Migrating user data from local computer to server?

[aroostook]

Anyone out there got a good guide/recommendation/etc? I'm trying to migrate people's documents/pictures/settings/etc from their local computers and have it all stored on the AD server. Running Windows Server 2008. All client computers are (primarily) XP SP3, with a few Windows 7s thrown in the mix. I know moveuser.exe came with the Server 2003 resource kit; but I also see that there is a WMI new scripting method. Would that scripting method work with XP? Will moveuser.exe work with Win 7? Any other surprises??

Thanks!

Reason for doing this: so that everyone's documents (etc) are stored in one spot for easier backup.

 

[scottew]

You can creae a GPO to redirect all the documents to the server, preferrably a file server not your DC.

Scott

 

[58sniper]

Agreed. There is built-in folder redirection options in GPOs. If you have personal folders for the users, you could redirect the "My Documents" folder to there.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.exchangeblogs.com/

 

[aroostook]

Ok, but does that automagically transfer a user's documents and settings from the local computer to a server?

 

[58sniper]

Once you configure it, data that is in the folders configured for redirection will be copied over the next time they log off. Keep in mind that database files, such as .mdb, .pst, and .ost files, won't sync, and will generate errors. Dunno about .mdb files, but .pst and .ost files aren't supported on network shares anyways.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.exchangeblogs.com/

 

[aroostook]

Okay then... so, if I understand this right, these are the steps:

1. Join the computer to the domain (already modified the GPO for folder redirection)
2. Log on as the user
3. Manually copy from the user's local account to their new domain account
4. Log off and let the magic happen!

Seems pretty simple (if time-consuming--we've got about 70 users and computers here).

Thanks! I had the impression I had to get all fancy and use something like USMT.

 

[aroostook]

Okay, here's what I got.

* I used moveuser.exe to transfer the policy settings and files from the local user account on Computer Number One (an XP machine) to the domain account, also on Computer Number One.
* I edited the GPO to allow for folder redirection.
* I logged on as the user, then logged off.
* **NO** data transferred from Computer Number One to the share where folders were redirected to. The home folder wasn't even created.

???????

Is there a magical order in which to do this? I'm totally stumped.

 

[scottew]

Take a look at this and check the settings on the GPO.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc782799(WS.10).aspx

 

[aroostook]

Thanks.

I did look at the link. The GPO seems to be done correctly. The link also suggested I add a key to the registry. HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Diagnostics does not exist. Adding the key and value does nothing (no log).

Also, this is what I'm doing when I try to migrate data off of the local machine to the share (via folder redirection):

1. Create the account (local / workgroup), log, in, make some changes to be copied over, etc, then log out.
2. Create the domain account that the local account will be migrated to
3. Use 'moveuser.exe' to 'move' the local account data to the new domain account. Everything works fine up to this point.
4. Log back in as the NEW domain user. Everything's there...but...
5. Check the share (where everything is supposed to be redirected to) ... NOTHING. It *does* create new folders for the user, but the data doesn't transfer over.

Now, say that I don't have anything in a particular folder for the new domain account (i.e. "My Music" is empty). I log in as the domain user...folders are created on the server (via redirection)...log off. Now, if I log back on to the user, and NOW put something in "My Music," it WILL redirect to the server (i.e., I can see that it's being stored on the server).

Essentially: if the new account has anything in any folder, it won't copy. Only new stuff after logging in will copy over. Nothing from before hand.

Hopefully I made my predicament clear. My mind is very foggy now...I've been beating my head against this thing for waaaaay too long now. It's probably something insanely stupid.