Change user profile folder location on Windows 7/8/8.1

When you wish to change the location of your user profile folder, you don't have any tools at your disposal, except step-by-step manual solution.

Recently I had to switch AD domains on some laptops, and users got a new profile (since they, in fact, were new users). I found that switching user profile folder path was not something that wan not possible out-of-the-box.

Here is how you do it manually:

1. Create a System Restore Point (you can never have too many of those)
2. Log on as an administrator
3. If you are moving your user profile folder, then move the folder c:\Users\SomeUser somewhere (eg. d:\SomeUser).
4. If you just have to switch folders, skip to step 4.
5. Open the registry editor and navigate to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
6. Search for “ProfileImagePath” until you find the one that points at c:\Users\SomeUser
7. Modify it so that it points at to the new path (eg. d:\SomeUser)

Log off, and log in as 'SomeUser'.

Use System Restore in case something goes terribly wrong.