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Exclude files and settings

When the migration .xml files MigApp.xml, MigDocs.xml, and MigUser.xml are specified, the User State Migration Tool (USMT) migrates the settings and components listed, as discussed in What does USMT migrate? A custom .xml file can be created to further specify what to include or exclude in the migration. In addition, a Config.xml file can be created to exclude an entire component from a migration. However, users can't be excluded by using the migration .xml files or the Config.xml file. The only way to specify which users to include and exclude is by using the user options on the command line in the ScanState tool. For more information, see the User options section of the ScanState syntax article.

Methods to customize the migration and include and exclude files and settings include:

  • Create a custom .xml file. The following elements can be used to specify what to exclude:

    • Include and exclude: The <include> and <exclude> elements can be used to exclude objects with conditions. For example, all files located in the C:\ drive can be migrated, except any .mp3 files. It's important to remember that Conflicts and precedence apply to these elements.

    • unconditionalExclude: The <unconditionalExclude> element can be used to globally exclude data. This element takes precedence over all other include and exclude rules in the .xml files. Therefore, this element excludes objects regardless of any other <include> rules that are in the .xml files. For example, all .mp3 files can be excluded on the computer, or all files from C:\UserData can be excluded.

  • Create a Config.xml file: A Config.xml file can be created and modified to exclude an entire component from the migration. For example, this file can be used to exclude the settings for one of the default applications. In addition, creating and modifying a Config.xml file is the only way to exclude the operating-system settings that are migrated to computers running Windows. Excluding components using this file is easier than modifying the migration .xml files because familiarity with the migration rules and syntax isn't required.

Create a custom .xml file

Microsoft recommends creating a custom .xml file instead of modifying the default migration .xml files. When a custom .xml file is used, the changes can be kept separate from the default .xml file, which makes it easier to track the modifications.

<include> and <exclude>

The migration .xml files, MigApp.xml, MigDocs.xml, and MigUser.xml, contain the <component> element, which typically represents a self-contained component or an application such as Microsoft Office Outlook and Word. To exclude the files and registry settings that are associated with these components, use the <include> and <exclude> elements. For example, these elements can be used to migrate all files and settings with pattern X except files and settings with pattern Y, where Y is more specific than X. For the syntax of these elements, see USMT XML Reference.

Note

If an <exclude> rule is specified, always specify a corresponding <include> rule. Otherwise, if an <include> rule isn't specified, the specific files or settings aren't included. They're already excluded from the migration. Thus, an unaccompanied <exclude> rule is unnecessary.

Example 1: How to migrate all files from C:\ except .mp3 files

The following .xml file migrates all files located on the C: drive, except any .mp3 files.

<migration urlid="http://www.microsoft.com/migration/1.0/migxmlext/mp3files">
    <!-- This component migrates all files except those with .mp3 extension-->
    <component type="Documents" context="UserAndSystem">
        <displayName _locID="miguser.sharedvideo">MP3 Files</displayName>
        <role role="Data">
            <rules>
                <include filter='MigXmlHelper.IgnoreIrrelevantLinks()'>
                    <objectSet>
                        <pattern type="File">C:\* [*]</pattern>
                    </objectSet>
                </include>
                <exclude>
                    <objectSet>
                        <pattern type="File">C:\* [*.mp3]</pattern>
                    </objectSet>
                </exclude>
            </rules>
        </role>
    </component>
</migration>

Example 2: How to migrate all files located in C:\Data except files in C:\Data\tmp

The following .xml file migrates all files and subfolders in C:\Data, except the files and subfolders in C:\Data\tmp.

<migration urlid="http://www.microsoft.com/migration/1.0/migxmlext/test">
    <component type="Documents" context="System">
        <displayName _locID="miguser.sharedvideo">Test component</displayName>
        <role role="Data">
            <rules>
                <include>
                    <objectSet>
                        <pattern type="File">C:\Data\* [*]</pattern>
                    </objectSet>
                </include>
                <exclude>
                    <objectSet>
                        <pattern type="File"> C:\Data\temp\* [*]</pattern>
                    </objectSet>
                </exclude>
            </rules>
        </role>
    </component>
</migration>

Example 3: How to exclude the files in a folder but include all subfolders

The following .xml file migrates any subfolders in C:\EngineeringDrafts, but excludes all files that are in C:\EngineeringDrafts.

<migration urlid="http://www.microsoft.com/migration/1.0/migxmlext/test">
    <component type="Documents" context="System">
        <displayName>Component to migrate all Engineering Drafts Documents without subfolders</displayName>
        <role role="Data">
            <rules>
                <include>
                    <objectSet>
                        <pattern type="File"> C:\EngineeringDrafts\* [*]</pattern>
                    </objectSet>
                </include>
                <exclude>
                    <objectSet>
                        <pattern type="File"> C:\EngineeringDrafts\ [*]</pattern>
                    </objectSet>
                </exclude>
            </rules>
        </role>
    </component>
</migration>

Example 4: How to exclude a file from a specific folder

The following .xml file migrates all files and subfolders in C:\EngineeringDrafts, except for the Sample.doc file in C:\EngineeringDrafts.

