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

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• 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

 

[JoshuaJackson85]

This idiot has beat your proof.

Okay so after more reading through posts i found a similar question and answer i was asking. This of course spawned another. I tried again with my recovery disc in, still nothing.

 

[JoshuaJackson85]

one other thing

I have previously taken over the built in administrator account, renamed it, and made it my own. So does that mean i have to give it back and make a regular admin for this to work? Basically what I was saying before is, all the information in the script file matches my setup exactly. So no changes to that were needed.

 

[Kari]

Taking over and renaming the built-in administrative account is never a good idea but OK, you've done it and it does not prevent you following this tutorial.

You cannot use a recovery media for sysprepping. It has to be an original, valid Windows 7 install media. If you do not have one, first steps in this tutorial tell you how to obtain it: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html

 

[Britton30]

Yes, I used a w7 SP1 on a flash drive for the operation.

 

[JoshuaJackson85]

Aha No scotch but a beer will have to do

Okay I will burn the disk and start back from scratch.

 

[JoshuaJackson85]

More idiot than you can handle?

Well I burned the boot disc per instructions you linked. Seemed to go well. So i started the process over everything seemed to work as you said It would. Only thing is whenever windows reboots and i am prompted to create the user account, i create the test account. However i notice that whenever i try to log out, to log into my renamed admin account, it has been disabled again. I can re enable it from the test account, and then log back into hidden account. However when i checked to make sure the files had moved they had not. This leads me to believe that being in this hidden admin account to begin with, somehow disrupts the process.

 

[Kari]

To be honest, renaming the built-in admin account and using it as the only user account is so extremely absolutely utterly bad idea that I've never even thought about the possibility. I need to test that scenario on a test rig first before saying anything more about it.

More likely something is wrong in the answer file, or sysprep does not find the install media.

Sysprep is an internal Windows tool, made by Microsoft exactly for this purpose. If the following prerequisities are met, it always works:

• Windows is cleanly installed (not in-place upgraded)
• WMP Network Sharing Service is stopped
• Answer file syntax is correct (no typos)
• Answer file values are correct (correct bit version, install media location, folder locations)
• The install media used is valid, original Windows ISO or DVD and of correct bit version
• Syntax of the sysprep command is correct, UNATTEND switch pointing to correct answer file location

A short check list regarding the above list:

• The Windows ISO you downloaded, is it the same bit version than your installed Windows?
• Is the Windows DVD in the same drive than told in answer file?
• Is the bit version (amd64 or x86) correct in the answer file?
• The UNATTEND:X:\RELOCATE.XML switch when finally giving the sysprep command points to correct location of the answer file?

Please post your answer file (xml script) here exactly as it is, as you used it. Also tell which drive is your DVD drive where the install media is inserted when you sysprep, and where and with which name you have saved the answer file.

Kari

 

[JoshuaJackson85]

Crazy

Well i figured I would give the clean install a go, seeing as i went through all the trouble of making the disc. Long story short it eventually worked and now all is as it should be. Thank you Kari and Brit for all your help and patience.

 

[Kari]

Good to know you got it finally working.

 

[Britton30]

Likewise, glad you got it going. The next time will be easier too.

 

[InputOutput099]

Hi Kari, I am new to the forum and was directed to your tutorial for my Win 7 reinstall. A question I have is on my older machine which has Vista Ultimate, can I follow your Win 7 directions for that machine as well since they both have library systems, or should I look for a tutorial like yours that does the exact same thing but specific to the inner workings of Vista? If so, could you recommend a tutorial? Thank you

 

[Kari]

Hi Kari, I am new to the forum and was directed to your tutorial for my Win 7 reinstall. A question I have is on my older machine which has Vista Ultimate, can I follow your Win 7 directions for that machine as well since they both have library systems, or should I look for a tutorial like yours that does the exact same thing but specific to the inner workings of Vista? If so, could you recommend a tutorial? Thank you

Hi and welcome to the Seven Forums.

Sysprepping works in Vista exactly as in Seven, you can follow the tutorial with Vista.

As Vista is already somewhat older operating system, be sure you'll find your Vista product key before starting as you will need it for reactivation after the procedure.

Kari

 

[Kari]

In addition to my previous post:

Since I have not had a Vista system up and running in about 5 years, I decided to install one only to get a screenshot to show relocating Users with sysprep really works on Vista as well.

Screenshot from Windows Vista Ultimate (showing hidden files and folders to see ProgramData):



Sysprepping done exatly as told in this tutorial, only change being in answer file (xml); its second last line must of course tell the correct Windows version and edition. An example (Vista Ultimate, install media on E:):

<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:[hl]E[/hl]:/sources/install.wim#[hl]Windows VISTA ULTIMATE[/hl]" [PLAIN]xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />[/PLAIN]

 

[Relocate]

For some reasons

Hi Kari

SOURCE: HP ORIGINAL INSTALL CD ::: WIN7 Prof x64 SP1

It s easy to follow your instruction . like this

Relocate User folders during Windows 7 installation.pdf

I have some probs after your installation Guide.

Everything works fine and it will move both D:\Users and the hidden D:\ProgramData

But on C: Drive is still a Folder hidden callend ProgramData with some subfolder MS cache folder only a few. Anyway......

So after I do the 150 and more MS updates I have a lot FAILED Updates from MS include the Framework 3.5.1

Windows UPDATE makes me problems ... SOME UPDATES FAILD include all of Framework 3.5.1

Did you have any solution?

 

[Kari]

Hi Relocate, welcome to the Seven Forums.

First, it is totally normal that both Users and ProgramData still exists on C: drive after the relocation. See this post for more information.

Update issues are not caused by relocating Users and ProgramData. Applications which insist using absolute addresses to Programdata will do so, locating their user data on C:\ProgramData. Read the post I linked to above.

Update issues are caused by something else, here a few tutorials you might want to see for assistance:

• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/472-troubleshooting.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/69152-windows-update-troubleshoot-shortcut-create.html

Kari

 

[Relocate]

It is

Hi Kari

if i do a normal Installation with out the Partition Users and ProgramData FOLDER
Windows do correct all Updates without any wrong Faild.

Ok some glue to fixed out
Thank you

 

[Relocate]

Move C2D

Hi Sevenforum

there was on XP when ASUS do the EEE Series a Tool called C2D, so it automatic move the Folder to Drive D: for more Space on C: Drive.

Is there a Tool for this on 7 or 8 also on the www, let me know or will write somebody a Tool like this where you can move Folders to another Partition after the Installation because SSD Drives are coming cheaper

Cheers
RELOCATE

 

[Kari]

I can only tell you this: I have never had any Windows Update issues on my own Windows computers with relocated folders, nor on any Windows computer not my own I maintain and take care of.

I have "modernized" this tutorial a bit, written a complete walkthrough for this process. You could check the new tutorial out and see if you'll notice something different compared to how you are doing this.

 

[trickyrick]

Same for win 8

This is great I used this 8 months ago when I installed win 7. I now have Win 8 and want to do the same thing have done a search but cant find anything for win 8. Will this work for win 8 as well
Thanks
Rick

 

[Kari]

Hi Rick.

See this tutorial at our sister site the Eight Forums: User Profiles - Relocate to another Partition or Disk