Swapping from an account to another

nedi · Apr 21, 2024

Hi everyone, I need your help.
I have an administrator account in Windows 11, but the search box doesn't work, despite many attempts to fix the problem.
I created another administrator account (without Microsoft account), and in this account the search box works.
My question is: can I transfer all the data from the "old" account to the new one?
Thanks for your help.

kelper · Apr 21, 2024

You could make a new user account and change the original to an admin account...then delete the original admin.

nedi · Apr 21, 2024

kelper said:
You could make a new user account and change the original to an admin account...then delete the original admin.

I have already created a new user account and then changed to Administrator. My problem is transferring to this new account all the installed software and settings without having to reinstall and configure everything.

kelper · Apr 21, 2024

You can copy the contents of C:\users\user1 to C:\users\user2

Make a full backup first.

nedi · Apr 21, 2024

kelper said:
You can copy the contents of C:\users\user1 to C:\users\user2

Make a full backup first.

I can't copy the Ntuser.dat file from the old account the the new one because the file is in use....

kelper · Apr 21, 2024

Boot from a USB thumb drive and then do it or boot into Recovery or Macrium Reflect and then you can

antspants · Apr 21, 2024

Otherwise, you could try TeraCopy
I believe that the free version of TeraCopy will transfer/copy a file in use or locked file. There is a comparison chart between TeraCopy and TeraCopy Pro at the bottom of this page. Download link is at the bottom of the comparison chart

TeraCopy for Windows - Code Sector

Official site of TeraCopy, a free utility designed to copy files faster and more secure. It can verify copied files to ensure they are identical. It skips bad files during copy, not terminating the entire transfer. Seamless integration with Windows Explorer.

www.codesector.com

SIW2 · Apr 21, 2024

if you are going to try that make a copy of the ntuser.dat of your new account rather than just replacing it.

You might find the account names are referenced in those hives which could have consequences.

Best compare the two hives to work out what you can safely transfer.

cereberus · Apr 21, 2024

nedi said:
I have already created a new user account and then changed to Administrator. My problem is transferring to this new account all the installed software and settings without having to reinstall and configure everything.

Actually most of the software is already installed. You just need to copy the desktop shortcuts from 1st admin user to the new admin user.

Also, this may not apply to MS Store 3rd party apps.

kelper · Apr 21, 2024

I tried copying everything from one user to another. Some files would not copy and I couldn't sign in. I did this from outside windows. But a new user desktop had all the shortcuts ready to go that the Admin account had had.

glasskuter · Apr 21, 2024

kelper said:
You can copy the contents of C:\users\user1 to C:\users\user2

Not without running into permission issues, you can't.
To prevent any permission problems, From the old account copy all your personal files into folders on an external drive. Log out of old account.
Log into new account. Copy the files from external drive into your personal folders. Once everything is where you want it, delete the old account.

kelper · Apr 21, 2024

glasskuter said:
Not without running into permission issues, you can't.
To prevent any permission problems, From the old account copy all your personal files into folders on an external drive. Log out of old account.
Log into new account. Copy the files from external drive into your personal folders. Once everything is where you want it, delete the old account.

@glasskuter

I tried this outside Windows when both accounts were logged out (booted into Macrium) and I still ran into permission problems.

I also ran out of memory near the end of copying over 7,000 files. I might try as you suggest and copy one user profile to an external SSD and then copy it back to overwrite a new user profile. But My guess is that this won't work either.

SIW2 · Apr 21, 2024

I also ran out of memory near the end of copying over 7,000 files.

?

kelper · Apr 21, 2024

SIW2 said:
?

? to you! What's your question

kelper · Apr 21, 2024

I'm testing Glasskutter's suggestion. I changed my user account to an admin account and am copying the whole profile in c:\users to an external SSD. But it's very slow. 6GB is going to take two hours. I don't know why. When that's done, I will copy the new user profile to the external SSD and then copy one over the other while logged in to Windows as an admin.,

glasskuter · Apr 21, 2024

@kelper It doesn't matter whether you are logged out of the user account or not. Original ownership is still retained. Let me make sure I'm clear. Don't copy your user folders. Create new folders on external media. Copy only your files into these folders. In the new account , copy only the files from the external media into its user folders. DO NOT USE MOVE anywhere in the procedure.. Moving will retain the ownership of the original account.
I've done this many, many times and never had a problem with permissions.

An no, your idea of copying one user profile over to the other won't work either.

kelper · Apr 21, 2024

OK Glasskutter. Please write clear instructions for the OP. I don't have all the answers but I am trying to help him.

nedi · Apr 21, 2024

I think that copying the old user to the new one is not a simple task.
If I only knew what makes the new account search bar work and could apply to the old account... But till now this is only a dream!

glasskuter · Apr 21, 2024

Another way of getting files from one account to the other without running into permission problems is to utilize the public folder. Copy files into public folder. The public folder assigns no ownership.The files can be copied from public folder to where ever you want.

glasskuter · Apr 21, 2024

kelper said:
Please write clear instructions for the OP

I though I had already but here goes step by step
From old account:
1. Connect external media. Make folders on this media such as documents, desktop, pictures, videos, downloads,music
2. Copy files from your user folders into these new folders. Do not move.
3. restart device and log in to new account

In new account,
1. copy the files from the folders on eternal media into their corresponding folders within your new user account. DO NOT COPY THE FOLDERS, only the files.