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

 

[Kari]

I need some time to get through this. I'll make a cup of espresso before starting, will post as soon as I have something to say

 

[tjg79]

Thanks Kari.

I only thing I can think of is that there is something hidden in that relocate.xml file.

Before I did the Win 7 Pro x64 install, I cleaned the Win 7 DVD and ran CD Check in compare mode with another identical Win 7 DVD to ensure the DVD was fully readable and a corrupted file wasn't loaded during the install. These are both OEM Win 7 distribution DVDs with different keys. They are not copies.

 

[Kari]

I find no reason for the error. I suspect it's the RAID.

Personally I see no reason to use RAID today. Maybe in a server storing sensitive information but that's it. Today the hard disks and solid state drives as well as backup and imaging solutions are so fast and reliable that RAID in my opinion cannot be reasoned with any speed, reliability or security arguments.

Your computer, your decisions, I am just stating my own honest opinion.

Possible other reasons for the error could only be either the drive identification or the install.wim not found or not being valid, standard Windows image.

About the drive identification: When installed, Windows likes to name the first optical drive as D: and the secondary HDD or second partition (not counting system reserved partitions) on first HDD as E:. I have seen issues with this procedure when the D: drive (set as new folder location in Answer File) is seen as D: when in Audit Mode but then seen as E: when Windows reboots to OOBE.

Just to eliminate this you could do a test run, changing the drive letter of your optical drive E: to D: and the hard drive D: to E:, also editing the answer file accordingly (both folder locations and CPI image location). I doubt this will work but as so often in computing, sometimes the most illogical solution is the one that works

But, as I mentioned I believe your culprit is RAID. If that's the case then this method will not work for you.

Kari

 

[tjg79]

When I first entered Audit Mode, the first task was to setup the D: drive on the partition. Windows had assigned D: and E: to my two DVD/CD drives. So, I changed the drive letters on the DVD/CD drives to F: and G:. I then used the D drive letter for the other partition to set up the D: drive.

I can take the RAID out of the equation. I can set the SATA drives to RAID in the BIOS only to make them RAID Ready and not setup the RAID type and partition sizes in the Intel BIOS RST utility. It's been a while, so I can't recall, but I don't think I'll have to F6 the Intel RST driver during the Win 7 install. I'll just have one 1 TB SATA drive installed and I'll set up the partitions and format during the Win 7 install. There will be no RAID configuration other than the BIOS being set to RAID, but no drivers. The BIOS SATA options are IDE, AHCI and RAID. My SATA options are AHCI and RAID. I'll remove the second DVD/CD drive as well. Hopefully, Windows will assign the second partition as D: and the DVD/CD as E: Once the Win 7 is installed, I'll boot into Audit Mode and make another attempt to move the folders to the D: drive. After Win 7 is up and running with the system on C: and the User folders on D:, I'll create the RAID configuration with the Intel RST Utility for Windows.

I use the Intel Desktop RAID as hassle free insurance against drive failure. When an hdd fails, I'm still up and running while the hdd is being exchanged under warranty. Six years ago, I bought 4 Seagate Barracuda 5-year warranty drives and installed them on this then new motherboard into a RAID 0 for performance. That was a big mistake. If one drive fails, all is lost. I did have two major failures within the first year due to drive firmware and I had to send the failed drive, each time, to Seagate under warranty to have the firmware updated, so they could be re-inserted back into my RAID 0 so I could start the machine. I then changed to RAID 5 for security and performance. That has worked very well, because of my 4 Seagate Barracuda drives, all were replaced within the 5-year warranty due to failure. Each time I had a drive failure, the RAID 5 continued to perform while the bad drive was out to Seagate for warranty exchange. The drives had accumulated over 30k power-on hours. The Seagate Barracuda are not Enterprise drives. Now that my Barracudas are out of warranty, but low hours due to warranty exchange, I've upgraded to Enterprise Class 5-year warranty Seagate Constellations. These drives can tolerate the high power-on hours where the Barracudas could not. Seagate doesn't offer a 5-year warranty on new Barracudas anymore. I've had at least 7 or 8 hdd failures over the past 6 years and the Intel RST Desktop RAID 5 configuration makes each failure event a non-hassle low stress event. With Intel Desktop RAID 5 or RAID 1, there is no need to re-image or reload the OS if an hdd fails or needs to be replaced due to imminent failure. Your typical desktop hdd will fail if you let it run continuously and log over 30k to 40k power-on hours. Many fail with over 20k power-on hours.

I'll start over with only one drive configured into two partitions and try the xml script again in Audit Mode.

