(Win7) Possible to back up a user's profile and reinstate it on a new OS install?

[mikeymikec]

Same OS before and after (Win7 64 SP1).

I have a feeling that I used Windows Backup to back up a user's files previously, but it only reinstated the files and ignored the user's registry data.

 

[Global688]

Use Easy Transfer. (its built into windows)

 

[mikeymikec]

I'm pretty sure that's what I tried before, but I'm trying it again this time (as well as robocopy'ing a copy of the Users folder just in case).

 

[JackMDS]

http://www.maketecheasier.com/3-ways-to-backup-user-profile-in-windows-7/

 

[RampantAndroid]

I don't think you want to keep your registry hive. One of the reason's to re-install is to clean it out.

 

[mikeymikec]

The user's registry hive is not the same as the system registry hive. The former is stored in the user's profile folder.

Updating this thread with my progress - it worked (at least in one respect that I wanted to save time on - having to import Outlook data and re-set-up the e-mail account), however:

I did alter the selection it made by default to include the NTUSER.DAT type files in the root of the user profile (I can't remember which Windows regards as the 'current' user registry data files, there's some more somewhere in AppData\Local\MS\Windows IIRC).

When altering the selection it made by default, I didn't go into the AppData folder, my concern was the user's registry file primarily, so I didn't notice something very odd until after I re-imported the easy transfer file - it doesn't import all the folders in the AppData folder structure. For example, in AppData\Roaming, the original folder structure had about 27 folders directly beneath that one. After importing the easy transfer file, there were only 7 folders in there. The AppData\Local folder looked fairly similar.

Bottom line is, I wouldn't trust this method to get it completely right. I have no idea why MS would exclude so much, but anyway. I also took the precaution of doing a robocopy of the original folder structure before starting.

 

[fire400]

mikeymikec:
"Bottom line is, I wouldn't trust this method to get it completely right. I have no idea why MS would exclude so much, but anyway. I also took the precaution of doing a robocopy of the original folder structure before starting."
-agreed.

With Windows 8.0, does anyone remember the hype about moving around to/from win8.0 machines while retaining end-user file settings/files/apps, simply by just using "live sign-in" onto the new machine?
-total b.s. == 3rd party licensing, the 8.1 "upGrate" and of course, network connection modifiers, various other issues- too many to name, etc.

Because each operating system (vista/7/8/8.1) offered different customization/optimization and security features, including backup procedures and issues with 3rd party back ups that end-users were confused about (not to mention malware infected computers... *-*), settings and files could/would easily port with things missing or cause errors that needed to be defaulted to "standard settings."

so long story short, there are too many variables unseen that should never be fully trusted through lazy, software-automation (one size fits all)- when it comes to marketing "import profiles and settings easily!"

 

[mikeymikec]

With Windows 8.0, does anyone remember the hype about moving around to/from win8.0 machines while retaining end-user file settings/files/apps, simply by just using "live sign-in" onto the new machine?
-total b.s.

All MS meant by that of course was that if you signed in using an MS account on multiple machines, used OneDrive for file storage and MS Metro apps with MS account sign-in, it would remember your settings. But it sounds better if it supposedly does "everything", and it's up to you how you interpret their sales pitch