Move Users folder to another drive on fresh install of Windows 10

Assumption:

• Besides C:, you have a second drive mounted at d:

After installing Windows 10, create an .xml file with the following contents:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
<settings pass="oobeSystem">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<FolderLocations>
<ProfilesDirectory>D:\Users</ProfilesDirectory>
</FolderLocations>
</component>
</settings>
</unattend>

• Line 4: The value of variable ProcessorArchitecture must be amd64 if you are installing a 64 bit Windows regardless of if you have an Intel or AMD processor, and x86 if you are installing a 32 bit Windows
• Line 6: The value in ProfilesDirectory tags is the new location for the Users folder, in this example answer file it will be moved to D:\Users. Be sure that the drive into which you are relocating the Users folder is empty or at least does not contain any Windows system folders, especially Users folder or parts of it from any current or previous Windows installation.

Save the file as an XML file to root of any drive except C: eg. D:\relocate.xml now execute the following:

net stop wmpnetworksvc
%windir%\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /oobe /reboot /unattend:d:\relocate.xml

The above command tells system to run the Sysprep from Windows\System32\Sysprep folder reading instructions from the unattended answer file D:\relocate.xml, prepare the computer for an OOBE boot (OOBE = the first boot of newly installed Windows) and finally reboot when ready.

The problem with the above steps is that any existing user will loose start menu and search. So you will need to create a new user after this is done.