User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installation

Miranova23 · 21 Sep 2011

I didn't realize you weren't referring to the main tutorial. You should probably just check with Kari himself, but I believe this is all that he intends...

Code:

<?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 ULTIMATE" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

1. Yes, leave your Windows Installation Disc in the DVD drive, whichever letter that happens to be.

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

That's all.

dwbarnett · 21 Sep 2011

Hi, Thanks again for your time.

since I already had Win 7 Ult installed; ie no install disk; I was just verifying that I needed to put the disk in the drive, before running the script.

If so, I guess when the install routine starts, I cancel out of it then?

That is were my confusion lies. Thanks again for your time.

Best,
David

Miranova23 · 21 Sep 2011

...how are you running the installation without an installation disc?

dwbarnett · 21 Sep 2011

Hi. I Already have Windows 7 Ultimate installed on my SSD(C:).

I have a 1TB D: Drive. Kari says in post 22, this is what was done with Win 7 already installed. Going into audit mode, the sysprep and running the script.

I have edited the script for my system, except the part regarding were to point to the DVD ie E: drive. If it's already installed; and I'm reloacating the User/Program Data to my D: drive per tutorial; does it matter if I have the DVD in the E drive; since Win7 Ult is Already installed on my SSD c: drive.

Hope that clears things up. Hopefully Kari will see this at some point and chime in as well.

Best,
David

Miranova23 · 21 Sep 2011

I mean, I don't think you'll be able to run the audit mode at all without the installation, or perhaps a recovery, disc. There are certain tools on it.

dwbarnett · 21 Sep 2011

OK, I think I'll create images of the D and C drives; put in the installation disk, cancel install of Win 7; and follow the tutorial. If it goes screwwy, I'm OK with the image files. If it works....Perfect!

Thanks again for your time.
Best,
David

Kari · 21 Sep 2011

Yes, this procedure works in most cases also when done on an existing system. Been there, done that, have photos to show

.

About the install media needed, also when done on an existing system: install.win is absolutely essential for this method to work, for sysprep to do it's magic. One place where I know for sure where every user can found it is the Sources folder in Seven install media. If you have install.win in another place, it's up to you. Just remember: in that script there's not a single command or line without the purpose.

For this tutorial to benefit most of the users, I gave a script that everyone can use. You can modify it as you wish, of course. This tutorial is only my personal preferred method to free space on system disk. It's meant to be used as it is, tested and working, but of course you can do whatever and however you want to.

Kari

PvL · 26 Sep 2011

Thanks great thread.
I ran into a small problem though I'd thought I'd share.

Error when executing syprep
SYSPRP LaunchDll:Failure occurred while executing 'drmv2clt.dll,Sysprep', returned error code -2147024864[gle=0x00000020]

I had trouble getting sysprep to work. see link below.
This happened every time (3x) I had to use sysprep after every reboot.
I changed the users and programdata after I'd freshly installed W7, probably the reason.

In my case I had to stop the service after going into the Windows taskmanager

<Ctrl-ALt-DEL> Taskmanager
Net stop WMPNetworkSvc

After stopping it it worked like a charm

see also
Sysprep on vista

Kari · 27 Sep 2011

Hi PVL, welcome to the Seven Forums.

This is a known issue. If you read the tutorial to the end, you'll notice that there's a warning of this possible error because of WMPNetworkSvc, and instructions on how to stop the service to allow SysPrep to work.

Kari

JaysJimlad · 14 Oct 2011

Kari, what you have offered in this tutorial is just what I have been looking for. It seems to be much simpler than a lot of other offerings.
I am a little nervous but with a saved image, I should get there if anything goes wrong.

As you will see below I have just done a re install and although you say it can be done at the re installed state, I am going to go back and re install again following your tutorial from the begining.

You say "If you don’t have a second internal hard disk or you have not created and formatted an empty partition on your system disk,"

I note the word 'empty'. I have created a partition for my Windows 7 home premium O/S - 'C' and another partition on the same drive (1Tb) for my 'Users' folder plus anything else I wish to park there. Prior to re installing my O/S I located some of my data I didn't want to lose due to the re install/format. Is this a problem as the 'D' partition isn't empty?
I have another 1Tb drive and a slower older 500Gb drive where I could copy and paste the data I have on the 'D' drive.

What happens with this revised installation when you re install again, does the system try to set up the complete O/S on the new 'C' drive?
Do you need to carry out the whole tutorial again?

Regards

JaysJimlad

User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installation

Sysprep error -2147024864