When you get a new computer, you’ll likely want to set it up quickly with all your personal files and settings. That’s what Transwiz, the User Profile Transfer Wizard is for.
Transwiz is designed to be an easy and efficient tool for transferring personal data from one computer to another.
Transwiz creates a transfer file in a standard zip format with the extension .trans.zip. This file includes your entire user profile, along with the information Transwiz needs to restore the data on another computer.
In this article, we will walk you through How to use transwiz for profile migration in Windows 10.
Things You Should Know
What is A User Profile
A User Profile is where Windows keeps your files. It’s where your Desktop, Documents, Pictures, and Music are saved. Your User Profile also stores settings that make your computer personal to you, like your desktop wallpaper, internet favorites, and the list of documents you’ve recently opened.
Check out this article if you want another way to transfer large files from PC to PC.
How to use transwiz for profile migration Windows 10
Follow these steps to use transwiz for profile migration Windows 10;
1. Click here to download the Transwiz Software
2. After Downloading, locate the file and install it.
3. Run the Transwiz setup program on a single “Administrator”Â
4. The setup program will install the Transwiz application files and documentation.
5. You can then copy and distribute the Transwiz application files from the Deployment Files folder
6. You can access the Deployment Files folder from the Start menu and ForensiT
Transwiz/Deployment Files.
Note: When you buy Transwiz, you’ll receive an email with a link to download a Transwiz.config file. This file contains your license information.
To activate Transwiz, just copy the license file into the same folder where the Transwiz.exe file is located.
Transferring User Profiles with Transwiz
When you start Transwiz, the Welcome page prompts you to choose between creating a transfer file to move documents and settings or using an existing transfer file to transfer data to a new computer.
Here, we will cover the two options provided above.
Using Task 1: “I want to transfer data to another computer.”
This option lets you back up a user profile to a zip file, which can then be transferred to another machine.
- Click Next to continue
- On the “Select a User Profile” page you choose the profile that you would like to
backup
Why Unassigned Profiles
Transwiz shows the profiles that are currently being used on the machine. These are the profiles that are assigned to each user.
Unassigned profiles are profiles that are not being used by anyone. A profile can become unassigned for different reasons, such as when a local user account is deleted. Even though the account is deleted, the profile stays on the machine but isn’t used by anyone.
To see unassigned profiles, tick the “Show Unassigned Profiles” box. The first time you do this, you’ll get a warning. This is because sometimes profiles get corrupted and Windows can’t read them. When this happens, Windows creates a new profile.
If you look in the “C:\Users” folder, you might see profiles with names like USER.DOMAIN. These profiles were created because Windows couldn’t read the original profile. It’s not safe to use a corrupted profile, so Transwiz warns you about this.
Unassigned profiles will have an unknown user icon. Transwiz will try to find the domain and account linked to the profile, but sometimes it can’t, like if the domain is no longer available. In these cases, you’ll only see a user account SID (Security Identifier). You can still figure out which profile you want to transfer by looking at the profile path.
- After you have selected the profile, click Next to continue.
Select a Transfer File
Here, you can choose where you want the transfer file to be created.
Why Fast Pack Option
By default, Transwiz compresses files to make the transfer file smaller. Compressing files takes extra time. If you want to speed up the transfer, you can select the “Fast Pack” option, but this will create a larger transfer file.
- Click Next to continue.
You will be asked to create a password to protect the file. This step is optional. If you choose to add a password, you will need to enter it when you restore the profile.
- After entering your password, then you click on the next
Transwiz will now create the transfer file.
The transfer file was successfully created then Click Finish.
Using Task 2: “I have data I want to transfer to this computer.”
Selecting “I have data I want to transfer to this computer” from the Welcome screen lets you restore a profile that you previously backed up using Transwiz.
- Click Next to continue.
- Enter the path or browse to the location where the profile you want to restore is saved.
- Click Next to continue.
If the transfer file was protected with a password, you will be asked to enter it at this point.
- Enter the password and Click OK.
- Click Next to continue.
User Account Information
Transwiz will read the account information for the user profile from the transfer file. If you want to assign the profile to the same user, just click “Next” to continue.
