Microsoft® Windows® User State Migration Tool (USMT) version 3.0 migrates user files and settings during deployments of Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista. You can use USMT to perform unattended migrations and to migrate files and settings for computers with multiple users. Also, with USMT you have the ability to encrypt and compress the store. USMT 3.0 is intended for administrators who are performing automated deployments.

This tool includes two command-line tools named ScanState and LoadState. ScanState creates an intermediate store that contains the user files and settings from the source computer. LoadState restores these files and settings to the destination computer.

USMT 3.0 also has three default migration rule (.xml) files named MigApp.xml, MigUser.xml, and MigSys.xml. You can alter the default .xml files and you can also create customized .xml files. Depending on what you want to migrate, you can specify all or none of the default .xml files on the command line.

The entire migration process is controlled by the .xml rules, which you can modify, and logic that is built in to the tool. When using USMT for automated migration, in almost all cases, you should modify the migration .xml files for your unique situation.