What is User State Migration Tool? How to use User State Migration Tool? Is there any alternative tool to help you to migrate Windows or transfer files from PC to PC? This post will show you answers.

What Is User State Migration Tool?

User State Migration Tool is a command line utility program of Microsoft, which allows users to transfer files and settings between PC and PC with the scripting languages. User State Migration Tool allows a high-volume, automated deployment of files and settings. It also plays an important role in migrating user settings and files during OS upgrade.

In addition, User State Migration Tool has high complexity and a command line interface. There are several attempts to provide access to its useful functionality by creating GUI wrapper for it. User State Migration Tool supports migrating from 32-bit to 64-bit, but it doesn’t support 64-bit to 32-bit.

User State Migration Tool can help you to transfer a lot of files, such as:

  • Selected User Accounts
  • Files and Folders
  • E-mail messages, settings, and contacts
  • Photos, music and videos
  • Windows Settings
  • Program data files and settings
  • Internet settings

However, do you know how to use the User State Migration Tool Windows 10? If no, just go on your reading and this post will show you the solutions step by step.

How to Use User State Migration Tool?

In this part, we will show you how to use the Windows 10 migration tool – USMT Windows 10.

First of all, you need to know that the USMT provides the following sample scripts that can be easily modified for customization if needed:

  • XML. It is the rules of migrating application settings.
  • XML. It is the rules of migrating documents.
  • XML. It is the rules of migrating user profiles and user data.

And now, it is time to show you how to use the User State Migration Tool.

Step 1: Download and Install the USMT Tool

  1. Click here to download Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for your source computer.
  2. Install the User State Migration Tool on the source computer.
  3. Click Install to continue.

Install User State Migration Tool

Step 2: Back up Data Using USMT ScanState Tool

Note: Please close all applications because the USMT Windows 10 tool will not migrate the specified files if the applications are running.
  1. Type cmd in the search box of Windows and choose the best-matched one.
  2. Right-click the Command Prompt to choose Run as administrator.
  3. Run the Scanstate command on the source computer to collect files and settings. You should specify all of the .xml files that you want to migrate.

scanstate \\server\migration\mystore /config:config.xml /i:migdocs.xml /i:migapp.xml /v:13 /l:scan.log

Note: You can run the USMTUtils command with the /verify option to ensure that the storage you created is not corrupted.

Step 3: Restore the Files and Settings

  1. Install the operating system on the destination computer.
  2. Install all applications on the source computer. Although it is not required, it is recommended to install all applications on the destination computer before restoring the user state since it enables you to preserve the settings.
Tip: All applications on the destination computer should keep the same version on the source computer. Otherwise, User State Migration tool does not allow you to restore files and settings on the different versions.
  1. Close all applications.
  2. Type cmd in the search box of Windows and choose the best-matched one.
  3. Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
  4. Type the following LoadState command.

loadstate \\server\migration\mystore /config:config.xml /i:migdocs.xml /i:migapp.xml /v:13 /l:load.log

When you have finished all steps, you have transferred files to another computer with the USMT Windows 7 to Windows 10 tool and you can exit the command line window. And you need to pay attention to that some settings will take effect until you log on next time.

Best Alternative to User State Migration Tool

From above information, you can find that the Windows User Migration tool is complicated and difficult to transfer files from PC to PC.

Thus, is there any user-friendly software to transfer files from PC to PC? The answer is positive.

To transfer files from PC to PC, MiniTool ShadowMaker is strongly recommended.

MiniTool ShadowMaker not only enables you to transfer files to another computer, but also can help you to transfer the operating system to another computer with its powerful feature.

In addition, MiniTool ShadowMaker has two powerful features to help you achieve that which are Clone Disk and System Backup and Restore.

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Therefore, get MiniTool ShadowMaker to have a try.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Transfer Files by Disk Clone

First of all, you can try to clone the whole disk to another computer. In this way, you can maintain all your files and settings of your source computer. And you don’t have to install the operating system on the destination computer because you just need to restore the operating system to the destination computer.

Step 1: Install and launch MiniTool ShadowMaker

  1. Launch MiniTool ShadowMaker.
  2. Click Keep Trial to continue.
  3. Click Connect in This Computer to enter its main interface.

choose Connect in This Computer to continue

Step 2: Choose disk clone source disk

  1. After entering its main interface, go to the Tools
  2. Click Clone Disk to continue.
  3. Click the Source module to choose the source disk.
  4. You can choose the disk from the drop-down menu. Here we choose the system disk.
  5. Click Finish to continue.

choose disk clone source disk

Step 3: Select the target disk

  1. Click Destination module to go on.
  2. Choose a target disk from the drop-down menu.
  3. Click Finish.

choose a target disk

Step 4: Disk clone process

  1. After selecting the source disk and target disk, click OK.
  2. The disk cloning process will begin.

disk cloning process

Tip: All data on the target disk will be destroyed during the disk cloning process. If you have important files on the target disk, please back up them in advance.

When the disk cloning process is finished, you will receive a warning message which has the following information.

read the warning message carefully

  • The source disk and target disk have the same signature.
  • Disconnect either of those two disks when you boot your computer for the first time.
  • If you want to boot the computer from the target disk, please change the BIOS order.
  • If both two disks are connected to your computer, either of them will be marked offline.

