Keep Paths intact during Upgrade?

[Rebecca-In-Tennessee]

We are doing an upgrade from Office 97 to 2003 (on XP or Windows 2000 O/S)
via a network install. Everyone who is being upgraded has their My Documents
folder changed to a file on the network instead of being saved locally on
their machine.

Is there anyway to preserve those paths? We are upgrading under the
"administrator" account, so we won't be able to get in and change all the
paths for the users as they won't be here. So come Monday morning, they
won't be able to find their documents.

OR...are the paths maintained during the upgrade? I know when I set up the
custom install wizard, there was a piece of the wizard that asked if I wanted
to migrate the users settings? Is that where I should change it?

Sorry for the lengthy problem. TIA...
Rebecca

 

[Gerry Hickman]

Hi,

If you set it up properly in the first place, you'll know that Office
(since 97) has used the 'User Shell Folders' key in HKCU for it's
default location. In this context you can trash/reinstall Office as many
times as you like and the paths will remain - they are nothing to do
with Office.

However, each office program also has the ability to have it's own
default path set under Tools:Options and this is not a good idea as it
will store the path with the specific version of that program.

There's a dumbo default setting in Office called "Migrate User Settings"
that blasts out settings into HKCU every when someone logs on. I untick
this in the TRANSFORM so that it doesn't do this.

To pre-test your migration:

1. Set up two domain test users with desired paths set as you like them.
2. Put Off97 on test machine and test with both users, note behaviour
3. SETUP your o2k3 to same test machine (per machine); tell it to
uninstall all previous versions in the TRANSFORM and not to migrate user
settings
4. Log back in with the same two users; you should find UserShellFolder
doc paths are retained and Outlook settings will get migrated at first
log in of each user.

Obviously I'm assuming you are using roaming profiles.

Look out for something called "Alternate User Input"; this can be a
nightmare months down the line causing a "virus" like program call
CTFMON to end up being started from everyone's HKCU and you may not be
able to get rid of it. I'm setting it to "Not Available" as we speak but
I don't know if there are any issues with that.

 

[Gerry Hickman]

Hi,

If you set it up properly in the first place, you'll know that Office
(since 97) has used the 'User Shell Folders' key in HKCU for it's
default location. In this context you can trash/reinstall Office as many
times as you like and the paths will remain - they are nothing to do
with Office.

However, each office program also has the ability to have it's own
default path set under Tools:Options and this is not a good idea as it
will store the path with the specific version of that program.

There's a dumbo default setting in Office called "Migrate User Settings"
that blasts out settings into HKCU every when someone logs on. I untick
this in the TRANSFORM so that it doesn't do this.

To pre-test your migration:

1. Set up two domain test users with desired paths set as you like them.
2. Put Off97 on test machine and test with both users, note behaviour
3. SETUP your o2k3 to same test machine (per machine); tell it to
uninstall all previous versions in the TRANSFORM and not to migrate user
settings
4. Log back in with the same two users; you should find UserShellFolder
doc paths are retained and Outlook settings will get migrated at first
log in of each user.

Obviously I'm assuming you are using roaming profiles.

Look out for something called "Alternate User Input"; this can be a
nightmare months down the line causing a "virus" like program call
CTFMON to end up being started from everyone's HKCU and you may not be
able to get rid of it. I'm setting it to "Not Available" as we speak but
I don't know if there are any issues with that.

 

[Gerry Hickman]

Hi,

If you set it up properly in the first place, you'll know that Office
(since 97) has used the 'User Shell Folders' key in HKCU for it's
default location. In this context you can trash/reinstall Office as many
times as you like and the paths will remain - they are nothing to do
with Office.

However, each office program also has the ability to have it's own
default path set under Tools:Options and this is not a good idea as it
will store the path with the specific version of that program.

There's a dumbo default setting in Office called "Migrate User Settings"
that blasts out settings into HKCU every when someone logs on. I untick
this in the TRANSFORM so that it doesn't do this.

To pre-test your migration:

1. Set up two domain test users with desired paths set as you like them.
2. Put Off97 on test machine and test with both users, note behaviour
3. SETUP your o2k3 to same test machine (per machine); tell it to
uninstall all previous versions in the TRANSFORM and not to migrate user
settings
4. Log back in with the same two users; you should find UserShellFolder
doc paths are retained and Outlook settings will get migrated at first
log in of each user.

Obviously I'm assuming you are using roaming profiles.

Look out for something called "Alternate User Input"; this can be a
nightmare months down the line causing a "virus" like program call
CTFMON to end up being started from everyone's HKCU and you may not be
able to get rid of it. I'm setting it to "Not Available" as we speak but
I don't know if there are any issues with that.

 

[Gerry Hickman]

Hi,

If you set it up properly in the first place, you'll know that Office
(since 97) has used the 'User Shell Folders' key in HKCU for it's
default location. In this context you can trash/reinstall Office as many
times as you like and the paths will remain - they are nothing to do
with Office.

However, each office program also has the ability to have it's own
default path set under Tools:Options and this is not a good idea as it
will store the path with the specific version of that program.

There's a dumbo default setting in Office called "Migrate User Settings"
that blasts out settings into HKCU every when someone logs on. I untick
this in the TRANSFORM so that it doesn't do this.

To pre-test your migration:

1. Set up two domain test users with desired paths set as you like them.
2. Put Off97 on test machine and test with both users, note behaviour
3. SETUP your o2k3 to same test machine (per machine); tell it to
uninstall all previous versions in the TRANSFORM and not to migrate user
settings
4. Log back in with the same two users; you should find UserShellFolder
doc paths are retained and Outlook settings will get migrated at first
log in of each user.

