User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installation

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

   Information

There are several methods to move user profiles to another disk or partition after you have installed Windows 7. The easiest way is to use Audit Mode and System Preparation Tool, both built-in Windows 7 features, to permanently move the location of the folder Users.

This tutorial shows how to relocate both Users and ProgramData to another disk or partition when doing a new, fresh and clean install of Windows 7. If you have already installed Seven, and you'd like to move those folders away from their default location in C: drive, please read first post number 22 in this thread. Follow the steps told in that post, and continue then from beginning of the page 4 in this tutorial.

When Windows 7 is installed, 5 or 6 system folders are created depending on chosen bit-version:

• PerfLogs (Performance Logs), where Windows stores performance and reliability logs
• Program Files, where applications and software are installed. Windows x86 (32-bit) stores all applications here, Windows x64 (64-bit) only native 64-bit applications
• Program Files (x86), only in Windows x64. All non-x64 applications are stored here
• Windows, which contains core operating system files and drivers
• ProgramData, where some applications store application and user specific settings and configuration files
• Users. This is the "home" of all user folders. When a new user account is created and this new user logs in first time, Windows creates a set of user specific folders Users\New_User

Moving Windows and Program Files folders is not recommend by Microsoft. However, moving both Users and ProgramData folders is safe and can save a lot of space on system disk. Pictures, mp3’s videos, documents and so on, a user folder with its subfolders can be tens, sometimes hundreds of gigabytes.

For instance, using this laptop of mine as an example, the total size of Users folder and subfolders is at the moment about 240 GB. The size of ProgramData folder is at the moment almost 18 GB. I simply could not have these folders stored in my system C: drive, there’s not enough space.

When installing Windows 7, I recommend using Windows System Preparation Tool (Sysprep) in so called Audit Mode to relocate Users and ProgramData, leaving C: drive only for Windows and applications.

   Warning

An upgraded Windows cannot be sysprepped. As this method is based in sysprepping, this tutorial is valid only for Windows setups which have not been upgraded.

This means that if you have for instance in-place upgraded Vista to Seven, you cannot sysprep. The same applies if you have upgraded from a lesser edition to a better edition, for instance from Windows 7 Home Premium to Professional.

Notice that a repair install is also an upgrade install, so if you have ever done a repair install (= in-place upgrade to same edition), you cannot sysprep.

In other words, when sysprepping an existing Windows setup it only works if the Windows was installed clean and has never been upgraded or repaired using repair install, or if it is the original pre-installed Windows.

Using this method causes Windows 7 to lose activation information, and it needs to be reactivated afterwards. If your Windows 7 is an OEM version, you might not be able to reactivate it, at least not without phone activation option.

   Warning

IE10 Users: Please read this article first: Sysprep Fatal Error With IE 10 (FIX) | System Administration

Complete tutorial as PDF: View attachment Relocate User folders during Windows 7 installation.pdf (1.22 MB)

Kari

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change the Default Location of a User Profile in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Change the Default Location of Windows 7 User Folders
• How to Restore the Default Location of Windows 7 User Folders
• How to Free Up and Recover Hard Drive Space in Windows 7
• How to Change the User Folder Name of a User Profile in Windows 7

 

[Britton30]

Kari, Britton30, I was finally able to do it. Thanks for you help.

Regards,

Woo Hoo! that is good news. The next time you do it will be easier.

 

[DonChino]

Windows 2008 R2

So how does all of this work for Windows 2008 R2? They are basically the same underneath, so I was hoping to move the Users and ProgramData folders onto the D: Drive like my personal PC.

Any chance this works for the server editions? What do we put in the XML file since you only mention the Windows 7 variants...

 

[Corona2172]

Hey guys. Like some others, I have followed the tutorial to the letter each time, and each time I do it, sysprep makes a show of working, then I log on for the first time, and ... nothing. Nothing has been moved. I have an SSD and followed all of the steps. I've probably done this procedure now about 11 times. HOWEVER..... after reading through pages of this thread, I may know what the deal is, and i'd like to know if this is the possible culprit:

1. In order to perform each clean install of Seven, I have been using my System Reinstallation DVD provided by IBUYPOWER. This is a recovery DVD.... So, am I to understand that the reason (possibly) everything appears to work, but then nothing has moved, is probably because i'm not using an actual windows 7 installation dvd that contains the Install.wim file?

2. If that is not the problem, what could it be?

Thanks guys.

 

[Britton30]

Did you disconnect the HDD during thw Windows install? Do that, then shut down when asked to reboot for sysprep and re-connect the HDD.

