Windows XP Profile Migration

XP Profile Migration

Note: This process below can also be used when a user joins a new Domain although some additional steps will be required.

Old User Account

1. Login as Administrator
2. Open the registry - REGEDIT
3. Go to this key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Profilelist
4. Note the key whose value for ProfileImagePath corresponds to the location of the profile for the old user account.
5. Note the profile folders within the folder C:\Documents and Settings.

New User Account

6. Logon to the computer with the new user account which creates the new profile
7. Reboot note: you can logout but I like the reboot
8. Login as Administrator
9. Note the name of the new profile folder within C:\Documents and Settings.
10. Logon as the Local administrator
11. Make the new User a local administrator
12. Go to this key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Profilelist
13. Note the key whose value for ProfileImagePath corresponds to the location of the profile for the new user account.
14. Replace the value of ProfileImagePath from Step 9 with the value of ProfileImagePath from Step 3. The value is case sensitive so do a copy and paste
15. Delete the key from Step 3.
16. Delete the newly created profile folder or rename to be safe
17. Set the permissions on the profile folder to local adminstrators: Full Control, user account: Full Control, and System: Full Control and propagate the permissions through all subfolders and files.
18. Logon to the computer as the new user

Cleanup
19. Remove the user from the Local Administrators group
20. Delete the old profile folder

Reference: I cannot remember where I got this information so I made some notes when I first used this about 5 years ago. I recently had to do this again could not find my notes so I did it by memory. This time I documented the process so enjoy!