What Data is Migrated By the EUCMigrate Utility?

Owned by Terrence S Miller
May 18, 2018
4 min read

Background

The EUCMigrate utility is used to back up user profile data in preparation for transfer to a new computer or in preparation for a "wipe and reload" deployment of an operating system to the existing computer. This process is commonly referred to as User State Migration or USM.

What Data is Backed Up?

User Files and Settings

We are using two configuration files to determine what gets migrated for each user.  The first contains all of the files that are included.  The second defines locations that are excluded.  Generally speaking we are taking an approach where we will include user data by default.  As we identify data locations that cause problems we will add them to the list of exclusions.


Registry items, outside of the included system components (see below), are only included if explicitly stated.  

See the linked XML files for the latest details.  


Included Files euc-include.xml

  • %UserProfile%\* - Everything in the users profile directory is included
  • HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Default\*  - This is where the RDP client history is stored for the user.
  • C:\Save\* - Everything in this directory
  • C:\Temp\* - Everything in this directory

Excluded Files euc-exclude.xml

  • Box AppData
    • Inclusion of Box appdata was causing problems with the box sync client that resulted in the migration team needing to reinstall the software.  Instead of including this in the migration they are configuring the product after the fact by hand.
    • %appdata%\Box\*
    • %appdata%\Box Desktop\*
    • %appdata%\Box Edit\*
    • %appdata%\Box Sync\*
    • %appdata%\Box.Net\*
    • %localappdata%\Box\*
    • %localappdata%\Box Desktop\*
    • %localappdata%\Box Edit\
    • %localappdata%\Box Sync\*
    • %localappdata%\Box.Net\*
  • CrashDump Logs
    • Not relevant after a rebuild.
    • %localappdata%\CrashDumps\*
  • CLFS Base Log Files
    • Log file created by the Common Log File System (CLFS), a Microsoft Windows component used for creating transaction logs; contains metadata that is used to manage access to the log data.  Not relevant after a rebuild.
    • *.blf
  • Windows Error Reporting Logs
    • These log files would occasionally cause USMT to fail.  Additionally, they have little relevence after a rebuild.
    • %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\WER\*
  • Link Files
    • After a rebuild the migration team, or user, had to spend time cleaning up dead links.  It was decided that we should instead exclude all links from our migrations.
    • *.lnk
  • Pinned Items on the TaskBar
    • Taskbar pinned items reply on links.  After we excluded them the icon was not retained.  Pinned Items on the task bar were also excluded.
    • %appdata%\microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\*
    • HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband\*
  • Libraries
    • Like links, Libraries were pointing to bad locations after a migration in some instances.  Additionally, there was a problem were folder redirection combined with USMT was creating multiple version of the core libraries.  Instead it was decided to not migrate these.
    • *.library-ms
    • %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries\desktop.ini
  • Start Menu
    • The build should install are available software in the start menu.
  • %temp% directory
    • Excluded to avoid bad temp files and unneeded data.
  • Internet Cache
    • Excluded to speed up migration.
  • SendTo Items
    • Excluded to avoid old sendTo locations after a migration
  • Startup Items
    • Excluded to avoid uninstalled programs trying to start.
  • NTUSER.DAT Files
    • Excluded because they were causing errors in the USMT process anyway.  We will include specific registry items for each user when needed.
  • USRCLASS.DAT Files
    • Excluded because they were causing errors in the USMT process.
  • %Windows%\*
    • Excluded to insure we dont migrate system files.
  • Public Softgrid Client Files
    • Excluded as a best practice
  • EUC-USM Data
    • Excluded any files in the c:\users\euc-usm profile to speed up migration times and avoid corruption of this users profile.
  • Spotify Files
    • Excluded files from the users Appdata that are created by the spotify application.  This was done to speed up migrations.
  • Appdata\LocalLow
    • This folder is used contains userdata that is too big to roam or machine specific and is for low level acces (e.g. protected mode of IE)
    • Including this cause problems with WebNow because it includes the Java cache.
  • c:\programdata\microsoft\windows defender causes a problem with error code 5 and Windows 10 and has been excluded.
  • C:\AL500_2212PROD\Catalog\template for the Library
  • C:\Program Files (x86)\Illiad\Addons\ for the Library.

Excluded System components
The following system components have been excluded from migration.

  • Network Printers

System Components Included

Additionally, the following system components are migrated for each user.

  • Accessibility settings
  • Address book
  • Command-prompt settings
  • *Desktop wallpaper - may not migrate from windows 7 to windows 10.
  • Favorites
  • Folder options
  • Fonts
  • *Windows Internet Explorer® settings
  • Microsoft® Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) settings
  • Mouse and keyboard settings
  • Network drive mapping
  • *Offline files
  • *Phone and modem options
  • RAS connection and phone book (.pbk) files
  • *Regional settings
  • Remote Access
  • *Taskbar settings
  • Windows Mail. Microsoft Outlook® Express Mail (.dbx) files are migrated from Windows XP.
  • *Windows Media® Player
  • Windows Rights Management

* These settings are not available for an offline migration. For more information, see Offline Migration.

 Other Exclusions made by EUCMigrate


EUCMigrate also excludes things using switches when it runs USMT.  These exclusions are made both at capture and state and are listed below.

  • ScanState
    • By default, User State Migration Tool (USMT) fails if an encrypted file is found.
    • Excluded any user who has not logged on in 180 days by default. 
      • This number is configurable when running EUCMigrate. 
      • These users will not get their user state captured.
    • Excluded any user profile with a missing or corrupted NTUSER.DAT file.
      • This was done to avoid warnings and delays when running USMT on a computer with a corrupted profile.
      • We found that the ITS base image has references, in the registry, to an mstiff profile but a profile directory did exsist.  This was causing USMT hang up for a while while it tried to find the file.  This exclusion speed up the process by a few minutes.
    • Only files on local drives are included.
  • LoadState
    • Only users from the UMROOT domain will be loaded by default.  There is a check box that will allow all users, including local users, to be loaded.  Any local users included will be created but disabled.