PENDING USMT - how to catch all user stuff at re-installation and PC replacements?

[StjepanB]

I am setting up USMT on our Config manager and although it does kind of work it is not especially great.
Our users data are already on OneDrive but I want to get the full "User Experience" including browser favorites and perhaps browser cached passwords.
Most importantly though it is to make sure NO data is lost outside the users profile!

Today we check manually that nothing is lost and move over important things other than data.
We then store the old harddrive/PC at PC replacements.
When re-installing, we create a snapshot of the whole disk and store it.

I want to make sure we have everything moved over when re-installing through CM and also look for a way to backup/restore users settings at replacements, like for instance run USMT from a Networks share.

 

[Thomas_Ehler]

USMT is great!

MS just doesn't maintain the supplied XML files very well...
Consider using the EhlerTech custom XML files for USMT available at ehlertech.com for free.

Apart from the MS supplied MigApp.xml and MigUser.xml, I recommend you add Win10.xml and ExcludeSystemFolders.xml.

The MigApp.xml file supplied in this package has been updated to migrate favorites and cached passwords in the latest versions of Firefox, Chrome, Edge (not passwords from Edge!), and Office.
MigUser.xml does include a lot of file types it scans the whole system for, outside the user profile.
Win10.xml will handle Windows 10 specific user settings like Explorer quick links, recent files etc.

Note: Avoid using the USMT 21h2 (from the "Windows 11" ADK) as it is buggy.
- As of now, Oct 2021 at least.

USMT over Network
You can also run USMT as a stand alone tool from a network share, and store to a network share.
Just remember that, as USMT Scanstate and Loadstate runs elevated they have no knowledge of mapped drives you have mounted. You MUST therefore use the PC path ( \\server\path )

 

[Janine1Marchese]

Hi Stjepan
We use User Profile Central.
It is a locally installed console that is capable of running USMT on remote PCs and store the user data on a central network share.
It is really easy to use and will handle all the issues you mention:
User experience (visuals like background, theme, Desktop etc.), browser favorites and cached passwords, and also searching for stuff on the drive outside the user profile.
In our case often EndNote databases.

We actually stopped running user state through SCCM a long time ago as we have much better control through User Profile Central

 

[StjepanB]

Hi Stjepan
We use User Profile Central.
It is a locally installed console that is capable of running USMT on remote PCs and store the user data on a central network share.
It is really easy to use and will handle all the issues you mention:
User experience (visuals like background, theme, Desktop etc.), browser favorites and cached passwords, and also searching for stuff on the drive outside the user profile.
In our case often EndNote databases.

We actually stopped running user state through SCCM a long time ago as we have much better control through User Profile Central

Hi Janine
Thank you! We now use UPC

 

[StjepanB]

We now use UPC - user Profile Central for all out user profile migrations!
It is much less confusing for our support and more transparent than running through SCCM.
Also we have great control of what is migrated.
For instance on the PCs with OneDrive, OneDrive data is automatically omitted but we still get all the user settings.
Really impressively UPC gets Quick links, desktop, theme, background, Taskbar shortcuts, mail accounts, browser favorites from Chrome Edge and Firefox and browser cached passwords and all locally stored user data.
/SB