I'll post again if I've got any issues or the system is up an running with the User folders on D:.

Thank you for the assistance.

Regards

 

[Kari]

I'll post again if I've got any issues or the system is up an running with the User folders on D:.

Please notice that my opinion about RAID was just that, my personal opinion, and was in no way meant to be critical or negative in any way .

Keep us posted, I am quite interested in learning how it went for you.

Kari

 

[tjg79]

I didn't take your opinion on RAID as anything other than your opinion. I think most desktop users have no interest in a desktop RAID. Although, the Intel RST program is used for more than just RAID configurations. I haven't had to reload or re-image the OS for hdd failure since I've used Intel RST RAID 5 configuration for my hdds. That's at least the last five years. It's been so long since I've done a clean install that I've had to relearn everything I've forgotten. These tutorials are a great asset.

I've reloaded, new clean install, the Win 7 onto one SATA drive and partitioned the drive during the Win 7 install. Windows was installed on C: and assigned the D: drive letter to the other partition. The DVD/CD drive was assigned driver letter E: There were no drivers installed and the Intel BIOS RAID Configuration Utility didn't even appear in POST.

The xml script failed again in Audit Mode for the exact same reason. The log files are attached below:

View attachment Sysprep log files 2.zip

I suspect the problem is the xml file. Something is not being written properly. Perhaps the text needs to be changed.

Do you know for certain that it will work on OEM Win 7 as well as Retail Win 7?

What if the file was copied to a directory other than the root directory of C: or D:? I've tried both.

The only other thing I can think of is reloading the OS with the SATA set to AHCI in the BIOS. I'm not sure if that would cause anything to change. If it fails with AHCI set, then this script won't run on this motherboard and that doesn't seem right.

Do you have any other ideas? I'd really like for this automated script to work.

Regards

 

[Kari]

First, if the answer file is simply copied from the PDF tutorial, it is correct, no errors. The answer file you have posted looks to be the one, but even if you would have written the one you have posted by yourself, it too is correct.

If you are up to do a test run really "by the book", here's what I suggest:

1. Boot to Audit Mode
2. Open this tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/319903-windows-7-image-customize-audit-mode-sysprep.html. That tutorial is huge, I ask you now in this test only do the parts told below in this list!
3. Forget anything else in that tutorial, jump directly to Part 7 and install Windows SIM as instructed
4. When installed, jump to Part 9 for instructions for using Windows SIM to start a new answer file
5. Next, do the optional Part 9.1 in the tutorial to set up the folder locations
6. Finally, jump to the end of Part 9.2 to see how to validate and save your answer file
7. Save the answer file as unattend.xml in C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep folder (use this exact name and location!)

Now you have created the answer file for sysprep by yourself, "by the book", as it should officially be created. Now sysprep with this command (notice: no /unattend switch!):

%windir%\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /oobe /reboot

BTW, do not forget to stop the WMPNetwork Service as told at the very end of this tutorial! Forgetting it causes a fatal error in most cases. Quote from the end of the tutorial:

Based on my own experience, sysprep does not always like Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service (WMPNetworkSvc). Reason is unknown to me. If you get an error message when trying to run the XML script, end the service and try again.

Type this to Command Prompt to stop the mentioned service and press Enter:

net stop WMPNetworkSvc

Kari



P.S. To explain step 7 in the list above, the name and location of the answer file, here's a quote from a post of mine in a tutorial thread on our sister site the Ten Forums:

There are two ways to sysprep with an answer file.

Method 1:

• Save the answer file in C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep folder as unattend.xml (you must use this name!)
• Run the sysprep command without /unattend switch, the answer file will be automatically read and used, machine is automatically shut down after the sysprep if /quit or /reboot switches are not used
• Example commands:
  • sysprep /generalize /oobe (sysprep with unattend.xml, shutdown when ready)
  • sysprep /generalize /oobe /quit (sysprep with unattend.xml,, quit to desktop when ready)
  • sysprep /generalize /oobe /reboot (sysprep with unattend.xml, reboot to OOBE when ready)

Method 2:

• Save the answer file anywhere you want to naming it as you wish with the extension .xml
• Run the sysprep command with /unattend switch giving the name and location of the answer file you want to be read and used
• Example command:
  • sysprep /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:X:\MyAnswerFile.xml

 

[tjg79]

I'll do the test run by the book.

I just completed the Win 7 install again this time with the SATA set to AHCI in the mb BIOS. The install was exactly like I described in my previous post.

I got the same result. The log files are attached below:

View attachment Sysprep Log Files 3.zip

Now, on to the test!

 

[Kari]

It's almost 1 AM here but I am an insomniac, staying up. Keenly awaiting your results!

