Windows 7 : Migrating the Existing User Data - Exploring User Data and Settings

The first time a user logs on to almost any version of Windows, a profile is created. In Windows XP, the majority of the profile information is stored in the C: \Documents and Settings folder by default. In Windows 7, the majority of the profile information is stored in the C:\Users folder by default. The Registry also holds key profile information for the users.

When users log on, they are able to make changes to the Windows environment, such as modifying the way Windows looks and feels, adding items to the desktop, and configuring printers. The next time users log on, this profile data is accessed, giving them the same settings they had the last time they were logged on. Table 1 shows some of the contents of a profile.

Figure 1 shows the profile folder for a user named Sally on a Windows 7 computer. This profile is created from the Default profile the first time the user logs on. Here the settings of Windows Explorer have been changed so that all the hidden and system files are shown. As you can see, the contents of the profile can be quite extensive.

Figure 1. User profile in Windows 7

User data in Windows XP can be stored in the profile in the My Documents folder. This includes the My Music, My Videos, and My Pictures folders. Of course, users aren't restricted to only using the My Documents folder but can also store data directly on the Desktop or anywhere else on their computer. Similarly, users can store data in any of the libraries (Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos) in Windows 7. These libraries are virtual folders pointing to the actual locations of folders on the user's system. For example, the My Documents folder within the Documents library is located in the C:\Users\Username folder.

The migration tools have the ability to easily capture all the data stored in the user's profile, and they can also capture data stored elsewhere. For example, if a user has data stored in the C:\Data folder, the entire contents of this folder can be migrated.

2. Application Settings Data

The application settings data includes all the settings for any of the configurable applications. For example, if a user configures the Save options of Microsoft Word to save AutoRecover information every 10 minutes, this setting will be stored in the application settings area of the profile. Application data is typically stored in the C:\Users\Username\AppData folder.

Windows 7 uses three locations for application settings data within the C:\Users\Username\AppData folder:

• Local

• LocalLow

• Roaming

The Local and LocalLow folders are used for different levels of security. Some applications have a low level of integrity or trust, so they are given access to only the LocalLow folder and access is restricted. Other applications with a higher level of integrity have access to the Local folder, and the Local folder is also used for settings that are specific to the computer or are too big to roam.

Roaming profiles are stored in a central location such as a server and the user can access the same roaming profile when they log on to any computer in the network. Although the profile is stored permanently on the central server, the profile is also copied down to the local computer when the user logs on. The Roaming folder stores profile data that can be stored in a roaming profile.

3. Migrating User Data

Data migration tools will transfer the user's data and settings for different applications from one operating system to another. These tools do not transfer the applications themselves but only the settings and some data. If a user was running Microsoft Word on Windows XP, you can use these tools so that the user will have similar settings in Microsoft Word on their new Windows 7 system, but data migration tools don't install Microsoft Word. You use other methods to install Microsoft Word, such as including it in the new image or deploying it with Group Policy.