Move Users Folder Location in Windows 10

Kari · 23 Aug 2015

Welcome to the Ten Forums Simon.

FSSimon said:

Hi Kari,

Many thanks for this guide. It worked like a charm for my two computers.

Simon

Thanks. Always nice to get positive feedback :)

Arkai · 23 Aug 2015

Kari said:

Your answer file is OK, that's exactly how to put ProgramData back to C: drive. Also your commands are correct, first stop the possibly running WMP Network Sharing Service, then run the Sysprep.

Safe mode is a No No

. You can do this from normally from an elevated command prompt. However, I prefer to boot to Audit Mode first and run the Sysprep from there, simply because in Audit Mode your user account is "free", it is not used and there will be no "under the hood" active pointers to any files on ProgramData.

To reboot Windows to Audit Mode, the command is:

Code:

%windir%\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /audit /reboot

...
Kari

Hello Kari,
Being back from vacation, I wanted to go ahead to move my ProgramData and Users back to the c:\ for the win10 upgrade. As I perform the sysprep command to get into audit mode, I get "A fatal error occurred while trying..." error. Research has led me to another win7forums thread where you write that sysprep can only be done on fresh win7 installs... Is there any way around this?

Thanks!
Arkai

Kari · 23 Aug 2015

Arkai said:

Hello Kari,
Being back from vacation, I wanted to go ahead to move my ProgramData and Users back to the c:\ for the win10 upgrade. As I perform the sysprep command to get into audit mode, I get "A fatal error occurred while trying..." error. Research has led me to another win7forums thread where you write that sysprep can only be done on fresh win7 installs... Is there any way around this?

Thanks!
Arkai

Did you stop the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service before running the Sysprep? Command is net stop wmpnetworksvc. This is the most common reason for Sysprep fatal errors, Sysprep can't run if this service is not stopped first.

Arkai · 23 Aug 2015

Kari said:

Did you stop the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service before running the Sysprep? Command is net stop wmpnetworksvc. This is the most common reason for Sysprep fatal errors, Sysprep can't run if this service is not stopped first.

Oh, didn't realise that I need to run that cmd before every run of sysprep.
Thanks, Kari!

Now on to the next step...
Arkai

MartinHM · 24 Aug 2015

Hi Kari, I think I read all the posts, but I just can't get the point:
What do I need the system image for, which you recommend to create at the very beginning of your tutorial? Is this just a backup, in case syspreping fails or is it used anywhere else in the process?

I want to perform a clean install. So my thought was: Can I simply:
1) Create the answer file and store it in D:
2) Create an install media (USB or DVD) from the MS Media Creation Tool
3) Also create an ISO and mount it as described in post # 99 in another partition (...then C: or D:)
4) Run the installation up to the "Setting" screen
5) Change to Audit mode and then Sysprep

If for whatever reason the process fails, I would just start over again. So: What do I need the system image for?

Thanks! Martin

Arkai · 24 Aug 2015

[deleted, reason: misread question, answer is moot]

Kari · 24 Aug 2015

MartinHM said:

If for whatever reason the process fails, I would just start over again. So: What do I need the system image for?

Of course it's up to you to decide if you need an image or not.

My recommendation to create an image before doing this is only based on those countless posts here and our sister sites the Seven Forums and the Eight Forums where a member has read this or any other tutorial, has done something wrong not following the instructions to the letter, and comes back to post "I've lost everything, my computer does not work anymore!".

If you someday come back and post something like that not knowing how to proceed, asking advice, I tell you to restore the image you created as recommended and try again, this time following the instructions to the letter. If at that point you tell me you don't have an image, I will remind you why the recommendation to create an image was posted and ask you to reinstall.

In scenario like the one you described it's not a big deal just to reinstall. But: some members do this on an existing system with loads of software installed and personal data stored. Losing that hurts when there's no backup to restore.

Kari

pwatt01 · 07 Sep 2015

Hello all,

I have just sone this, both during install and after install and both times the start menu and search have stoppe working. Does anyone have an idea on how to fix it, or if reverting back will fix the issue?

Cheers

Kari · 07 Sep 2015

Hi Pwatt, welcome to the Ten Forums.

Some questions:

Which build are you using? The RTM build 10240, or later Insider builds 10525 or 10532?
Did you install Windows without network connection as told in the beginning of the tutorial, only connecting to the network when in Audit Mode?
Are you using a local account or an MS account?
If you create a new user account after you have booted first time to desktop with your initial account, do the Start and Search work using those new accounts?

Kari

Axington · 10 Sep 2015

My start menu isn't working after doing this. I used method 2.