Or you can try it this way. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html

 

[Corona2172]

Britton30: Yes, thats what I meant by following the steps to the letter as well as mentioning the SSD part. Whatever is going wrong, I am more than positive that it isn't with a step missed or left out.

As previously stated, I never receive an error message. Sysprep runs, the pc reboots, and nothing has moved.

But what about my question? Do you think it is because I use an OEM Recovery cd/re-installation cd and not a windows 7 installation cd? I read somewhere on here that it had to be the actual install cd with a file called "Install.wim". So, do you think that me using a recovery cd and not instal cd is what is causing nothing to happen?

Thanks for the quick reply bth.

 

[Kari]

Hey guys. Like some others, I have followed the tutorial to the letter each time, and each time I do it, sysprep makes a show of working, then I log on for the first time, and ... nothing. Nothing has been moved. I have an SSD and followed all of the steps. I've probably done this procedure now about 11 times.

Sorry, I have been absent lately, explanation here.

Just to check: Are you talking about first boot / login after running sysprep? If so, it is only logical and normal the folders are not yet moved.

If you follow the tutorial to the letter, the sysprep command line is:
sysprep.exe /audit /reboot /unattend:X:\NameOfTheAnswerFile.xml
where the boot mode switch (highlighted above) tells Windows to boot back to Audit Mode. Running sysprep only prepares Windows for actions told in answer file, first OOBE (normal) boot afterwards then performs the prepared actions.

So, the question is have you exited the Audit Mode as told in tutorial (page 6: Exiting Audit Mode)? If not, Windows stays in Audit Mode also after reboot and nothing is / will be moved.

Kari

 

[Britton30]

The IBUYPOWER install disk should be fine. I suspect they have put their own logo on it and added some bloatware, maybe.

 

[Corona2172]

Kari: I am very sorry for your loss....



As for the other stuff:

I know I wrote it as if I considered the second audit reboot to be my first login, but of course, it is not. Here is what I do: I send the system to audit mode at the very first loging screen. While there, I set the sysprep to run the code. I run the code. The PC reboots, again, in audit mode. I then click ok for the PC to reboot in OOBE. The PC does, and then prepares first time setup, video settings, etc. Then, once i'm logged in for the first time, I check and nothing has moved.

I can't stress to you guys enough that I promise you I have not missed a step in your tutorial, nor have I incorrectly installed on the SSD with the HDD attached... I've spent about 8 hours doing this over and over and reading the posts following the tutorial and seeing people's mistakes. I can assure you that, if you posted it, I did it...

Now, please, tell me if this is possibly the problem:::::::::::::: "Do you think it is because I use an OEM Recovery cd/re-installation cd and not a windows 7 installation cd? I read somewhere on here that it had to be the actual install cd with a file called "Install.wim". So, do you think that me using a recovery cd and not instal cd is what is causing nothing to happen?"

 

[Corona2172]

@Britton30: Are you sure? around page 24 there seems to be some discussion as to whether or not an OEM cd would work and it seems like Kari suggested that it would not... I just really want this to work. I mean, I know how to move the user/myname profile to my HDD... but this method is so much better as it transfers both User profiles AND ProgramData...

 

[Britton30]

Corona, no I'm not sure. I have uses an installer which is in reality and Upgrade version and an iso I put on a bootable USB stick. I couldn't find the discussion you refer too but perhaps Kari will know.

What does your disk label say? If they only gave your a recovery disk, I'm sure that won't work. As in System recovery disk one can create from within Windows.

You can get an iso file for the version of Win 7 you have here: http://www.mydigitallife.info/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-from-digital-river/ Download the exact version you have, the key will work for only that one.

You can then create a USB or DVD installer with it. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31541-windows-7-usb-dvd-download-tool.html

 

[Corona2172]

Britton 30, thanks for the link. I will try and figure out how to use that ISO.

Here is what my Cd says:

" i series. Reinstallation DVD. The software included on this Recovery DVD-ROM was pre-installed on your hard drive at the factory and may only be used for backup and recovery of your computer system. Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit"


Here is my plan.... I think I will try again by using my Re-Installation DVD to install windows 7 in a clean install again. However, this time, when i Shutdown the computer from Audit mode (and after I re-attach my HDD) I will load the ISO of windows 7 and tell the script to look for it there (on the ISO)... that way, all of my correct system drivers gets installed, and when time to run the Sysprep and make it run the script, it will look to the ISO for the file instead of my DVD i've tried with before. What do you think?

 

[Britton30]

From the label it appears to be a Win 7 installer. Your plan sound ok, but you will still have to install your drivers afterwards, LAN, GPU, chipset, USB, etc.
Good luck this time!

