Moving the \Users folder back to where it was

[mediaman09]

I would like to restore my default users accounts to C:\users..... but dont want to lock my self out in the process. How should I proceeed?

Background:

INITIAL SETUP - When I first started using Windows7, I had the default set up with:

- Program files on C:\Program Files
- User files on C:\Users
​

This worked, but was problematic/inconvenient re backups.

MODIFIED SETUP. Using the tutorial here , I repartitioned my drive asd revised my set up to :

- Program files on C:\Program Files
--------------------------------------
- User files on D:\Users
​

This worked for a while, but it took some time for me to realize that this is not really what I wanted, as the \Users location is really a mix of User Account files and true User Data. My desired endstate is shown below.


INTERIM (CURRENT) SETUP - In prep for my end-state, I currently now have this:

- Program files on C:\Program Files
--------------------------------------
- User files on D:\Users
- User Data files on D:\UserData
​

END STATE, - My last and final step, not yet done, is to get to this:

- Program files on C:\Program Files
- User files on C:\Users
--------------------------------------
- User Data files on D:\UserData
​

If I follow the steps outlined in this tutorial , to move from D:\Users to C\Users, are there any cautions I need to be aware of in terms of avoiding pitfalls that would prevent me from loggin back into my machine?

I recall, in the past, being challenged when I was faced with error messages telling me there was no valid account to sign into. I was foreed at that time to boot into Safe Mode, get to regedit etc to get myself out of the problem.

Thanks.

 

[gregrocker]

I have used http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18583-user-folders-restore-default-location.html?filter quite a few times to restore User folders to default location without any problems. If the Location tab is missing then rebuild them using the other option.

In the future you can copy any or all of each User folder to another drive and link it easier by rightclicking to add to the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums.

 

[mediaman09]

Hmm, I read the tutoriall but it seems to only talk about user data files ( music, pictures, documents etc). Thos area ll ataken car of already ( they are in a UserData folder, nice and safe)

What I am really after is moving the user ACCOUNTS ove... ie

1) Dad\\App Data ..etc
2) The account themselves to log in ,ie Admin, Mom, Dad, etc

I dont see any referecne to any of that.

I dont think I can just do the following.... or can I ??

1) in windows explorer, move the D:\Users folder to C:\Users
2) go into RegEdit and change all references of D:\Users to C:\Users
3) reboot

Now I'm getting nervous..re imminent Profile errors once I start trying to move the folder.

 

[gregrocker]

That one I have not done but it seems to be covered by Option One - Method Two in http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87555-user-profile-change-default-location.html. Shawn's tutorials are the state of the art of Win7 knowledge.

 

[mediaman09]

Okay , I got thru most of it, in that I can reboot into my existing accounts, and onll have some minor cleanups to do ( re-copy some lost settings, re-isnsall some apps etc). Could have been a lot worse.

HOWEVER , BIG ISSUE - When I try to create a brand new profile, it finishe, but its corrupted in that i get this persistant "location not available" error messge.

 

[gregrocker]

I'd ask the author of the tutorial as the error you received is broad-based and it's best solution to System Restore would put you back to where you started.

 

[mediaman09]

For the benefit of others, it occurred to be the default profile must be out of whack, so I copied an old users\default subdirectory from a backup and created another account ...error message gone !

 

[gregrocker]

Good work MM!

Keep us posted on how it performs, and when ready you can mark the thread Solved at top.