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Create a task sequence to capture and restore user state in Configuration Manager

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Applies to: Configuration Manager (current branch)

Use Configuration Manager task sequences to capture and restore the user state data in OS deployment scenarios. In these scenarios, you want to retain the user state of the current OS. Depending on the type of task sequence you create, the capture and restore steps might be automatically added as part of the task sequence. In other scenarios, you might need to manually add the capture and restore steps to the task sequence. This article provides the steps that you must add to an existing task sequence to capture and restore user state data.

Task sequence steps

To capture and restore the user state, add the following steps to the task sequence:

  • Request State Store: If you store the user state on the state migration point, you need this step.

  • Capture User State: This step captures the user state data. It then stores the data on either the state migration point or the local disk using hardlinks.

  • Restore User State: This step restores the user state data on the destination computer. It can retrieve the data from a state migration point or if hardlinked on the local disk.

  • Release State Store: If you store the user state on the state migration point, you need this step. This step removes the data from the state migration point.

Use the following procedures to add the task sequence steps needed to capture and restore the user state. For more information about creating a task sequence, see Manage task sequences to automate tasks.

Capture the user state

To add task sequence steps to capture the user state, use the following steps:

  1. In the Task Sequence list, select a task sequence, and then click Edit.

  2. If you're using a state migration point to store the user state, add the Request State Store step to the task sequence. In the Task Sequence Editor, click Add. Point to User State, and then click Request State Store. Configure the properties and options for this step, and then click Apply. For more information about the available settings, see Request State Store.

  3. Add the Capture User State step to the task sequence. In the Task Sequence Editor, click Add. Point to User State, and then click Capture User State. Configure the properties and options for this step, and then click Apply. For more information about the available settings, see Capture User State.

    Important

    When you add this step to your task sequence, also set the OSDStateStorePath task sequence variable to specify where to store the user state data. If you store the user state locally, don't specify a root folder as that can cause the task sequence to fail. When you store the user data locally always use a folder or subfolder. For more information about this variable, see Task sequence variables.

  4. If you're using a state migration point, add the Release State Store step to the task sequence. In the Task Sequence Editor, click Add. Point to User State, and then click Release State Store. Configure the properties and options for this step, and then click Apply. For more information about the available settings, see Release State Store.

    Important

    The task sequence action that runs before the Release State Store step must be successful before the Release State Store step starts.

Deploy this task sequence to capture the user state on a destination computer. For information about how to deploy task sequences, see Deploy a task sequence.

Restore the user state

To add task sequence steps to restore the user state, use the following steps:

  1. In the Task Sequence list, select a task sequence, and then click Edit.

  2. Add the Restore User State step to the task sequence. In the Task Sequence Editor, click Add. Point to User State, and then click Restore User State. This step establishes a connection to the state migration point if necessary. Configure the properties and options for this step, and then click Apply. For more information about the available settings, see Restore User State.

    Important

    When you use the Capture User State step with the option to Capture all user profiles with standard options, you must select the Restore local computer user profiles setting in the Restore User State step. Otherwise the task sequence will fail.

    Note

    If you store the user state by using local hardlinks and the restore isn't successful, you can manually delete the hardlinks that were created to store the data. The task sequence can run the USMTUtils tool to automate this action with a Run Command Line step. If you use USMTUtils to delete the hardlink, add a Restart Computer step after you run USMTUtils.

  3. If you're using a state migration point to store the user state, add the Release State Store step to the task sequence. In the Task Sequence Editor, click Add. Point to User State, and then click Release State Store. Configure the properties and options for this step, and then click Apply. For more information about the available settings, see Release State Store.

    Important

    The task sequence action that runs before the Release State Store step must be successful before the Release State Store step starts.

Deploy this task sequence to restore the user state on a destination computer. For information about deploying task sequences, see Deploy a task sequence.

Next steps

Monitor the task sequence deployment