Transwiz also lets you assign the profile to any local or domain user account. To assign the profile to a different account, enter the domain and account name of the user who will use the profile.
Rename Computer: By default, Transwiz will rename the computer to match the name of the computer where the profile was backed up. Uncheck the box if you don’t want to rename the computer.
Join Domain: If you’re migrating a domain user account profile, Transwiz will automatically join the computer to the domain. Uncheck the box if you don’t want Transwiz to join the computer to the domain.
Set as default logon: By default, the wizard will set the account you specify as the default logon on the machine. Uncheck the “Set as default logon” box if you don’t want to change the default logon.
Merge Profiles
If a user profile already exists for the user you’ve specified, Transwiz will ask if you want to create a new profile using the data from the transfer file, or if you want to merge the files from the transfer file with the user’s existing profile.
If you click Merge, Transwiz will restore the files from the transfer file to the existing profile. If the same file exists in both the transfer file and the existing profile, Transwiz will overwrite the existing file with the one from the transfer file if the transfer file’s version is newer.
For example, if there is a file called C:\Users\Joe\Documents\Sales Figures.xlsx, and the version in the transfer file is newer, it will overwrite the version on the hard drive. If the version on the hard drive is more recent, it will stay the same, and Transwiz will not overwrite it.
If you check the Overwrite existing files box, the files from the transfer file will replace the files in the existing profile. For instance, if there is a Sales Figures.xlsx file in both the transfer file and on the hard drive, the version on the hard drive will be overwritten by the one in the transfer file.
Creating a local user account
If you assign the profile to a local user account that doesn’t exist, the wizard can create one for you. However, this is not possible for a domain user account.
- Click Yes to continue.
- The local user is created in 2 steps.
Step 1
Step 2
- Click Next to continue
- Click Next to continue.
- Click Finish.
FAQs for Using Transwiz for Profile Migration in Windows 10
1. What is Transwiz, and why should I use it for profile migration?
Transwiz is a tool designed to make the process of transferring personal data, settings, and user profiles from one computer to another easy and efficient. It allows you to create a backup of your user profile (including documents, desktop settings, and more) and transfer it to a new computer seamlessly.
2. How do I start using Transwiz to transfer my user profile?
To begin using Transwiz, first download the software from the official website and install it. After installation, launch the application and select the option to create a transfer file or restore a profile to a new computer. Follow the prompts to choose the user profile, specify a transfer location, and optionally set a password for added security.
3. What is included in the user profile backup created by Transwiz?
The backup created by Transwiz includes your entire user profile, such as files stored in your Documents, Desktop, Pictures, and Music folders, and personalized settings like desktop wallpaper and internet favorites. It also contains any recent document lists and other configurations that make your computer unique to you.
4. What are “Unassigned Profiles,” and should I be concerned about them?
Unassigned profiles are profiles that are no longer associated with an active user account, often due to deletion or system changes. While they might appear in the “C:\Users” folder with names like USER.DOMAIN, they are typically not in use. It’s safe to avoid transferring data from corrupted or orphaned profiles, as they may cause issues during the migration process.
5. What does the “Fast Pack” option do when creating a transfer file?
The “Fast Pack” option in Transwiz creates a larger transfer file by skipping the compression process. This speeds up the transfer process but results in a larger file. If you’re in a hurry and don’t mind a larger file size, you can select this option to save time.
6. How do I restore a user profile to a new computer using Transwiz?
To restore a user profile, launch Transwiz on the new computer and select the option to transfer data. You’ll be prompted to locate the transfer file you created earlier. Once found, Transwiz will allow you to assign the profile to an existing or new user account and restore the profile’s settings and files.
7. What should I do if I want to merge files from the transfer profile with an existing profile?
When restoring a profile to an existing account, Transwiz gives you the option to merge files. If files already exist in the target profile, you can choose to overwrite them with the versions from the transfer file (if they are newer).
If you want to ensure no data is overwritten, you can uncheck the “Overwrite existing files” option. This allows you to keep both the old and new versions of files, if necessary.