Step 5: Restore the operating system and files to another computer

  1. When disk cloning process is finished, you can insert the target disk to the other computer.
  2. Boot computer from the target disk.

When you have finished all steps, you have migrated the files and the operating system to another computer. And it will maintain all your settings.

Attention:

As a matter of fact, if you are migrating Windows 10 to another computer with this Windows migration tool – MiniTool ShadowMaker, your computer usually can run normally. But if you are migrating Windows 7 to another computer, you may encounter some boot problems due to incompatibility.

However, the alternative to User State Migration Tool – MiniTool ShadowMaker can help you to fix this problem easily.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Step 6: Perform universal restore

  1. Launch MiniTool ShadowMaker, go to Tools page, and click Media Builder feature to create bootable media.
  2. Boot the target computer from bootable media.
  3. Go to Tools, click Universal Restore to fix the incompatibility issue.

perform universal restore

Now, you have successfully migrated Windows 10 to another computer and transferred files from PC to PC. In addition, it is very easy to operate even for those inexperienced people.

Related article: How Can You Do Windows Backup Restore to Different Computer?

Transfer Files Through Backing Up

Now, we will show you another way to transfer files from PC to PC. It is the backup feature of Windows User Migration tool – MiniTool ShadowMaker.

The detailed operation methods are as below.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Step 1: Launch MiniTool ShadowMaker

  1. Install MiniTool ShadowMaker on the source computer.
  2. Launch it, click Keep Trial and click Connect in This Computer to enter its main interface.

Step 2: Choose backup files

  1. Go to Backup page, click Source
  2. Choose Folder and Files to go on.
  3. Select the files you want to transfer.
  4. Click OK.

choose backup source

Step 3: Choose destination disk

  1. Click Destination
  2. Choose a target disk.
  3. Click OK.

choose a target disk

There are three important things you need to pay attention to.

  • MiniTool ShadowMaker enables you to create automatic files backup. Just need to click Schedule button to set the automatic time.
  • The Incremental backup is chosen by default. You can click Scheme button to change.
  • MiniTool ShadowMaker provides some advanced backup parameters. Click Options button to set.

Step 4: Perform file backup

  1. After selecting the backup source and destination, you can click Back up Now to perform file backup immediately.
  2. Or click Back up Later to delay the file backup process.

click Back up Now to perform file backup immediately

Step 5: Start to restore files to another computer

When the file backup is finished, you need to restore the files to another computer.

  1. Connect the target disk to another computer.
  2. Boot the computer from the bootable media. As to how to create bootable media, you can refer to the above content.
  3. Enter the main interface of MiniTool ShadowMaker and go to Restore
  4. You can find the file backup image is listed here.
  5. Click Restore to continue.

click Restore to continue

Note: If there is no backup image listed here, you can click Add Backup to add the file backup image to here. Note that the drive letter in the WinPE may be changed.

Step 6: Restore files backup

1. Next, choose backup version and click Next to continue.

choose backup version and click Next to continue

2. Select the files and folder to restore. And click Next to go on.

choose restore files and folders

3. Choose the destination disk to save the restored files and click Next.

choose the destination disk to save the restored files

4. Wait for the restore process to be finished.

wait for the process to be finished

When all steps are finished, you have successfully transferred files from PC to PC with the User State Migration Tool alternative – MiniTool ShadowMaker. And this Windows migration tool even can help you to transfer operating system to a different computer.

To migrate Windows or files from PC to PC, I think MiniTool ShadowMaker is safer and easier than the User State Migration Tool Windows 10.

MiniTool ShadowMaker is powerful program which can help you to transfer files from PC to PC with ease and would not give rise to data loss.Click to Tweet

Bottom Line

In conclusion, we have introduced what the User State Migration Tool Windows 7 to Windows 10 is and how to use this Windows User Migration tool. Also, we have introduced an alternative to User State Migration Tool in this post. It is MiniTool ShadowMaker.

If you have any better solution for transferring files from PC to PC or migrating the operating system, you can share it on the comment zone.

And if you have any problem of MiniTool ShadowMaker, you can feel free to contact us via the email [email protected] and we will reply as soon as possible.

User State Migration Tool FAQ

What does the Usmt migrate?
  1. Download User State Migration Tool and install it.
  2. Back up data. You need to use the commands to select backup source.
  3. Restore the files and settings to a new computer.
Does Windows 10 have a migration tool?
To migrate Windows 10, you can use the MiniTool ShadowMaker back up the operating system and files and restore them to a different computer. Besides the Backup feature, you can also use the Disk Clone feature to migrate Windows 10 to another hard disk.
What is LoadState?
The LoadState.exe can be used to restore the user state from the data store. The LoadState tool collects migration units from the store and applies them to the destination computer.
What is SCCM Usmt?
The SCCM USMT refers to the System Center Configuration Manage User State Migration Tool. It can capture user accounts, user files, operating system, and application settings. Then migrate them to a new Windows installation. The USMT can be used to for both PC replacement and PC refresh migration.
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