Profile Migrator

This article is part of Helge’s Profile Toolkit, a set of posts explaining the knowledge and tools required to tame Windows user profiles. This article presents a collection of tips and tricks around user state migration with and without Microsoft’s USMT. I originally compiled this material for my presentation at the 2010 TechDay Online.

Going to Windows 7 or Server 2008 (R2) means trouble. Let me use an analogy to explain why. You are in charge of moving people from their old houses to shiny new buildings. You have planned everything perfectly. The new homes are beautiful and located in a great neighborhood. But still, after moving house, people start to complain. They do not feel at home. You forgot to take all those seemingly unimportant things that make a house a home: pictures, plants, all sorts of personal stuff. Impossible, you say? People would never leave their personal belongings behind? I agree: when it comes to moving house, not taking at least most of the personal stuff is highly unlikely. But in IT it is common practice.