How to move User data - move user, when reloading or replacing a PC?

Makeshhumaresh · 13 Oct 2020

In our Helpdesks we use a lot of time securing data on peoples PC's when PC is reinstalled or replaced.
(Mostly our 1500 laptops as the Stationary PC's are using network shares.)

We spend much time moving stuff over and setting up mail etc again.
Also, it is really annoying that we we get many complaints about missing cached homepage passwords disappearing etc.

How do you guys go about making sure nothing is lost?

dalchina · 13 Oct 2020

Hi, appreciate your issue: purely on a single PC basis some options occur:
a. simply move the whole installed O/S as is from the old PC to the new one, assuming no complications like MBR-> UEFI, 32 vs 64 bits etc. - by whatever of several possible means you choose, and let the O/S adapt to its new environment.
b. prepare the O/S to be moved for bare metal restore using one of the tools available for that e.g.
What Is the Bare-Metal Backup & Restore and How to Do?
- several 3rd party tools support this approach
c. Clean install the O/S and migrate everything using e.g. a disk image of the source PC and a licensed tool such as Laplink PC Mover or Easeus Todo PCtrans

Options also rather depend on what mail system you use of course, as you mention this.

Samuria · 13 Oct 2020

At home it's simple just use OneDrive and set windows to sync you login to new pc and everything appears as if by magic

BoBoisen · 14 Oct 2020

Makeshhumaresh said:

In our Helpdesks we use a lot of time securing data on peoples PC's when PC is reinstalled or replaced.

How do you guys go about making sure nothing is lost?

We at Washington state use USMTGUI

With USMTGUI any supporter can easily migrate (backup/restore) user profiles.
You can backup local, Domain and AAD profiles and restore them to and local, Domain and AAD users.

We also use UPC from EhlerTech. UPC handles migrations of Domain user profiles over the network
We use UPC primarily to collect a users profile just before the user is handed his new PC.
Install the new PC, collect the users profile from his currrent PC and add it to the new PC, PRIOR to him picking it up.
We save a tonne of configuration time

OldNavyGuy · 14 Oct 2020

Looks like a reasonably priced tool -

USMTGUI - EhlerTech

Makeshhumaresh · 17 Oct 2020

BoBoisen said:

We at Washington state use USMTGUI

Thank you Bo
We have already run tests with the Corporate trail provided and also have gotten help for some changes, free of charge.
I have now asked for a trial of UPC, for approval at our IT-SEC, as it seems very suitable for our needs