<migration urlid="http://www.microsoft.com/migration/1.0/migxmlext/test">
    <component type="Documents" context="System">
        <displayName>Component to migrate all Engineering Drafts Documents except Sample.doc</displayName>
        <role role="Data">
            <rules>
                <include>
                    <objectSet>
                        <pattern type="File"> C:\EngineeringDrafts\* [*]</pattern>
                    </objectSet>
                </include>
                <exclude>
                    <objectSet>
                        <pattern type="File"> C:\EngineeringDrafts\ [Sample.doc]</pattern>
                    </objectSet>
                </exclude>
            </rules>
        </role>
    </component>
</migration>

Example 5: How to exclude a file from any location

To exclude a Sample.doc file from any location on the C: drive, use the <pattern> element. If multiple files exist with the same name on the C: drive, all of these files are excluded.

<pattern type="File"> C:\* [Sample.doc] </pattern>

To exclude a Sample.doc file from any drive on the computer, use the <script> element. If multiple files exist with the same name, all of these files are excluded.

<script>MigXmlHelper.GenerateDrivePatterns("* [sample.doc]", "Fixed")</script>

Examples of how to use XML to exclude files, folders, and registry keys

Here are some examples of how to use XML to exclude files, folders, and registry keys. For more info, see USMT XML Reference

Example 1: How to exclude all .mp3 files

The following .xml file excludes all .mp3 files from the migration:

<migration urlid="http://www.microsoft.com/migration/1.0/migxmlext/excludefiles">
    <component context="System" type="Documents">
        <displayName>Test</displayName>
        <role role="Data">
            <rules>
                <unconditionalExclude>
                    <objectSet>
                        <script>MigXmlHelper.GenerateDrivePatterns ("* [*.mp3]", "Fixed")</script>
                    </objectSet>
                </unconditionalExclude>
            </rules>
        </role>
    </component>
</migration>
Example 2: How to exclude all of the files on a specific drive

The following .xml file excludes only the files located on the C: drive.

<migration urlid="http://www.microsoft.com/migration/1.0/migxmlext/allfiles">
    <component type="Documents" context="System">
        <displayName>Test</displayName>
        <role role="Data">
            <rules>
                <unconditionalExclude>
                    <objectSet>
                        <pattern type="File">c:\*[*]</pattern>
                    </objectSet>
                </unconditionalExclude>
            </rules>
        </role>
    </component>
</migration>
Example 3: How to exclude registry keys

The following .xml file unconditionally excludes the HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry key and all of its subkeys.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<migration urlid="http://www.microsoft.com/migration/1.0/migxmlext/miguser">
    <component type="Documents" context="User">
        <displayName>Test</displayName>
        <role role="Data">
            <rules>
                <include>
                    <objectSet>
                        <pattern type="Registry">HKCU\testReg[*]</pattern>
                    </objectSet>
                </include>
                <unconditionalExclude>
                    <objectSet>
                        <pattern type="Registry">HKCU\*[*]</pattern>
                    </objectSet>
                </unconditionalExclude>
            </rules>
        </role>
    </component>
</migration>
Example 4: How to Exclude C:\Windows and C:\Program Files

The following .xml file unconditionally excludes the system folders of C:\Windows and C:\Program Files. All *.docx, *.xls and *.ppt files aren't migrated because the <unconditionalExclude> element takes precedence over the <include> element.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<migration urlid="http://www.microsoft.com/migration/1.0/migxmlext/miguser">
    <component type="Documents" context="System">
        <displayName>Test</displayName>
        <role role="Data">
            <rules>
                <include>
                    <objectSet>
                        <script>MigXmlHelper.GenerateDrivePatterns ("* [*.doc]", "Fixed")</script>
                        <script>MigXmlHelper.GenerateDrivePatterns ("* [*.xls]", "Fixed")</script>
                        <script>MigXmlHelper.GenerateDrivePatterns ("* [*.ppt]", "Fixed")</script>
                    </objectSet>
                </include>
                <unconditionalExclude>
                    <objectSet>
                        <pattern type="File">C:\Program Files\* [*]</pattern>
                        <pattern type="File">C:\Windows\* [*]</pattern>
                    </objectSet>
                </unconditionalExclude>
            </rules>
        </role>
    </component>
</migration>

Create a Config XML File

A Config.xml file can be created and modified to exclude components from the migration. Excluding components using this file is easier than modifying the migration .xml files because familiarity with the migration rules and syntax isn't required. Config.xml is an optional file that can be created using the /genconfig command-line option with the ScanState tool. For example, the Config.xml file can be used to exclude the settings for one of the default applications. In addition, creating and modifying this file is the only way to exclude the operating-system settings that are migrated to computers running Windows.

  • To exclude the settings for a default application: Specify migrate="no" for the application under the <Applications> section of the Config.xml file.

  • To exclude an operating system setting: Specify migrate="no" for the setting under the <WindowsComponents> section.

  • To exclude the Documents folder: Specify migrate="no" for the Documents folder under the <Documents> section. Any <include> rules in the .xml files are still applied. For example, if a rule exists that includes all the .docx files in the Documents folder, then .docx files are still migrated. However, any additional files that aren't .docx aren't migrated.

For more information, see Config.xml File.

Note

To exclude a component from the Config.xml file, set the migrate value to "no". Deleting the XML tag for the component from the Config.xml file doesn't exclude the component from the migration.