 

[Corona2172]

VICTORY!!!!!!!! Kari, Britton30, thank you guys for all of your help. Many clean installs later and i've finally done it!

Britton30, I followed the link to the ISO you posted and DL'ed my Win7 version. I put it on a bootable formatted DVD and ran the clean install/sysprep, etc, using that disc as opposed to the OEM recovery dvd i had been using. This time, when I rebooted for the first time in regular mode, sure enough, my folders had moved. I deleted the ProgramData folder on C: and used a shell extension program to create Junctions between the folders on C: and D:. Everything worked out well.

I do have one last question though: When I place a file in either folder location, I can see it in both. Does that mean that the file is being stored on both drives? Or is it that, due to the junction, I can view the files from the C: drive, but that they are actually on the D: drive now?

Thanks again guys.

 

[Britton30]

Well that's good news indeed.
I'm unsure of your folder question though. I didn't make any junctions, the OS treats the data and OS drives as part of one single drive. If I click a file, whether its on my C or K, (my data) it opens.

 

[Corona2172]

Well, I may have spoke too soon. Everything was going fine, but as I was installing drivers for things such as my GPU, weird things started happening on my desktop. The pc would freeze, etc. I looked in my Devices and Printers section, and the PC icon has a yellow exclamation sign on it. When I look, it says each item in there is missing drivers.

When I try to tell the devices to update drivers, it says drivers cannot be found.

The actual devices that are showing no drivers is:

3D Video Controller
42 different "Base System Device"
Ethernet Controller
Network Controller
PCI Simple communications controllers
4 performance counters
SM Bus Controller
System Interrupt Controller
2 Universal Serial Bus Controller's

 

[Ru420baked]

i need little more help

hey kari nice to meet you ok i see about moving user directories and program data ok is the program data both the programs and programs86 folders im not to windows or pc literate and i was looking to have my users programs programs86 put to a partition on the hard drive i installed fresh win copy in so i was trying to seperate them files off incase if windows takes a dump i still have all my files and just have to reset up windows again then and if not how would i write to script for the directories under programs and programs86 folders

 

[Kari]

Hi Ru420baked, welcome to the Seven Forums.

I have some difficulties to understand your question, but let's try.

You should absolutely not move, relocate or delete Program Files and Program Files (x86) folders. They are the default locations where Windows installs most of your software by default. Programs that let you select installation drive and folder other than these two also quite often install at least some files in them.

Although possible, relocating these two folders is not recommend by Microsoft. Due everything that can go wrong when relocating them, I will never give any advice in this topic. Call me chicken if you like to but I am simply refusing to take any responsibility in case something goes wrong when moving Program Files .

ProgramData folder is then a completely other story. Your installed applications create some folders for things like settings, temporary files, in case of browsers your profiles and bookmarks / favorites and so on. These are saved in two locations, the hidden AppData folder containing user specific settings and Programdata , hidden as well, which contains more general application settings.

The AppData folder is a subfolder for your user profile folder, so AppData folders for each user are relocated when you relocate Users (main user profile folder). The purpose of this tutorial is to move user settings, profiles and files so after relocating the main folder Users the script (answer file) does the same thing with this "Public All Users Settings" folder ProgramData.

Remember, Program Files and Program Files (x86) folders are not to be compared with ProgramData folder. Apples and oranges as they say.

Read more about the system folders on the first page of tutorial.

Kari

 

[jeffe]

I've got a question:

Could you relocate Users and ProgramData to a mapped network drive if it was available and accessible during audit mode? I imagine it would have to be on a static IP. What would happen if the network drive rebooted and dropped of the network momentarily (NAS reboot?)

 

[Kari]

Jeffe, the answer is no. Let me quote my previous post altering what I said just a bit; although your question is different, my answer is basically the same:

Due everything that can go wrong when relocating them to a network location, I will never give any advice in this topic. Call me chicken if you like to but I am simply refusing to take any responsibility in case something goes wrong when moving Program Files and Programdata or any other system files to a network location .

System files must be located on a physical drive for obvious reasons.

Kari

 

[rsaritzky]

Drive letter of USB flashdrive

Hi,

Great step-by-step PDF document "Relocate User folders during Windows 7 installation ". It says under the section "Creating a script for System Preparation Tool":

Row 14: Change the drive letter in wim:E to that of your CD/DVD drive where your Windows 7 installation DVD currently is

I am installing from a USB flash drive. This may sound like a silly question, but will Windows install assign a drive letter to the flash drive? And is there a way to figure it out what it is? Theoretically it should be after C (my SSD), D (letter assigned to my DVD drive by Windows) and E(my second hard drive) - so it should be F:, right?

Thx

Ron