Windows 10: Move Users Folder Location in Windows 10

**Kari** · 28 Apr 2016

G0m3r said:

I have created the install DVD as per your instructions yet I still do only have the install.eds file. This is getting frustrating.

Frustratrion is because your laziness. Why don't you geeks read at least a few of the last posts in the thread and the tutorial really good through before posting your already several times answered questions?

Read this post.

**G0m3r** · 28 Apr 2016

Kari said:

Frustratrion is because your laziness. Why don't you geeks read at least a few of the last posts in the thread and the tutorial really good through before posting your already several times answered questions?

Read this post.

Wow.... I come here for help and you decide to insult me? I have been in IT for over 15 years and never have I replied to someone coming to me for help with this sort of tone. Your tutorials are not as well written and you seem to think they are. But whatever. Assume what you like. THOSE are the instructions I followed.... At least I know now to not recommend this site to others.

**Kari** · 28 Apr 2016

G0m3r said:

Wow.... I come here for help and you decide to insult me? I have been in IT for over 15 years and never have I replied to someone coming to me for help with this sort of tone. Your tutorials are not as well written and you seem to think they are. But whatever. Assume what you like. THOSE are the instructions I followed.... At least I know now to not recommend this site to others.

I was not insulting you. I wondered why you didn't bother to read at least a few of the last posts in this thread, and / or the tutorial before posting a question that has been answered multiple times.

By the way, if a 15 year veteran in IT must ask a question you just asked, maybe you should reconsider your chosen career?

**jvook** · 03 May 2016

Kari said:

No, it should be the install.wim file and that's the cause for your issue.

If you create the Windows 10 install media as USB Flash drive in Media Creation Tool, the compressed and encrypted ESD file is used instead of the WIM file. You need to have an install media with the WIM file instead; easiest way to get it is to use the Media Creation Tool again, this time selecting the ISO image option. The ISO image created with the tool uses the WIM file. For Media Creation Tool, see tutorial: Windows 10 ISO Download - Windows 10 Forums

Step 1, select Create installation media for another PC:
Attachment 28723

Step 2, select your language, edition and bit version. Be sure to select the same bit version as you are installing; you cannot use a 32 bit install.wim in sysprepping a 64 bit Windows and vice versa:
Attachment 28724

Step 3, select ISO file and let it be created. There's no need to burn the ISO to disk or flash drive if you already have an install media to use, the ISO will only needed when sysprepping :
Attachment 28725

When you have the ISO, do like this:

Install Windows 10 clean, boot to Audit Mode, create the answer file (this tutorial, Method One Steps 1 & 2)
Before sysprepping (Method One, Step 3), mount the ISO file as virtual DVD drive by double clicking it. Check the drive letter given for it by Windows, let's say the virtual drive gets letter F > use this CPI source in answer file:
Code:
```
cpi:source="wim:F:\sources\install.wim#Windows 10 PRO"
```
Sysprep as told in tutorial

Should work now.

Kari

This doesn't seem to work any more. Creating an ISO with Windows 10 Media Creation Tool creates an iso with an install.esd file, not install.wim.

Is there anything I can do?

**jvook** · 04 May 2016

Kari said:

Download the ISO file: Windows 10 ISO Download - Windows 10 Forums

I found the answer here to fix my issue. Thank you for the helpful guide, Kari. Perhaps you can update the guide with this info. Currently Method 1, step 2, last bullet point, directs to the post I quoted above -- which is incorrect.

**danielbcn** · 04 May 2016

Hi Kari,

Thank you very very very much! And sorry for the delay: I lost my way back to the forum. :)

I'll let you know when I'm done.

Really greatful.

Daniel

Kari said:

Sysprep (Windows System Preparation Tool) is the native built-in Windows tool that does the job in this procedure, getting instructions about what it is expected to do from a script called Answer File.

If you have external storage available for backing up your personal data, the easiest way is to copy your files to external storage.

I edited my previous post, making the list in it numbered. Check that list: In step 1 you can copy your files to external storage instead of making a new partition on your hard disk. In step 7 you can either remove all partitions and create new ones or simply format existing partitions and use them. In step 9 you can copy your personal data from external storage to your new user folders. You can then forget the step 10.

