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]

Yes, amd64 is for a 64bit system even if you have Intel. works fine, I have an Intel too. I don't know why they use the amd designation.

 

[Kari]

Yes, amd64 is for a 64bit system even if you have Intel. works fine, I have an Intel too. I don't know why they use the amd designation.

As Britton told already, when sysprepping any x64 processor, the value of ProcessorArchitecture should be amd64.

 

[Maviarab]

Hi Kari,

Great guide, followed it perfectly. Everything is spot on. I have three queries though:

1) Since doing it, in My Computer, 4 of my drives (not C) have a red X on the icon. Any idea what caused this? (To add, they are not mapped drives, and I can access them all fine).
2) For some annoying reason, Diskeeper keeps creating a Prog Data folder in C to save a log. The Diskeeper folder is also in Prog Data folder on D also. Is this something I need to set within the program itself?
3) Any shortcuts no longer show the shortcut 'arrow' and instead show the gebneric 'no file' icon over the shortcut icon.

Any ideas? Other than those simple things, everything is working great

 

[Kari]

Hi Maviarab, welcome to the Seven Forums.

1. Can you access those disks? I really do not know what could have caused this.
2. Read this post
3. If you had a shortcut to a file or program in those folders you moved, you need to edit the shortcut or create a new one. For instance if you had a shortcut to a file C:\Users\Your_Username\Documents\Memo.txt it can naturally no longer be found as you have moved C:\Users to another drive.

Kari

 

[Maviarab]

1) Yes I can read and access them fine...and they all appear to operating as normal...

2) Heh...fair enough, no probs
3) Doing it for newly created shortcuts (Example...installed Opera, updated Adobe...they always create desktop shortcuts, the new shortcut has blank file icon where shortcut arrow should be)

Number 3 is not the end of the world to me, as never have any desktop shortcuts anyway...and it only seems to be the desktop ones that are affected, but I was curious about it all the same.

EDIT) Forget the drives...have changed my icons using Stardock IconPackager and they fine now. IconPackager likes to install some icons in AppData...and that created a new folder...*sighs*...so have hidden that folder now too...bleedin' programs heh.

So just the strange shortcut issue...like said..no biggy to me, never use them, but curious...

 

[IanFRussell]

hi Kari
I'm trying to move the user folders, but can't get past your first instruction - I get a fatal error when I try to run sysprep.exe /audit /reboot
Is this due to IE 10?

 

[Kari]

Hi Ian, welcome to the Seven Forums.

Yes, it most probably is because of IE10. Most useful article: Sysprep Fatal Error With IE 10 (FIX) | System Administration

Kari

 

[IanFRussell]

Thanks for quick response - but no luck following that guidance.
The values that are in those keys are as follows:
{EC9FE15D-99DD-4FB9-90D5-5B56E42A0F80} C:\windows\System32\iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Cleanup_IE
Which is the suggested value

{EC9FE15D-99DD-4FB9-90D5-CE53C91AB9A1} C:\windows\System32\iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Generalize_IE
It will not allow me to change "Generalize" to "Cleanup" as suggested
I get an error message: Cannot edit - error writing the value's new content

{EC9FE15D-99DD-4FB9-90D5-676C338DC1DA} C:\windows\System32\iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Specialize_IE
Again I cannot change "Specialize" to "Cleanup" as suggested
Same error message as above!

I am a rookie at this but is it really "Cleanup" for all three keys?

Ian

 

[Kari]

I have never done it so I really do not know. However, it's written by Jesus who, as you will notice if you read that blog, knows his stuff.

I have not even tested if it would work when IE10 is uninstalled and replaced with IE9; for me this procedure is so automatic I do it always during the installation (meaning with Windows 7 default IE9) that I have never "seen" this IE10 issue.

I am very sorry but the best I can do is to recommend a fresh install and doing this during the installation. You could also check a few last pages of this thread, our member Kaktussoft knows more about this IE10 issue and he has helped other members to solve this.

Kari

 

[Kaktussoft]

Thanks for quick response - but no luck following that guidance.
The values that are in those keys are as follows:
{EC9FE15D-99DD-4FB9-90D5-5B56E42A0F80} C:\windows\System32\iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Cleanup_IE
Which is the suggested value

{EC9FE15D-99DD-4FB9-90D5-CE53C91AB9A1} C:\windows\System32\iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Generalize_IE
It will not allow me to change "Generalize" to "Cleanup" as suggested
I get an error message: Cannot edit - error writing the value's new content

{EC9FE15D-99DD-4FB9-90D5-676C338DC1DA} C:\windows\System32\iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Specialize_IE
Again I cannot change "Specialize" to "Cleanup" as suggested
Same error message as above!

I am a rookie at this but is it really "Cleanup" for all three keys?


Ian

Yes all three values should be: C:\windows\System32\iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Cleanup_IE

change registry under user system.

