Move Users Folder Location in Windows 10  


  1. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #190

    L1nK said:
    ok, i ran this procedure once again on my laptop, point to point, i followed every step in detail. renamed the d partition twice, empty d drive, now it starts looping when the "defaultuser01" appears on the screen. i think this procedure is a rulete. it practically isnt safe and appropriate like it was in win 7 when it could be done failproof. both my install dvds are ok, i checked. im not using this anymore. is there any other, working solution?
    I don't say what I really would like to say. Instead, I repeat this:

    Note   Note
    Relocating the Users folder as told in this tutorial never fails when done correctly. It is a native feature of Windows, the ability to relocate the Users folder is built in. When it fails it is always, without an exception, an error either in the answer file, in the install media used, in the selected CPI source WIM file, in wrongly assigned drive letters and so on.


    Just to prove my case I just installed Windows 10 Pro on a Hyper-V virtual machine, entered Audit Mode, manually changed the drive letters, started the screen recording and run Sysprep, capturing the whole process in video. First take, first try, everything worked.

    The video is encoding now, I will post it on YouTube shortly (within a few hours) and further post it here. Sorry, can't do it faster; encoding it takes some time, as well as adding information texts:
    Move Users Folder Location in Windows 10-2015-08-12_22h57_32.png

    Notice that you don't have to take my word about it being first take, first try; during the past months we've had a few Ten Forums Live Chats, streamed live here at the Ten Forums, for our members to meet each other and chat, with a possibility to present from our desktops (see here what I'm talking about). I am fully prepared to show this process live when we have the next TF Live Chat, I will post the link to the chat and to the live stream here and you see this process when it's done correctly, follow it live as it happens.

    Kari
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #191

    Video: Sysprep - Relocate the Users folder in Windows 10.



    Note   Note
    PLEASE NOTICE: The video has no narration. This is not a stand alone tutorial video, it is instead meant to be used solely as an example about a process described in this tutorial.

    To understand what the video presents, please read the tutorial first.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 9
    windows 10 edu x64
       #192

    maybe, but it doesnt work on already installed windows. write that in your guide so people wont have to struggle with it
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 9
    windows 10 edu x64
       #193

    windows 10 has an option set to save new apps and personal files to new drive (settings -> storage), but for apps this doesnt work anymore, people say it did in previous builds, now it is grayed out. stupid MS
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 3
    Windows 10
       #194

    Hi, Kari. I've been following your instruction threads for moving user profiles for win 7, 8 & now 10 for a couple of weeks now. I just received my new PC and will be setting it up shortly. But I have two questions when comparing the method to move user profiles:
    1. You've given precise instructions in doing so using sysprep. What are the disadvantages of using the approach of creating a symbolic link as opposed to the audit mode / sysprep method?
    2. You've given very clear caveats that, before any upgrade, the files need to be moved BACK to C if you use the sysprep method. To your knowledge, would you need to do the same with a symbolic link?

    You can see where I'm headed. Both methods--sysprep and symbolic linking ---seem to have advantages.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #195

    I would never use links if I can avoid it. Too much manual work for my taste, each folder separately, for each user, when the same can be done with one sysprep command. As I do not know how links behave when upgrading I cannot answer that.

    Read this post and the conversation that followed earlier in this same thread to see how MS has changed the upgrade system. Repair install still needs the Users moved back to C:, other than that it's now OK to upgrade with relocated Users folder.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4
    Win 10 home
       #196

    Move users in exisitng Win 10 upgrade gave SYSPRP Error


    Hi,

    I just upgraded to Win 10 Home from Win 7. After upgrading I saw this tutorial and wanted to move my User folders from my C: to D: drive. I followed the instructions for Method Two and received an error telling me to look at a SYSPRP log located at: %windir%\system32\Sysprep\Panther\setupact.log

    The problem line from the log seems to be:

    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Error [0x0f0036] SYSPRP spopk.dll:: Sysprep will not run on an upgraded OS. You can only run Sysprep on a custom (clean) install version of Windows.

    Did I do something wrong, or can the sysprp ONLY run on a clean install of Win 10 and NOT an upgrade? (That's NOT how I read the turorial.)

    Or, probably more likely, did I just do something stupid :)

