used sysprep to retain my HDD in a new install and now I am screwed!

L1N3ARX · 14 Aug 2011

Hi,
I really hope someone is kind enough to help me out on this... I recently upgraded an x58 to a z68 system and decided to follow this guide >> Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer in order to retain my hard drive as is. Everything pretty much went perfect except that, after I created the initial "test" or temporary account to finish the install, I no longer retained my original Administrator account with all my profile settings etc. The folder is still there but I no longer have that account listed along with my newly created test account.

To say I am desperate would be an understatement, I need to have this computer ready for a peer tomorrow and need to find a way to re-instate the original administrator account as it was before. If you can help, I would be extremely grateful!

gregrocker · 14 Aug 2011

I would restore from your backup image which is supposed to be made before SysPrepping.

Then to avoid SysPrep move HD to new hardware and if it won't start, boot Paragon Adaptive Restore CD and run it on the Win7 installation to remove all drivers and prepare it to start on new hardware without compromising User accounts.

L1N3ARX · 14 Aug 2011

I've actually been going crazy to find my system image which I made onto an external HD last week. I have no idea where it is and have spent quite a few hours looking for it. I'm so desperate right now, I just don't know what to do. Is there anything I can do to re-instate the original account? I'll pretty much jump through any hoop I need to at this point... Thanks for any guidance!

gregrocker · 14 Aug 2011

I've asked the tutorial's author Kari to look at this.

The best approach until then is to find the image to reapply it to target HD, then use the paid app which only removes the drivers and not generalize the image to start up as a new install as was done.

If all you've lost are settings then you can also create a new account and start fresh which is best anyway since importing settings to a new install is a corruption path.

Kari · 15 Aug 2011

Just woke up and saw this, so until my blood caffeine level is a bit higher and I can think clearly, here's some thoughts:

Although I know this does not help you, I have to say this should not happen. Sysprep does not, should not, touch existing user profiles and folders.

As Greg already mentioned, I think that the best approach would be to reapply image. Or, if the user folder is still there as I understood, just create a new admin account, take ownership of the files and folders in old disappeared account and move them to new profile.

Kari