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Frequently asked questions about User State Migration Tool 2.6.1

Article ID: 911814 - View products that this article applies to.

INTRODUCTION

Microsoft Windows User State Migration Tool (USMT) 2.6.1 is now available from the Microsoft Download Center. To download USMT 2.6.1, visit the following Web site:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=57047

(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=57047)

The primary change in this new version of USMT is that it supports computers that run x64-based versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems. For more information, see the first question in the "More Information" section.

This article answers the following questions:

What has changed in USMT 2.6.1?
What problems are fixed in USMT 2.6.1?
Can I upgrade from USMT 2.6 to USMT 2.6.1?
Can I use existing custom .inf files that were written for USMT 2.6?
How do I migrate a user state from a 32-bit operating system to an x64-based operating system?
Where can I find more information about USMT?

MORE INFORMATION

Q1: What has changed in USMT 2.6.1?

A1: The primary change in USMT 2.6.1 is that it supports computers that run x64-based versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition.

For example, the following scenarios are supported by USMT 2.6.1.

Collapse this tableExpand this table

Source computer	Destination computer
32-bit operating system	32-bit operating system
32-bit operating system	x64-based operating system
x64-based operating system	x64-based operating system

Note USMT 2.6.1 does not support Itanium-based versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems.

Note You cannot migrate a user state from a computer that is running an x64-based version of a Windows operating system to a computer that is running a 32-bit version of a Windows operating system.

For more information, visit the following Web site:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=43895

(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=43895)

Q2: What problems are fixed in USMT 2.6.1?

A2: The following problems that were present in USMT 2.6 are fixed in USMT 2.6.1:

Problem
The Loadstate command-line tool in USMT 2.6 sometimes migrates files to the current working directory. For example, a %Csidl_personal% folder is sometimes created in the same folder as the Loadstate command-line tool.

Fix
The Miguser.inf file was changed to fix this issue. Within this .inf file, the default CopyFiles rules have been moved from the "[Copy This State]" section to the "[Copy This User State]" section.

Note The Loadstate command-line tool in USMT 2.6.1 still creates a decompressed folder in the current working folder when the destination path for a file or setting is not valid. For example, this tool creates a decompressed folder in the current working folder when an environment variable is undefined. By creating this folder, the tool makes sure that data is not lost during the migration. Therefore, define the current working folder in the mechanism that you use to start the Loadstate command-line tool. For example, if you use a batch file to start the Loadstate command-line tool, add the following commands to the batch file:
c:
cd \workingdir
\\server\share\usmt\loadstate.exe options

Note In these commands, workingdir represents the working folder. Also, the USMT source files are located on the network share.
Problem
The Loadstate command-line tool sometimes fails when a backslash (\) character appears at the end of a RegFile rule.

Fix
The code was changed to fix this issue.
Problem
E-mail messages and address book entries in Microsoft Outlook Express are sometimes migrated incorrectly.

Fix
The code was changed to fix this issue.
Problem
Files that are in a domain user’s My Music folder are sometimes migrated to the Administrator’s My Music folder.

Fix
The code was changed to fix this issue.
Problem
The Scanstate command-line tool sometimes takes a long time to run. When the tool encounters certain errors, it creates a large log file.

Fix
The code was changed to fix this issue.
Problem
When you migrate user state to a new computer that is running Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, the permissions for the user profile are sometimes not set correctly. For example, the user profile that is created on the destination computer may inherit the permissions of the parent Documents and Settings folder instead of inheriting the specific permissions for the user profile.

Fix
The code was changed to fix this issue.
Problem
Screen saver settings are sometimes not migrated.

Fix
The code was changed to fix this issue.
Problem
A user's settings for Corel Quattro Pro 12 sometimes do not migrate from a computer that is running Microsoft Windows 98 to a computer that is running Microsoft Windows XP.

Note The settings for Corel Quattro Pro 12 that are sometimes lost are set by clicking Tools and then clicking Settings.

Fix
The Migapp.inf file was changed to fix this issue.
Problem
The height settings for the taskbar are not migrated for the current user.

Fix
The code was changed to fix this issue.
Problem
Appointments that users add in Microsoft Works 7.0 are not migrated.

Note The appointments in Microsoft Works 7.0 that are not migrated are set by clicking File, and then clicking New Appointment.

Fix
The Migapp.inf file was changed to fix this issue.
Problem
The ClipBook setting and the QuickFinder Manager setting in Corel Word Perfect Office 12 are not migrated.

Fix
The Migapp.inf file was changed to fix this issue.
Problem
When the source path of a file folder is on a different partition from the destination path of a file folder, the files are sometimes not migrated correctly.

Fix
The code was changed to fix this issue.

Q3: Can I upgrade from USMT 2.6 to USMT 2.6.1?

A3: You cannot upgrade the USMT 2.6 source files to USMT 2.6.1 source files. To use USMT 2.6.1, download and install USMT 2.6.1 to a folder on the local computer.

Q4: Can I use existing custom .inf files that were written for USMT 2.6?

A4: There are no changes to the way that the .inf files are processed in USMT 2.6.1. Therefore, all .inf files that worked in USMT 2.6 will continue to work in USMT 2.6.1. However, USMT 2.6.1 contains changes to the Miguser.inf file and to the Migapp.inf file. If you want to take advantage of the new functionality that these new files provide, you will have to make your custom changes to these new .inf files. If you have made changes to the Migsys.inf file, to the Sysfiles.inf file, or to the ArchiveApp.inf file, you can continue to use these files together with USMT 2.6.1.

Q5: How do I migrate a user state from a 32-bit operating system to an x64-based operating system?

A5: Use the x86 version of USMT 2.6.1 to run the Scanstate command-line tool on the source computer that has the 32-bit operating system installed. Then, use the AMD64 version of USMT 2.6.1 to run the Loadstate command-line tool on the destination computer that has the x64-based operating system installed.

Note The x86 version of USMT 2.6.1 and the x64-based version of USMT 2.6.1 are available from the Microsoft Download Center.

Q6: Where can I find more information about USMT?

A6: USMT documentation is located in the root directory where you install USMT. The Help file is named Usmt.chm. For more information about user state migration, visit the following Web site:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=57046

(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=57046)

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.