Vista - Backing up c:\users directory with USMT

permalink · 01-16-2008

I need to re-image my Vista Business laptop with the manufacturer provided
"reload to factory" image from the system recovery partition. As this will
completely reformat my hard drive I need to preserve the data in the
c:\users\username directory or I will lose a lot of work.

Can I use the User State Migration Tool (USMT) to save all this data before
the re-image and the restore it afterward?

Is there another tool to do this?

Simply copying the c:\users directory doesn't seem to work because many of
these files are "in use" and cannot be copied.

permalink · 01-18-2008

You need Windows Easy Transfer for this ... no XP tool will work to gather
or restore Vista settings.

"kiscokid" <kiscokid@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news

0D7DE54-54BB-46C4-85EA-73C8C89F7AC7@xxxxxx

Quote:

>I need to re-image my Vista Business laptop with the manufacturer provided
> "reload to factory" image from the system recovery partition. As this
> will
> completely reformat my hard drive I need to preserve the data in the
> c:\users\username directory or I will lose a lot of work.
>
> Can I use the User State Migration Tool (USMT) to save all this data
> before
> the re-image and the restore it afterward?
>
> Is there another tool to do this?
>
> Simply copying the c:\users directory doesn't seem to work because many of
> these files are "in use" and cannot be copied.

01-16-2008	#1 (permalink)
kiscokid n/a posts	Backing up c:\users directory with USMT I need to re-image my Vista Business laptop with the manufacturer provided "reload to factory" image from the system recovery partition. As this will completely reformat my hard drive I need to preserve the data in the c:\users\username directory or I will lose a lot of work. Can I use the User State Migration Tool (USMT) to save all this data before the re-image and the restore it afterward? Is there another tool to do this? Simply copying the c:\users directory doesn't seem to work because many of these files are "in use" and cannot be copied.
My System Specs

01-18-2008	#2 (permalink)
Richard G. Harper [MVP] n/a posts	Re: Backing up c:\users directory with USMT You need Windows Easy Transfer for this ... no XP tool will work to gather or restore Vista settings. "kiscokid" <kiscokid@xxxxxx> wrote in message news0D7DE54-54BB-46C4-85EA-73C8C89F7AC7@xxxxxx Quote: >I need to re-image my Vista Business laptop with the manufacturer provided > "reload to factory" image from the system recovery partition. As this > will > completely reformat my hard drive I need to preserve the data in the > c:\users\username directory or I will lose a lot of work. > > Can I use the User State Migration Tool (USMT) to save all this data > before > the re-image and the restore it afterward? > > Is there another tool to do this? > > Simply copying the c:\users directory doesn't seem to work because many of > these files are "in use" and cannot be copied.
My System Specs

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