Windows 7: Migrate user profile to another computer manually

user-profileswindows 7

Here is simple task I'm trying to achieve:

I need to migrate user profile from old PC to new PC.

What I got:

  • Hard drive from old Windows 7 PC
  • New Windows 7 PC

I can't use Windows Easy Transfer because old PC is gone.

What I've done (on new PC):

  • Created new_user account
  • Logged in as new_user to initialize profile
  • Rebooted
  • Logged in as Administrator and copied profile from old PC's hard drive to C:\Users\old_profile
  • Changed permissions of C:\Users\old_profile: Added new_user account with Full Access
  • Changed new_user's ProfileImagePath key in registry: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
    NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList]     to C:\Users\old_profile
  • Loaded hive C:\Users\old_profile\ntuser.dat and added new_user account with Full Access
  • Rebooted
  • Logged in as new_user

From the first look things were in place, but when I click any document on the Desktop – it prompts "File not found / Invalid location". When I try to click Start->Computer it prompts "explorer.exe Access Denied".
EDIT: I can read and run any file from Task Manager, except for explorer.exe

An old PC had only C: drive and all files were kept only under profile directory.

Did I forget something?

Thanks.

Best Answer

Solution is 1 extra step:

Load hive C:\Users\old_profile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat and add new_user account with Full Access permissions.

As the result: User Profile is migrated exactly like it was on the old computer. Without any utilities used. =)

UPDATE (after 4 years): I started using a free tool User Profile Manager (not User Profile Wizard!) from ForensiT. It really does everything mentioned above in couple clicks.

Related Question