USMT - Creating Custom Migration .xml files to limit captures.

Question

Good morning. I am newer to USMT and .XML. and have a few questions. Sorry in advance if my questions break the logic chain of how these tools truly work. Again....newer to all this.

CONTEXT:

I am currently trying to set up my new tool ("User Profile Central" which is just a simple GUI to leverage USMT) to use USMT for single migrations at a time. This tool sees all the computers on the network and gives a list of .XML files you want to use and you just point it to any computer on the network, choose the profiles on the device you want to migrate and then captures it to a network location. Anything you capture can then be referenced and rolled out on any other computer on the network. No SCCM needed or complicated code or commands.

I am also leveraging the other tool called USMT XML Builder to turn cryptic .XML files into a format that I can logically understand what is being referenced and just turn things off and on with ease.

I have installed ADK to get all the appropriate files needed.

GOAL:

Reference the all-encompassing MigUser and MigApp xmls, create a very limited focus capture and create a default template to restrict the settings to the few things listed below. I have already successfully migrated profiles using the tool and the default files provided, so I know the tool work as I want it to.

Now just to create custom .XML files to severely restrict what looks like a very all-encompassing look that the base .XML files use to assess the target computer.

WHERE I AM AT:

I have learned enough that by running scanstate in PowerShell I am able to reference the "MigUsers and MigApp XMLs to generate a custom Config.xml.

So my problem is this. It looks like USMT is designed to see EVERYTHING. My migrations are VERY small with only a few pieces I want to focus on. The Config.xml is loaded with a lot of upper-level descriptions and my goal is to be WAY more granular. (See list of items below for reference). Two issues. One, there is a lot to sift through, and two, There is no way to look at that config.xml to determine if buried in one of those generic references is the "Needle in a haystack" I am trying to actually back up.

I do have a secondary goal to keep restricted what is migrated as I want the new OS settings to be organic to how it was rolled out as possible. I do not want to capture ANYTHING except the list below so I do not migrate problematic issues from the old one to the new one. (Keeping help desk calls down)

QUESTIONS:

1. Can I just turn EVERYTHING in the custom-generated Config.xml to NO? Then create a second custom XML referencing the items listed below to get?

I know where everything I want to capture is as I am currently just using a bat file to create a folder structure and scripts to just capture all the settings and registry collections needed. So I would just create a .XML file that points to the registry keys and profile storage areas and be done with it. This tool is very easy and very small and runs in under a minute creating a 400k file. The biggest problem is that it has to be run as the user while logged in, and the new tool is network savvy and allows me to capture from any computer on the wire and apply to any computer on the wire.

2. The USMT XML Builder really does a great job of making the .XML reference files easy to understand what is being collected and if I double-click it I can Exclude or Include anything listed in the MigApps and MigUser reference files.

Is it considered bad form to mark everything not needed in the MigApps and MigUser so it does not cast such a huge net and then reference an XML that just points to the few things I truly need? Then anything not on that list I can create a custom XML to address the final pieces needing to be captured.

Hopefully, I am not underthinking/understanding all this.

That would really make things very simple if my above goals are achievable.

Below is the list of the only items I want to capture.
Office Settings:
Dictionary

Templates

StickeyNotes

OneNote

Outlook Signatures

Input Settings:

Mouse

Keyboard

Accessibility

Cursors

OS Config:
Mapped Drives

Wallpaper

ODBC

Network Printers

Quick Access Links

Favorites:

Edge

Chrome

Answer 1

Hi RomanJohnston_CoP,

thank you for posting on the Microsoft Community Forums.

Based on the description, I understand that your issue is related to Microsoft Deployment Toolkit.

Since there are no engineers dedicated to Microsoft Deployment Toolkit in this forum. In order to be able to deal with your questions quickly and efficiently, I recommend that you repost your questions in the Q&A forum, where there will be a dedicated engineer to provide you with a professional and effective response.

Here is a link to the Q&A forum: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/

Have a nice day.

Best regards,

Lei