User profile migration options - Helpdesk PC replacements

Question

Replacing peoples PC's it's a real pain making sure we get everything over.

We're currently moving PPLs personal folders over to OneDrive and it will be great I'm sure,
although it's a real pain getting Redirected/Offline folder data back onto the PCs and then onto OneDrive.

• We will get there but it is a tedious task that MS could have done much more to make convenient!

But even after that we will still have PC replacement issues as

1. many of our users does not find making a sync account in their browsers a task worthy to their status
   so they loose all their browser favorites, saved homepage passwords and so on.
2. they might save data in strange places like EndNote/OneNote databases outside their profile
3. they have all kinds of custom shortcuts etc.

Is there an easy way to make sure all the above, along with Desktop, Taskbar links, Quick links and Recent files links
can be transferred over to a new PC?

Answer 1

Consider Using Microsofts USMT for user profile migrations

USMT is a fantastic tool but Microsoft has done a lousy job maintaining the xml files and not really bothered to include Windows 10 settings etc. :-/

For many years I have therefore used updated custom xml files from what I gather is the currently biggest expert on USMT and SCCM, Thomas Ehler at EhlerTech.com. You can pick up the updated XML files, for free that will handle all browser favorites from Chrome, Firefox and the new Edge, plus a lot of other Windows 10 settings like recent files etc. Even cached passwords in Firefox and Chrome will be migrated.

The MigUser.xml migrates the users profile under C:\Users\ (documents, background, theme settings, Explorer settings etc)
But MigUser.xml also searches the whole system for documents, so documents saved outside C:\Users\ will also be found. You can add file types to search for, to MigUser.xml.

In case you do not use SCCM or do not like the USMT command line tool, consider using USMTGUI or User Profile Central, also from Ehlertech, for easy handling of USMT.

Check out this USMTGUI review at Spiceworks

Answer 2

For user profile migrations you should always use USMT from Microsoft as USMT is the only MS authorized tool.
However, MS has not made a big effort to update USMT settings regarding Windows 10/11, new browsers etc, and therefore you might experience unsatisfactory results..

I therefore highly recommend you use my updated XML files for USMT and you can get them at https://ehlertech.com/customxmls/

They also come bundled with the latest USMT version so you won't have to download the MS ADK.