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Getting started with the User State Migration Tool (USMT)

This article outlines the general process to follow to migrate files and settings.

Step 1: Plan the migration

  1. Plan The Migration. Depending on whether the migration scenario is refreshing or replacing computers, an online migration or an offline migration can be chosen. Offline migrations can use either Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) or the files in the Windows.old directory. For more information, see Common Migration Scenarios.

  2. Determine What to Migrate. Data to consider migrating includes end-user information, applications settings, operating-system settings, files, folders, and registry keys.

  3. Determine where to store data. Depending on the size of the migration store, data can be stored in one of the following locations:

    • Remotely.
    • Locally in a hard-link migration store or on a local external storage device.
    • Directly on the destination computer.

    For more information, see Choose a Migration Store Type.

  4. Use the /GenMigXML command-line option to determine which files are included in the migration, and to determine whether any modifications are necessary. For more information, see ScanState Syntax

  5. If necessary, modify copies of the Migration.xml and MigDocs.xml files and create custom .xml files. To modify the migration behavior, such as migrating the Documents folder but not the Music folder, custom .xml file can be created or modify the rules in the existing migration .xml files. The document finder, or MigXmlHelper.GenerateDocPatterns helper function, can be used to automatically find user documents on a computer without creating extensive custom migration .xml files.

    Important

    Microsoft recommends to always make copies of the .xml files included in User State Migration Tool (USMT) and then modify the copies. Never modify the original .xml files.

    The MigXML.xsd file can be used to help write and validate the .xml files. For more information about how to modify these files, see USMT XML Reference.

  6. Create a Config.xml File if to exclude any components from the migration. To create this file, run the ScanState.exe command with the following options:

    • /genconfig.
    • /i - as arguments specify the .xml files that are being used with ScanState.exe.

    For example, the following command creates a Config.xml file by using the MigDocs.xml and MigApp.xml files:

    ScanState.exe /genconfig:Config.xml /i:MigDocs.xml /i:MigApp.xml /v:13 /l:ScanState.log

  7. Open the Config.xml that was generated in the previous step. Review the migration state of each of the components listed in the Config.xml file. If necessary, edit the Config.xml file and specify migrate=no for any components that don't need to be migrated.

Step 2: Collect files and settings from the source computer

  1. Back up the source computer.

  2. Close all applications. If some applications are running when the ScanState.exe command is run, USMT might not migrate all of the specified data. For example, if Microsoft Office Outlook is open, USMT might not migrate PST files.

    Note

    USMT fails if it can't migrate a file or setting unless the /c option is specified. When the /c option is specified, USMT ignores the errors, and logs an error every time that it encounters a file that is being used that USMT didn't migrate. The <ErrorControl> section in the Config.xml file can be used to specify which errors should be ignored, and which should cause the migration to fail.

  3. To collect files and settings, run the ScanState.exe command on the source computer. All of the .xml files that the ScanState.exe command needs to use should be specified. For example,

    ScanState.exe \\server\migration\mystore /config:Config.xml /i:MigDocs.xml /i:MigApp.xml /v:13 /l:ScanState.log

    Note

    The ScanState.exe command must be run in Administrator mode on the source computer. To run in Administrator mode, right-click Command Prompt, and then select Run As Administrator. For more information about how the ScanState.exe command processes and stores the data, see How USMT Works.

  4. To ensure that the created store isn't corrupted, run the UsmtUtils.exe command with the /Verify option.

Step 3: Prepare the destination computer and restore files and settings

  1. Install the operating system on the destination computer.

  2. Install all applications that were on the source computer. Although it isn't always required, Microsoft recommends installing all applications on the destination computer before restoring the user state. Installing all applications before restoring user state makes sure that migrated settings are preserved.

    Note

    The application version that is installed on the destination computer should be the same version as the one on the source computer. USMT doesn't support migrating the settings for an older version of an application to a newer version. The exception for this rule is Microsoft Office. USMT can migrate from an older version of Microsoft Office to a newer version of Microsoft Office.

  3. Close all applications. If some applications are running when the LoadState.exe command runs, USMT might not migrate all of the specified data. For example, if Microsoft Office Outlook is open, USMT might not migrate PST files.

    Note

    Use /c to continue the migration if errors are encountered. Use the <ErrorControl> section in the Config.xml file to specify which errors should be ignored, and which errors should cause the migration to fail.

  4. Run the LoadState.exe command on the destination computer. Specify the same set of .xml files that were specified when the ScanState.exe command was used. However, the Config.xml file doesn't always need to be specified. The Config.xml file only needs to be specified to exclude some of the files and settings that were migrated to the store. For example, the Documents folder was migrated to the store, but doesn't need to be migrated to the destination computer. For example, modify the Config.xml file and specify the updated file by using the LoadState.exe command. Then, the LoadState.exe command migrates only the files and settings that need to be migrated. For more information about how the LoadState.exe command processes and migrates data, see How USMT Works.

    For example, the following command migrates the files and settings:

    LoadState.exe  \\server\migration\mystore /config:Config.xml /i:MigDocs.xml /i:MigApp.xml /v:13 /l:LoadState.log

    Note

    Run the LoadState.exe command in administrator mode. To do this, right-click Command Prompt, and then select Run As Administrator.

  5. Sign out after running the LoadState.exe command. Some settings, such as fonts, wallpaper, and screen saver settings, won't take effect until the next time that the user logs on.