    Thanks,

    m


    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info SYSPRP ========================================================
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info SYSPRP === Beginning of a new sysprep run ===
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info SYSPRP ========================================================
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info [0x0f004d] SYSPRP The time is now 2015-08-15 16:48:57
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info [0x0f004e] SYSPRP Initialized SysPrep log at C:\WINDOWS\system32\sysprep\Panther
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info [0x0f0054] SYSPRP ValidateUser:User has required privileges to sysprep machine
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info [0x0f007e] SYSPRP FCreateTagFile:Tag file C:\WINDOWS\system32\sysprep\Sysprep_succeeded.tag does not already exist, no need to delete anything
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info [0x0f005f] SYSPRP ParseCommands:Found supported command line option 'OOBE'
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info [0x0f005f] SYSPRP ParseCommands:Found supported command line option 'REBOOT'
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info [0x0f005f] SYSPRP ParseCommands:Found supported command line option 'UNATTEND'
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info [0x0f00d7] SYSPRP WinMain:Pre-validing 'cleanup' internal providers.
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info SYSPRP RunExternalDlls:Running platform actions specified in action file for phase 3
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info [0x0f00ba] SYSPRP SysprepSession::CreateSession: Successfully created instance with mount path C:, action file C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\ActionFiles\Cleanup.xml, and mode <null>
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info SYSPRP SysprepSession::Validate: Beginning action execution from C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\ActionFiles\Cleanup.xml
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info SYSPRP ActionPlatform::GetStringValue: Getting REG_SZ value SysprepMode under key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\Sysprep
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info SYSPRP ActionPlatform::GetValue: Getting value SysprepMode under key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\Sysprep
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Warning SYSPRP ActionPlatform::GetValue: Error from RegQueryValueEx on value SysprepMode under key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\Sysprep; dwRet = 0x2
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info SYSPRP SysprepSession::CreateXPathForSelection: Sysprep mode in registry is <null>
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info SYSPRP ActionPlatform::GetStringValue: Getting REG_SZ value PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE under key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info SYSPRP ActionPlatform::GetValue: Getting value PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE under key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info SYSPRP SysprepSession::CreateXPathForSelection: Processor architecture in registry is AMD64
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Info [0x0f0080] SYSPRP ActionPlatform::LaunchModule: Found 'Sysprep_Clean_Validate_Opk' in C:\Windows\System32\spopk.dll; executing it
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Error [0x0f0036] SYSPRP spopk.dll:: Sysprep will not run on an upgraded OS. You can only run Sysprep on a custom (clean) install version of Windows.
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Error [0x0f0082] SYSPRP ActionPlatfor
    m::LaunchModule: Failure occurred while executing 'Sysprep_Clean_Validate_Opk' from C:\Windows\System32\spopk.dll; dwRet = 0x139f
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Error SYSPRP SysprepSession::Validate: Error in validating actions from C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\ActionFiles\Cleanup.xml; dwRet = 0x139f
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Error SYSPRP RunPlatformActions:Failed while validating SysprepSession actions; dwRet = 0x139f
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Error [0x0f0070] SYSPRP RunExternalDlls:An error occurred while running registry sysprep DLLs, halting sysprep execution. dwRet = 0x139f
    2015-08-15 16:48:57, Error [0x0f00d8] SYSPRP WinMain:Hit failure while pre-validate sysprep cleanup internal providers; hr = 0x8007139f
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #197

    mraiffa said:
    Hi,

    I just upgraded to Win 10 Home from Win 7. After upgrading I saw this tutorial and wanted to move my User folders from my C: to D: drive. I followed the instructions for Method Two and received an error telling me to look at a SYSPRP log located at: %windir%\system32\Sysprep\Panther\setupact.log
    ...
    ...
    Did I do something wrong, or can the sysprp ONLY run on a clean install of Win 10 and NOT an upgrade? (That's NOT how I read the turorial.)
    Hi Mraiffa, welcome to the Ten Forums.

    Answering your question I highlighted with bold red font in above quote: Yes, you did something wrong, you did not read the whole tutorial before proceeding.

    This quote from the last part of the tutorial titled Upgrade:

    2. Edit Registry

    When running Sysprep on an upgraded Windows you will get an error message about Sysprep not being able to validate your Windows installation, Sysprep will simply not run. Checking the log file you will find out the reason in plain text:

    Code:
    Sysprep will not run on an upgraded OS. You can only run Sysprep on a custom (clean) install version of Windows.
    We need to edit Windows registry to "fool" Windows to think this is a clean install instead of an upgrade. To do this open the Registry Editor (WIN + R, type regedit, hit Enter), browse to key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup
    ...
    ...
    Kari
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 4
    Win 10 home
       #198

    Kari, please forgive me - I'm OLD!

    Although, being OLD, I'm also CANTANKEROUS and would like to point out that the Regedit part was under a section entitled "UPGRADE" and said it was for when User folders had been relocated in the original OS - which mine weren't.

    Nonetheless, I should have just kept reading - sigh.

    Anyway, I went back, did the regedit, reran SYSPRP, go errors, fixed locations in relocate.xml, repeat, and SYSPRP ran just the way you said it would.

    BUT, then it rebooted and I'm staring at a reboot screen that just has the little circle going round and round and . . .

    So, how long do I wait before I hit the power and see where I am?

    thanks,

    m
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #199

    That can take a while, depending on how much data there is in the Users folder that needs to be moved. If no error messages are shown, just wait. Sometimes when relocating Users folder an an existing installation with a lot of data in USers to be moved I have waited 20+ minutes.
      My Computer


 

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