Tips on Migrating a Computer with Multiple User Profiles

Some versions of the Microsoft® Windows® operating system allow you to create separate accounts for each person that will be using the computer. Separate accounts let users have their own document folders and settings such as the wallpaper, Start menu, visual style, etc. To create or configure User Accounts on your Computer, click on User Accounts from the Windows Control Panel.

How to move your profile(s)
When you log into the operating system with a user account, the operating system is running under your user context. This means that your preferences are loaded and your data is accessible. It also means that you do not have the ability to view data that belongs to other users. When you are migrating from an old computer to a new computer, you will likely want to move the specific data and settings for each user that uses the computer.

Moving User Account Data The files within each user's "My Documents", "My Music", etc. folders can be accessed from the primary drive, e.g. from c:\Documents and Settings\<username>, by a user with administrative privileges. An administrator can copy all of the files and place them on the new computer in the corresponding user directories. The user accounts to be moved must be recreated on the new computer prior to copying the files. Files not in a user's documents folders ("My Documents", etc.) should be moved as well and may be located anywhere on the computer. Alternatively, you may use migration software that will find the user files and move them into the correct locations for you. Moving User Account Settings As with a single user migration, settings are difficult to move without the help of a software tool. The settings must be located, and in most cases, manually recreated on the new computer. On a computer with multiple user accounts this work is multiplied by the number of users, because the settings for each user must be done individually. Alternatively, you many use migration software that will recreate the settings on the new computer automatically.