Obviously I'm assuming you are using roaming profiles.

Look out for something called "Alternate User Input"; this can be a
nightmare months down the line causing a "virus" like program call
CTFMON to end up being started from everyone's HKCU and you may not be
able to get rid of it. I'm setting it to "Not Available" as we speak but
I don't know if there are any issues with that.

 

[Gerry Hickman]

Hi,

If you set it up properly in the first place, you'll know that Office
(since 97) has used the 'User Shell Folders' key in HKCU for it's
default location. In this context you can trash/reinstall Office as many
times as you like and the paths will remain - they are nothing to do
with Office.

However, each office program also has the ability to have it's own
default path set under Tools:Options and this is not a good idea as it
will store the path with the specific version of that program.

There's a dumbo default setting in Office called "Migrate User Settings"
that blasts out settings into HKCU every when someone logs on. I untick
this in the TRANSFORM so that it doesn't do this.

To pre-test your migration:

1. Set up two domain test users with desired paths set as you like them.
2. Put Off97 on test machine and test with both users, note behaviour
3. SETUP your o2k3 to same test machine (per machine); tell it to
uninstall all previous versions in the TRANSFORM and not to migrate user
settings
4. Log back in with the same two users; you should find UserShellFolder
doc paths are retained and Outlook settings will get migrated at first
log in of each user.

Obviously I'm assuming you are using roaming profiles.

Look out for something called "Alternate User Input"; this can be a
nightmare months down the line causing a "virus" like program call
CTFMON to end up being started from everyone's HKCU and you may not be
able to get rid of it. I'm setting it to "Not Available" as we speak but
I don't know if there are any issues with that.

 

[Gerry Hickman]

Hi,

If you set it up properly in the first place, you'll know that Office
(since 97) has used the 'User Shell Folders' key in HKCU for it's
default location. In this context you can trash/reinstall Office as many
times as you like and the paths will remain - they are nothing to do
with Office.

However, each office program also has the ability to have it's own
default path set under Tools:Options and this is not a good idea as it
will store the path with the specific version of that program.

There's a dumbo default setting in Office called "Migrate User Settings"
that blasts out settings into HKCU every when someone logs on. I untick
this in the TRANSFORM so that it doesn't do this.

To pre-test your migration:

1. Set up two domain test users with desired paths set as you like them.
2. Put Off97 on test machine and test with both users, note behaviour
3. SETUP your o2k3 to same test machine (per machine); tell it to
uninstall all previous versions in the TRANSFORM and not to migrate user
settings
4. Log back in with the same two users; you should find UserShellFolder
doc paths are retained and Outlook settings will get migrated at first
log in of each user.

Obviously I'm assuming you are using roaming profiles.

Look out for something called "Alternate User Input"; this can be a
nightmare months down the line causing a "virus" like program call
CTFMON to end up being started from everyone's HKCU and you may not be
able to get rid of it. I'm setting it to "Not Available" as we speak but
I don't know if there are any issues with that.

 

[Gerry Hickman]

Hi,

If you set it up properly in the first place, you'll know that Office
(since 97) has used the 'User Shell Folders' key in HKCU for it's
default location. In this context you can trash/reinstall Office as many
times as you like and the paths will remain - they are nothing to do
with Office.

However, each office program also has the ability to have it's own
default path set under Tools:Options and this is not a good idea as it
will store the path with the specific version of that program.

There's a dumbo default setting in Office called "Migrate User Settings"
that blasts out settings into HKCU every when someone logs on. I untick
this in the TRANSFORM so that it doesn't do this.

To pre-test your migration:

1. Set up two domain test users with desired paths set as you like them.
2. Put Off97 on test machine and test with both users, note behaviour
3. SETUP your o2k3 to same test machine (per machine); tell it to
uninstall all previous versions in the TRANSFORM and not to migrate user
settings
4. Log back in with the same two users; you should find UserShellFolder
doc paths are retained and Outlook settings will get migrated at first
log in of each user.

Obviously I'm assuming you are using roaming profiles.

Look out for something called "Alternate User Input"; this can be a
nightmare months down the line causing a "virus" like program call
CTFMON to end up being started from everyone's HKCU and you may not be
able to get rid of it. I'm setting it to "Not Available" as we speak but
I don't know if there are any issues with that.

 

[Gerry Hickman]

Hi,

If you set it up properly in the first place, you'll know that Office
(since 97) has used the 'User Shell Folders' key in HKCU for it's
default location. In this context you can trash/reinstall Office as many
times as you like and the paths will remain - they are nothing to do
with Office.

However, each office program also has the ability to have it's own
default path set under Tools:Options and this is not a good idea as it
will store the path with the specific version of that program.

There's a dumbo default setting in Office called "Migrate User Settings"
that blasts out settings into HKCU every when someone logs on. I untick
this in the TRANSFORM so that it doesn't do this.

To pre-test your migration:

1. Set up two domain test users with desired paths set as you like them.
2. Put Off97 on test machine and test with both users, note behaviour
3. SETUP your o2k3 to same test machine (per machine); tell it to
uninstall all previous versions in the TRANSFORM and not to migrate user
settings
4. Log back in with the same two users; you should find UserShellFolder
doc paths are retained and Outlook settings will get migrated at first
log in of each user.

Obviously I'm assuming you are using roaming profiles.

Look out for something called "Alternate User Input"; this can be a
nightmare months down the line causing a "virus" like program call
CTFMON to end up being started from everyone's HKCU and you may not be
able to get rid of it. I'm setting it to "Not Available" as we speak but
I don't know if there are any issues with that.