1. start an elevated command prompt
2. psexec -i -s regedit
3. Now you can change the registry values

Put psexec.exe in c:\windows\system32 first
PsExec

 

[tacenator]

New to 7 Room

Hi,

I am new to 7 forum. First I would like to thank Kari for his excellent tutorial and his ongoing patience with questions asked. Kudos!

I have read the entire thread as well as an older thread at OCN on this subject. I just purchased an SSD and will be doing the installation and file moving in a few days. As I read the thread, I compiled a Word Doc with most of the important answers to questions asked. It largely is comprised of screenshots of the answers with the post number and date included so a person can reference the salient reply in the thread. It is converted to a PDF. I am unsure if this forum allows links, but if anyone is interested, I will try here: http://min.us/muel0wUlDCGi9 This is a file share site.
At the link is Kari's original PDF with a couple of edits within and a PDF of the answer file.

I do have several questions that are germane to my installation; if this is not the proper place to ask them, please steer me to the correct thread or if I should start a new one.

1. My Mobo, an ASUS P7P55D-E, has 6 SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports (configured IDE in BIOS); it also has 2 SATA 6.0 Gb/s ports (configured ACHI in BIOS) controlled by a Marvell PCIe SATA controller. Question: I have heard a lot of shouting about how bad the Marvel controllers are but it would seem the faster throughput would be the logical choice for the SSD. What say the experts? In either case, should I configure ACHI or IDE?

2. Would it be advisable to upgrade all the drivers and BIOS for my system prior to doing the SSD installation?

3. I am sure I have lots more configuration questions that may come up. How best to ask them on the 7 forum?

BTW, I decided to get a new Crucial M500 SSD. I like some of the innovations and will report back when I have run it a while. After a lot of hand-wringing, I opted for the 120 GB. I can't really see the advantage to a very large SSD if one will be using it as a system/application drive only.

Thanks
Tom

 

[Kari]

Hi Tacenator, welcome to the Seven Forums.

First, here's how to attach files to your post here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

The file is quite difficult to read online, I do not download anything from a source I personally do not know. Please simply repeat all your questions here. You can quote posts you are referring to simply by clicking the Quote button or giving the post number.

Your questions.

1. I would post in our hardware section and ask more about this. My recommendation is to use ACHI, SSD will benefit from it.
2. BIOS yes. Drivers, it depends. Doing a clean install, Windows 7 is quite good finding the right stuff. But, again, a good question to our hardware specialists.
3. At main page, select appropriate sub forum, type a few keywords of your issue to the Search field and check first if the issue is already discussed. If not, start a new thread. You can ask anything, the only stupid question there is is the one that was never asked.

Kari

 

[tacenator]

The file is quite difficult to read online, I do not download anything from a source I personally do not know. Please simply repeat all your questions here. You can quote posts you are referring to simply by clicking the Quote button or giving the post number.

Okay, Kari, I have attached the PDF files to this post.

Thanks for the reply.

Tom

 

[Kari]

I still find no additional questions in those PDF files? Am I misunderstanding something?

 

[tacenator]

Clarification...

I still find no additional questions in those PDF files? Am I misunderstanding something?

Kari,

Sorry for the confusion. The files are not intended for additional questions. They are meant to glean what I found as significant "answers" to questions posed in the 64 pages of posts. The intention is to help clarify the original Guide with pertinent answers collected as I read the thread. It is mostly for my own clarification.

Tom

 

[Kari]

OK, I misunderstood you a bit. Thanks for the effort.

I think I will rewrite the whole tutorial. Windows is like a living organism, evolving all the time. Some of the tutorials were even written for pre-release versions, a lot has changed after that.

Kari

 

[tacenator]

Rewrite possibility

OK, I misunderstood you a bit. Thanks for the effort.

I think I will rewrite the whole tutorial. Windows is like a living organism, evolving all the time. Some of the tutorials were even written for pre-release versions, a lot has changed after that.

Kari

Might be a great idea. Let me know if you would like me to proof if for content and to try to allay some of the more inane questions that arise. Loved the person who asked the question that was answered a few posts prior on the same page of the thread...as well as many prior times...

Ideally the guide would be written so as to answer all or most queries and then you would only have to deal with the people who make some error when following it or have a hardware/software anomaly that causes problems (inevitable).

Also, I recommend a 2 part series: one for a move during a clean install and one for post install moving of the folders. (Combining post #22 with the original Guide as well as all you have learned since 11/11/10)

 

[Britton30]

You raise some good questions and suggestions Tom. However, I don't understand this part in the snip below. I've use this answer file 3 times with no issues.

 

[tacenator]

You raise some good questions and suggestions Tom. However, I don't understand this part in the snip below. I've use this answer file 3 times with no issues.

View attachment 265402

You must have had the drive you were moving the folders to be the d drive in that case. If you assign any other drive letter to the "target" drive for moving the folders, then you need to edit that line in the answer file.

Regards,

Tom

 

[Kari]

Yeah, that is not told well in tut. Only reference to it is

If you are installing Windows Ultimate x64 from CD/DVD drive E: and relocating folders to D: you don’t have to change anything, you can use the script as it is.)