Discrepancy after using 'Copy To' between profiles. Can I compare?

[Daylight]

Hello, I just set up a new laptop and screwed up the name, but by the time I accepted it would be a problem I'd already moved everything from old laptop/re-installed programs/etc. So, I used the "Copy To" solution to move the wrongly named profile (WP) over a rightly named one (RP). All seems well with RP so far, minus one program permission hiccup, but I was checking the User Profiles section and I notice that WP is still 4GBs bigger than RP. I've made sure all programs and their settings were transferred okay, so I was wondering if there is any way for me to compare the profiles to find out where the difference is? Or does anyone have any idea what might be missing? The search and google aren't giving me anything specific to this.
I want to delete the WP but not until I am sure they are identical. Thank you.

 

[whs]

With a sync program like Allway Sync you can test the file differences - but do not sync. I recommend you make a test first on a couple of small files.

 

[Daylight]

With a sync program like Allway Sync you can test the file differences - but do not sync. I recommend you make a test first on a couple of small files.

Even across profiles? Oh vcool. Thank you, I'll try it now and see what happens.

is the initial test just to check if it's working right? hopefully the free version won't limit me since I won't go as far as syncing.

 

[Kari]

Hi Daylight, welcome to the Seven Forums.

By default the AppData folder (subfolder in every user profile folder) is hidden. If you did not select Show hidden files, folders and drives (see tutorial) before copying and selected all items inside the source profile copying them to target profile, AppData including all its subfolders like for instance Temp folder was not copied and could easily explain the difference.

Kari

EDIT:
I totally forgot to mention there's of course a valid reason why AppData is hidden. It is a system folder containing profile specific application data, it should remain hidden and protected as normally the user has no reason to manually add or edit anything located in AppData. It should also never be copied over to another profile.

 

[whs]

With a sync program like Allway Sync you can test the file differences - but do not sync. I recommend you make a test first on a couple of small files.

Even across profiles? Oh vcool. Thank you, I'll try it now and see what happens.

is the initial test just to check if it's working right? hopefully the free version won't limit me since I won't go as far as syncing.

The initial test is there to make sure you know how to operate the program. It's always possible to make a mistake.

 

[Daylight]

Hi Daylight, welcome to the Seven Forums.

By default the AppData folder (subfolder in every user profile folder) is hidden. If you did not select Show hidden files, folders and drives (see tutorial) before copying and selected all items inside the source profile copying them to target profile, AppData including all its subfolders like for instance Temp folder was not copied and could easily explain the difference.

Kari

Thanks Kari. I did have files unhidden before copying, but checked them over with the syncing program anyway. There were a few differences there but not enough to explain. Still I'm wondering if I should copy over AppData again just to be sure, but then that might mess up the couple of things I've done since setting up the RP...
Oh, when I did the copy over I didn't do it by selecting everything. I used the greyed-out advanced settings option. Would that make a difference?

The initial test is there to make sure you know how to operate the program. It's always possible to make a mistake.

I gave it a go, but nothing has popped up as a big missing chunk. There are a couple discrepancies, but nothing big enough to explain 4GB :/ At least I know such programs are out here, thanks.

 

[Kari]

My mistake not to mention this in my previous post, I simply forgot it: You should never copy AppData from profile to another!!!

I have added this warning and reason why it should not be done to my previous post.

 

[Daylight]

My mistake not to mention this in my previous post, I simply forgot it: You should never copy AppData from profile to another!!!

I have added this warning and reason why it should not be done to my previous post.

Ohh :/ Oh dear. That makes sense. I had thought it was around to hold settings. Since I didn't copy it manually, should it be okay? Or is there something I need to fix now? Is that why some of my programs are still pointing to the old profile (eg. if there's a browse function)?

 

[Kari]

If you opened the old profile folder, selected all and copied to new profile folder, and when doing so you had not enabled showing hidden files and folders, it was not copied.