How to restore a backup data from MIG files ?

Question

I have formatted my Dell laptop with Windows 11 and took backup in external HD. This back up is stored in folder name Do_Not_Delete and the backup file is in type MIG files. These files are huge in size i am assuming the backup was correct. Now, i am stuck to restore it back as usual way of restoring through Advance Start up in settings is of no use. I have googled some procedure involving USMT tool but its too complicate, programming etc. Can some please assist me? i am badly stuck

Answer 1

To restore your backup data from MIG files using the User State Migration Tool (USMT), follow these steps:

1. Install USMT: First, ensure that you have the User State Migration Tool installed. USMT is part of the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK). You can download and install it from the Microsoft website.
2. Prepare the Destination Computer: Make sure that your Windows 11 operating system is installed on your Dell laptop. Also, install all applications that were on your source computer before restoring the user state. This is important to preserve migrated settings.
3. Close Applications: Before running the restore command, close all applications to ensure that USMT can migrate all specified data without issues.
4. Run LoadState Command: Use the LoadState.exe command to restore the data from the MIG files. You need to specify the path to your MIG files and any configuration files you may have used during the backup. The command will look something like this:

      LoadState.exe \path\to\your\MIG\files /i:MigDocs.xml /i:MigApp.xml /v:13 /l:LoadState.log
   

   Make sure to run this command in administrator mode by right-clicking on Command Prompt and selecting "Run as Administrator."
5. Sign Out: After running the LoadState.exe command, sign out of your account. Some settings may not take effect until you log back in.

If you have a Config.xml file, you can use it to specify which files or settings to exclude from the migration.

This process can seem complex, but following these steps should help you restore your backup successfully.

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References:

• Getting started with the User State Migration Tool (USMT)
• User State Migration Tool (USMT) overview articles

Answer 2

Hi Danish Siddique, I can imagine how stressful this situation feels you took the time to back up your data thinking it would be a safety net and now the restore process seems overly technical and confusing.

To restore MIG files without complex commands download a GUI tool like USMTGUI for full profile recovery or MigViewer for manual extraction open the tool and point it to your MIG file to extract all or selected folders to your preferred location or alternatively use UsmtUtils.exe with the /extract command to unpack the MIG archive into a folder keeping in mind that encrypted backups require the original key large files take time and this process restores files but not installed apps making USMTGUI the best option for non technical users.

When you created the backup do you remember if you used Dell SupportAssist, Windows Easy Transfer or USMT and was encryption enabled during the backup?

Best regards

Lucky Charm