Windows 7 Move c:\users to d:\users

[perry59]

I just installed a new 64 gig SSD in my computer. I also have a 2T secondary hard drive.
The SSD is not big enough to contain all the stuff that will eventually be in "My documents",
i.e. under "users" so I need to move the users directory to my secondary hard drive but have
windows behave as it were in its original location.
I did some research and found the following technique which seemed plausible (and several
people said it worked for them)
1. Install windows normally.
2. After install, boot from installation disk.
3. Get into the command prompt by clicking "repair".
4. Use robocopy to copy c:\users to d:\users. The command line should be: robocopy c:\users d:\users /mir /xj /copyall
5. Verify all files copied successfully.
6. Delete c:\users. Command line should be: rmdir /s /q c:\users
7. Delete c:\documents and settings. Command line should be: rmdir "c:\documents and settings"
8. Create junction to new users directory. Command line should be: mklink /j c:\users d:\users
9. Create junction for the old "documents and settings". Command line should be: mkdir /j "c:\documents and settings" d:\users
10. Restart computer.
Note:
When in recovery mode the disk drives end up with different drive letters than what the normally have.
Consequently my SSD drive which is "C" became "E" and my hard drive which is "D" became "C". Confusing, but
I adjusted the above commands to reflect this.
All seemed to go well until I rebooted. The computer booted up fine, but when I entered my password to log in
windows complained that it could not find my profile. Since I could not log in at all I was forced to re-install
windows. Supposedly, this is doable and I NEED to do it asap as my SSD will not hold all the stuff that will eventually
be in "users".
What did I do wrong?
Please help!

 

[fjgold]

The "official" way to do this is here.

Link Removed

repeat for music, videos and pictures.

 

[perry59]

Yes, I was aware of that procedure. I may yet be forced to do that, although its not a complete solution. It leaves behind numerous other folders under "\users" such as appdata, local settings, etc. which means I would have to back up two "users" directories, one on "C" and one on "D". It would be FAR better if "\users" could be moved in its entirety. MS really should allow for this. Most people today would prefer to keep their data seperate from their OS.
Thanks though, its good to have something to fall back on

 

[fjgold]

Yes, I was aware of that procedure. I may yet be forced to do that, although its not a complete solution. It leaves behind numerous other folders under "\users" such as appdata, local settings, etc. which means I would have to back up two "users" directories, one on "C" and one on "D". It would be FAR better if "\users" could be moved in its entirety. MS really should allow for this. Most people today would prefer to keep their data seperate from their OS.
Thanks though, its good to have something to fall back on

I don't think you can move appdata, locals etc.
That is probably why your initial attempt using the methods you described in your initial post failed.
Windows was looking for those crucial files\folders (basically your user profile) in C:\users.
I personally have all my libraries on a separate NTFS partition along with most large programs like Office etc.
When I install programs I almost always instruct the installer to install in U:\Program Files instead of the default C:\Program Files, U:\ being the separate NTFS partition I created for this purpose.

I use a free program called Clonezilla Live to create images of my C:\ partition at first initially after all updates and other customizations and program installs. I then make periodic images as time goes on.

The initial one I save indefinitely and the subsequent images I save at least the last 2-3.

All are saved to a 1 TB external drive and can be restored from there by Clonezilla.

My C:\partition is 24 GB with 13 GB used by Win 7.
This is primarily due to all my libraries and most programs being on U:\.

Since the U:\ partition is not bootable I simply manually backup (copy\paste) that entire partition periodically to a folder on my external drive.
Win 7 makes this easy after the initial files are copied by offering to only copy new files during subsequent backups.
Actually I have a paid program called Retrospect installed in Win 7 that will automatically backup U:\ with a click of a shortcut.

I can have a complete drive failure be back up an running in a short time using a new drive using my backup routines.

I keep a spare drive partitioned and formatted exactly like my main drive expressly for this purpose.