Question about transfering old user profile to new.

theweav · 17 Oct 2017

Before I make a mess of things, I thought I had better ask. This all started because I like to use Internet Explorer. It simply would not load. I believe I tried every fix on the web. One of the suggestions was to create a new User Profile. I did that and now Internet Explorer is working. My question is about moving the AppData folder over. Apparently I will have to reinstall all of my apps and programs in this new profile. Is there anything I need to know before I transfer AppData over. I hope that after I transfer all these folders over I will still have Internet Explorer. I guess I will have to check on it as I move things over. Any suggestions will be much appreciated.

dalchina · 18 Oct 2017

I cant see what you could gain by trying to do that. Those folders cannot be used like that.

Before doing anything that could severely compromise your PC, I hope you have protected yourself by creating a disk image (Macrium reflect (free) ) so you can restore your system to a previous working state easily, quickly and without technical help when things go horribly wrong.

We continually advise people to do that as a matter of routine for Windows, and all other disks and partitions, so they can even recover from a failing disk (and there have been a few of those).

theweav · 18 Oct 2017

Thanks. I keep current backups. My question is: How do you know what files to move over from AppData? When the new user account is created. the Local folder is already populated. Do I just add the old Local data to it? Also , that is the only folder in the new AppData folder. Do I just copy over the Local Low and the Roaming folders from the old account?

dalchina · 18 Oct 2017

Why do you think it would be useful to move any of that at all?
That's not something users would be expected to manage or delve into in the normal course of things.

In terms of what might be of interest there, if you knew exactly what you were doing for a given program, some store data there that can be copied and used in another installation of that program.

Whilst a disk image is also a complete backup of the data on the partitions and disks imaged, it is not true that backing up files and folders achieves the same thing as disk imaging.

Disk imaging can, e.g allow you to restore your whole Windows to a new disk exactly as was.

theweav · 18 Oct 2017

Thanks for responding. My only reason for doing this was to get Internet Explorer working. Since I had tried everything I could find on the web to fix IE, it was recommended to add a new User profile. I did get IE by doing this. I thought I could just copy the AppData folder over from my old profile, but obviously it's not that simple. Since I'm not an IT person I think I will just stick with Firefox.

dalchina · 19 Oct 2017

Wise decision. Have you tried unticking IE here, restarting and reselecting it?

And via Internet Options in the Control Panel you can reset IE (Advanced tab) and disable add-ons (Programs, Manage Add-ons)

theweav · 19 Oct 2017

Yeah, several times. Thanks.