Move user profile data and settings to Azure user accounts

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sbabic

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In a new consultant role at new customer who will move mainly laptop users (200+), who work externally, to a clean Azure account.
All the laptop users currently have Domain profiles, with data stored locally, but will get a an Azure Account.

My task is how can I create a setup to move their data and settings, browser favorites etc. over to their new Azure profile?

This task needs to be simple enough for a group of supporters to be able to carry out.
So far only briefly tested Laplink but it crashed Outlook, so it would not open at all. Also it is very expensive.

In case you have suggestions for a tool, that you are experienced with (know is good!) and is simple to use for a big group of supporters it would be a big help.
Thorough testing takes a really long time :-/

SBabic
 
cyabro said:
User Profile wizard from ForensIT should handle that no problem.
Click to expand...
200 Profile wizzard licenses, and that is just for the start, is very expensive and when I google I find numerous problems with the AAD profile pointing down into the old profile? Also ppl complain they do not get help when having problems?
 
sbabic said:
200 Profile wizzard licenses, and that is just for the start, is very expensive and when I google I find numerous problems with the AAD profile pointing down into the old profile? Also ppl complain they do not get help when having problems?
Click to expand...
I’ve only ever used the free version sorry and not for that many users and never needed support.

The other option is Fabs autobackup 7 pro.
That’ll be a lot cheaper as you can use the one license multiple times.
 
Hi Babic

USMT from Microsoft, which is made explicitly for user profile migrations sadly does not support Azure.
Very few tools does in fact
I have, in corporation with Milan Technical University, built an "Azure migration engine" that is included in my migration tool USMTGUI.
It is not a free tool but very cheap compared to Laplink or ForensIT as it is a one time license covering the whole company.

Also check out this Technibble discussion that describes USMT in greater detail..
 
Last edited:
What is it that is moving? I usually avoid those migration tools like the plague. It's nice to start with a fresh, clean profile, nice lean registry, empty junk/temp files. Cherry pick what you need. Most of those migration tools just utilize the original "bloated/dirty/filled with junk/buggy" profiles...and use those in their entirety. I'd rather leave that behind.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
What is it that is moving? I usually avoid those migration tools like the plague. It's nice to start with a fresh, clean profile, nice lean registry, empty junk/temp files. Cherry pick what you need. Most of those migration tools just utilize the original "bloated/dirty/filled with junk/buggy" profiles...and use those in their entirety. I'd rather leave that behind.
Click to expand...
You're right in general. Many I've tested does that and copies over tonnes of temp files, browser cache and other rubbish.
What's even worse encrypted files will be moved over but unless you have your encryption key/certificate at hand you're f....d.

That is the real beauty with USMT from Microsoft. It will only bring over exactly what you specify.
Encrypted files can be decrypted at backup
USMT can be set up to relocate stuff at restore
It can be instructed to scan all disks, or only some, for a specified list of file types or all file types known by the system.
Or it can migrate ONLY data within the users profile and/or settings for specific apps,
Browser favorites on Edge, Chrome and FF (and passwords on third party browsers like Chrome and FF) will migrate.

The only big hurdle with USMT is that it is command line and the initial XML settings from MS are rudimentary.
But with USMTGUI, bundled with the latest USMT is also a library of XML files with updated settings that can be combined.
Of course you can also edit them or add your own for specific apps within your organization.
 
For businesses, my concerns are documents, and desktop.
Luckily OneDrive for Biz handles that already. And when using 365 for email (which is what we sell/support)...well, that's independent of profiles

The beauty of professional solutions! Makes it easy.

Profile weeeezards also blow up badly when folder redirection is in place. Makes me want to jack up a quote for someones migration by a factor of 3 if I ever find those were in use on the computers at some point in time.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
For businesses, my concerns are documents, and desktop.
Luckily OneDrive for Biz handles that already. And when using 365 for email (which is what we sell/support)...well, that's independent of profiles

The beauty of professional solutions! Makes it easy.

Profile weeeezards also blow up badly when folder redirection is in place. Makes me want to jack up a quote for someones migration by a factor of 3 if I ever find those were in use on the computers at some point in time.
Click to expand...
USMT handles rediected folders nicely though as you can just omit all but local drives.

But basically this post was about the obvious failure from Microsoft: To create an easy, automated way to get user desktop, files, settings, browser favorites and passwords etc. etc. over to their new Azure Profile.
 
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OK. Got a USMTGUI trial as it is really simple and now puchased - $300 for the whole company.
We can migrate user data and App settings directly over to the Azure user account, from within the Azure user.
So really the users can do it them selves and it only takes a few minutes.

But I think USMTGUI will be even more useful in our everyday PC replacements in the service desk
 
sbabic said:
OK. Got a USMTGUI trial as it is really simple and now puchased - $300 for the whole company.
We can migrate user data and App settings directly over to the Azure user account, from within the Azure user.
So really the users can do it them selves and it only takes a few minutes.

But I think USMTGUI will be even more useful in our everyday PC replacements in the service desk
Click to expand...
I'm glad you like it :)

Also check out User Profile Central, which allows you to backup and restore user profiles directly over LAN from any PC.
 
Thomas Ehler said:
USMT handles rediected folders nicely though as you can just omit all but local drives.

But basically this post was about the obvious failure from Microsoft: To create an easy, automated way to get user desktop, files, settings, browser favorites and passwords etc. etc. over to their new Azure Profile.
Click to expand...

So how does (I see this is your program) handle relocating user profiles? Prior "profile weeeezards" simply changed the registry settings to point the "new" user profile right to the "old" user profile.

For residential computers or simple peer to peer networks (things I avoid)....most people don't notice the problem.
But for those of us who deal with local domains (more so in the past)....and Azure AD....things can get messy taking that approach. I've seen nightmares happen where "folder redirection" blows up from on prem domains. And I'd be concerned about how OneDrive policies driven from Endpoint Management in AzureAD are impacted by this, as I have a policy that pushes/enforces that, grabbing the user library folders (the backup tab in OneDrive....Desktop, Documents, Pictures).
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
So how does (I see this is your program) handle relocating user profiles? Prior "profile weeeezards" simply changed the registry settings to point the "new" user profile right to the "old" user profile.

For residential computers or simple peer to peer networks (things I avoid)....most people don't notice the problem.
But for those of us who deal with local domains (more so in the past)....and Azure AD....things can get messy taking that approach. I've seen nightmares happen where "folder redirection" blows up from on prem domains. And I'd be concerned about how OneDrive policies driven from Endpoint Management in AzureAD are impacted by this, as I have a policy that pushes/enforces that, grabbing the user library folders (the backup tab in OneDrive....Desktop, Documents, Pictures).
Click to expand...
cyabro said:
User Profile wizard from ForensIT should handle that no problem.
Click to expand...
ForensIT has stopped developping their product, they say
 
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