can see, both folders were relocated, created on a new location only a few minutes ago:

User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installation-region.png

The tutorial works. The answer file in tutorial works.

Kari

boohbah · 05 Aug 2012

good work kari, thats a lot of time spent to keep our members informed.
kudos!

Kari · 05 Aug 2012

Thanks Julian.

Golden · 05 Aug 2012

Wow! Thats some effort - great dedication Kari.

Kryten2k35 · 05 Aug 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Kari

Quote: Originally Posted by Kryten2k35

This guide no longer works for some reason.

I'm trying to get this with a new ssd but it's not working anymore. I'm using the same windows usb and the same relocate.xml that I used last time but I'm getting the parsing error. I have no idea why.

I'm loading the xml from a hdd, install.wim from the usb.

Needless to say after 10 reinstalls I've had enough. Nuts to it.

Guide no longer works.

After reading your post yesterday evening, I decided to run some tests.

I have USB stick install media both for 7 Ultimate and Enterprise, 8 Consumer Preview and 8 Release Preview. I also have an extra laptop for test purposes which I can format and reinstall, nothing important is stored on that laptop.

First test, Install 7 Ultimate, running sysprep while installing as described in tutorial, using the answer file (script) as written in tutorial. Absolutely no problems, both Users and ProgramData folders were relocated to D: as I wanted.

Next test 7 Enterprise, everything again OK.

Windows 8 Release Preview, same answer file. Relocated only Users, Windows Store on Metro UI does not like it when ProgramData is relocated. No problems, Users folder was relocated.

Conclusion from tests last night: the tutorial and answer file are working fine, without problems.

I continued my tests early this morning with virtual machines and existing Windows 7 installation on a desktop. I wanted to be sure about the answer file working also when relocating Users and ProgramData when both folders already exist on default location C: and contain quite a lot of data.

Again, no problems. The answer file works as it should work. Here's a screenshot of my last test, relocating both Users and Programdata on a virtual 7 Enterprise. As you can see, both folders were relocated, created on a new location only a few minutes ago:

Attachment 224885

The tutorial works. The answer file in tutorial works.

Kari

Kari,

Hi, sorry I didn't mean to sound curt. I was just frustrated greatly because I'm not joking when I say I installed 10 times to the same error.

My frustration grows because I have used your guide before using my same Windows 7 Pr 64Bit bootable USB. This time around I used the exact same relocate.xml file I create backed then (found on my USB) to perform these steps. I got the parsing error each and ever time, which was incredibly frustrating.

I saw a few people having the exact same issue in this thread but they never seemed to get a resolution.

I tried having the answer file on the C: drive, I tried having the answer file on the D: drive (I understand it couldn't be on the USB/DVD, but had to be on the root of a physical drive). I tried rewriting (recopying) the answer file from your PDF and starting over. Nothing worked at all

The only difference between the first time I followed this guide (with great success) and yesterday was that I'm using an SSD to install to. That's it

Same motherboard, system hardware, etc.

In the end I gave up and used this software:

Software by Joseph Cox

Which does the same thing.

I created an account called Temp on first boot. Renamed my existing User's folder, ran that software, created my account, logged into it and then copied over my data.

I then booted back into the Windows 7 USB, hit Shift+F10 to bring up the command prompt and deleted C:ProgramData and created a junction to it on the D: drive. I did the same for C:\Users just in case any programs are dumb enough to hardcode %SystemDrive%\Users.

Again, apologies for being or sounding curt. I got there in the end, though. I have no idea why the XML file wouldn't parse or whether something was going on with drive letters, but using that software and symlinking tricks did the job for me.

Kari · 05 Aug 2012

Most common parsing errors occur when:

Answer file is not found or it contains errors
Answer file has either wrong bit reference (x86 / amd64), wrong paths or wrong Windows edition
Install.wim is not found
A service is preventing sysprep to run (most typically WMPNetworkSvc)

Anyway, good to hear you finally got it working. Never heard of that tool, though.

Kari

Kryten2k35 · 05 Aug 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Kari

Most common parsing errors occur when:

Answer file is not found or it contains errors
Answer file has either wrong bit reference (x86 / amd64), wrong paths or wrong Windows edition
Install.wim is not found
A service is preventing sysprep to run (most typically WMPNetworkSvc)

Anyway, good to hear you finally got it working. Never heard of that tool, though.

Kari

Here's the answer file I was using:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <FolderLocations>
                <ProfilesDirectory>D:\Users</ProfilesDirectory>
                <ProgramData>D:\ProgramData</ProgramData>
            </FolderLocations>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:E:/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Kari · 05 Aug 2012

That answer file is correct and should work if:

You are using a 64-bit Professional
Would like to locate Users and ProgramData to root of D:
Windows install media is located on E:

Might be a stupid question but you mentioned using USB Flash install media? Apparently you have HD partitions C: and D:, so normally the DVD/CD drive would be E:, so please confirm is your USB stick really E:?

Kari

Kryten2k35 · 05 Aug 2012

Yeah it was E: at the time of install.

I installed to just C: (only the SSD plugged in) got to welcome screen, booted to Audit mode. Then, powered off, plugged in d: drive and rebooted back to audit mode. I specifically went into disk management to make the USB stick drive E:!

Windows 7: User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installation

User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installation problems?