 

[tjg79]

The AIK is a huge file, 1.7 GB. The download bar indicates 6% downloaded and only 1 hr 18 min remaining. I've only got DSL @ 3 Mb/sec.

 

[Kari]

You might not need to wait. I think I found the culprit, please give me a few minutes to confirm my findings and post them.

I am so confident that I found the real culprit that I suggest you to cancel the download for now. If I am wrong you can always restart it.

Stay tuned...

 

[tjg79]

I'll keep the download going. This is some good stuff! Your tutorials are fantastic.

By the way, I forgot to stop the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service (WMPNetworkSvc) on the last two attempts. I won't make that mistake again.

Regards

 

[Kari]

OK, this is weird!

This is what I did just now:

• I set up a Hyper-V virtual machine on my Windows 10 host, installed Windows 7 Professional on it with C: and D: HD partitions and E: optical drive
• Entered Audit Mode
• Copied your answer file from this post, pasted it in Notepad on my virtual machine, saved it on D: as relocate.xml
• Visually inspected the file, it was absolutely correct
• Stopped the WMPNetwork Service
• Sysprepped, got the same error than you!
• Opened Notepad, this time I wrote the same answer file in a new file manually, character by character copying your answer file from the same post I had first copy & pasted it
• Saved it again as D:\relocate.xml, overwriting the failing one
• Stopped the WMPNetwork Service
• Sysprepped, this time sysprep worked as it should without an issue and the folders were relocated to D: drive

What this means is that somehow, accidentally of course, your answer file had a hidden character. Visual inspection revealed nothing, the answer file is and was 100% correctly written, apart that hidden character which could not be found by visual inspection. I have no idea where or what it is and how it got there when you copied the text from the PDF, but that's the only explanation.

See it by yourself: the below answer file is visually exactly the same you used, character by character, but this one worked for me after I had manually rewritten it, whereas the one I copy & pasted from your post caused an error.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
 <settings pass="oobeSystem">
  <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
   <FolderLocations>
<ProfilesDirectory>D:\Users</ProfilesDirectory>
<ProgramData>D:\ProgramData</ProgramData>
   </FolderLocations>
</component>
</settings>
<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:E:/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 Professional" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

A bit ridiculous, I've searched the culprit everywhere else, even blaming RAID (I still don't like it!) but never ever had I thought there might be something invisible!

Anyway, copy the above answer file code and use it, it should now work for you

Kari

 

[tjg79]

I notice that you've got "Windows 8 Pro" on line 10. Does that make a difference? Will it work if I change that to "Windows 7 Professional?"

The indents are different too. Does that make a difference?

I suspected something hidden in that original answer file.

 

[Kari]

No, that just means that as I have my drives full with various answer files I accidentally (I blame the whisky!) first inserted the wrong one in my post, an older one, not the one I just used in my test.

I have since edited my previous post and inserted the correct answer file, the working one, copied by manually writing it character by character. Sorry the confusion.

 

[tjg79]

Do I use the same commands with the unattend switch?

 

[Kari]

You are free to choose:

• Save the answer file as C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\unattend.xml
• Sysprep with sysprep.exe /oobe /reboot

--OR --

• Save the the answer file naming and locating it as you wish, for instance D:\relocate.xml
• Sysprep with sysprep.exe /oobe /reboot /unattend:D:\relocate.xml

Don't take this wrong but this your case is driving me nuts! Please come back to tell how it went as soon as you have done it.

 

[tjg79]

I ran the file named unattend in the sysprep directory and I didn't get the error. However, when I arrived at the screen where you input your user name, etc..., I did ctrl shift F3 to go back into Audit Mode. Once in Audit Mode, it appears the Users folder is still on C:. Is that just how it appears in Audit Mode, but the Users folder will be on D: in OOBE Mode?

 

[Kari]

When you boot to Audit Mode from OOBE before any user accounts are created, you sign in using the build-in administrator account which needs to activated for this purpose and system therefore needs to create the C:\Users\Administrator folder.

When you Sysprep and enter OOBE, this account will automatically be disabled again and the need for the C:\Users no longer exists if the Users have been relocated.

However, both Users and ProgramData may remain also on C:, doing no harm and never getting bigger than a few kilobytes. See this post for one explanation: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ing-windows-7-installation-4.html#post1161672

 

[tjg79]

I'm in OOBE Mode and the folders didn't move. I need to get back into Audit Mode and run the file again, this time as relocate with the switches as indicated in the tutorial.

I'll follow the instructions in the tutorial for going back into Audit Mode and start from there with the new answer file.