These tutorials are from our sister site the Seven Forums but they apply to Windows 10, too:

Kari

**JohnStl** · 04 May 2016

@Kari,
Thank you very much for the information you've posted here. Thanks to this

forum

I've been using SYSPREP for some time whenever I setup a new machine for a user. I just installed Windows 10 Professional on a Dell Precision T3600 which has a Samsung 850 EVO 500GB SSD (OS and Programs) and 1TB WD1003FZEX (Data). I've attached copies of the .TXT file and .XML files that I use as a reference for folks to refer to if they'd like to do the same thing when performing a fresh install of Windows 10. As a *NOTE* people need to actually READ, yes READ the link which is included in the Win10ProCustomize.txt file; as they will have to change their .xml file to reference the correct edition of Windows 10 they are installing.

Now onto my question. After going through this complicated process for one of my users

, they have decided the 1TB HDD isn't necessary. They would like me to move the Users folder back to the 850 EVO SSD and remove the 1TB WD spindle HDD. I've seen many posts in this thread regarding upgrades from Windows 7 or 8.1 to Windows 10, but is there a difference between using SYSPREP during the install (to move Users folder to alternate drive) then changing your mind after a successful installation?

I have no problem reading through the thread, I don't want to get confused with details that don't apply to what I need to accomplish.

Again, your tutorials have been invaluable to me. I greatly appreciate the time you have invested helping others learn. Thanks again, John from St. Louis

**canufrank** · 04 May 2016

Hi @Kari,

The long story involves me migrating an existing installation and having a bunch of permissions (e.g. on D:\Users for the 'All Application Packages' principal) not not being set. This meant that a number of W10 'apps' didn't run correctly. I was doing this using the TechBench 10586 image (with install.wim). An MS 'fix' ended up compounding the problem, so I decided to do a clean install of Windows...

With clean install (deleted all partitions), using the same iso (10586), I never get back to the OOBE screen after running sysprep. Instead it fails while on the Windows logo with a blank-body/blank-button error (X) dialog titled Windows Install. Escaping it gives 2 successive "Windows could not complete the installation. To install Windows on this computer, restart the installation" error messages. Escaping them causes a reboot and the loop restarts with the blank error dialog.

I tried this old fix, but it got me nowhere. Instead, I hung on the 'Just a moment' screen. Note that I did stop the (not actually running) wmp service. Note also that the ISO worked fine for a clean install. Do you have any experience with the 10586 build, or ideas on solutions?

Edit: I thought I'd mention that the DVD drive is attached via (Legacy) USB, but is bootable and mounts as specified (drive E: in my case).

**Kari** · 05 May 2016

jvook said:

I found the answer here to fix my issue. Thank you for the helpful guide, Kari. Perhaps you can update the guide with this info. Currently Method 1, step 2, last bullet point, directs to the post I quoted above -- which is incorrect.

I had forgotten to remove that bullet point when the advice became not valid some time ago when MS changed their systems.

Anyway, this advice has been at the very beginning of Method One, Step One since then (see the highlighted paragraph):

1. Install Windows 10

To clean install Windows 10, see this tutorial: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1...n-install.html

You can download a Windows 10 ISO image with the install.wim file needed for this procedure by following instructions in this tutorial (Option One): https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/9...-download.html

Kari

**Kari** · 05 May 2016

JohnStl said:

Now onto my question. After going through this complicated process for one of my users

, they have decided the 1TB HDD isn't necessary. They would like me to move the Users folder back to the 850 EVO SSD and remove the 1TB WD spindle HDD. I've seen many posts in this thread regarding upgrades from Windows 7 or 8.1 to Windows 10, but is there a difference between using SYSPREP during the install (to move Users folder to alternate drive) then changing your mind after a successful installation?

See the last part of this tutorial, titled Upgrade. In that part you'll find instructions on moving the Users folder back to C: drive, although personally I would do it by clean installing Windows.

Kari

Windows 10: Move Users Folder Location in Windows 10

Used SYSPREP during install, now want to undo w/o reinstall

Could not complete Error message

Posting Permissions