Copying (or moving) a user profile to a new local profile

[Cristatus]

I'm having a problem with some aspects of of my user, such as the widgets not being properly displayed, and IE constantly crashing.

When I tried using another profile on my computer, I realize that everything is functioning properly.

I wanted to know: what is the best way to move my profile from my current user profile to a new profile on the same machine.

I need all of my current files, including software. My bookmarks (for IE, Firefox, and Opera [Opera being the most important]), and my e-mail too, if possible.

TIA

(C)

 

[RedChief]

While you can copy the files, setting up the the user specific aspects in the profile will be required. In other words you can move your Outlook.ost/pst from their original folder to the new one (on XP its in {user}\local setting\application data\microsoft\outlook). IE bookmarks are moved in a similar manner. Firefox bookmarks can be moved by just restoring a automatic backup of your bookmark file (search for a .json under your user dir).

 

[Lifted]

You can try the Windows Easy Transfer tool just to see if your problems get resolved, and if they are still there then create a new profile and just copy everything.

The software should be available from the other profiles unless you specified it not to be during installation. Easy to check. You will lose any customizations you've done though, unless you migrate your entire profile which isn't such a good idea considering your having problems with the current one.

Mozbackup can export everything in firefox (bookmarks, history, passwords, extensions, etc.). With IE you just have to copy your favorites folder and cookies (unhide "protected operating system files"), but I'm not sure if you can get at the forms history and saved user names & passwords too easily... I've never had much luck with that. Don't know about Opera.

Good thing is that it's all on the same computer, so it should be pretty quick to just copy/move your files over from your old profile into your new profile.