Migration Assistant should be usable outside the installer

[Michael Evans]

Binary package hint: migration-assistant

Migration-assistant should allow the following:
0) Operation Before, During, and After install.
1) Create new accounts
2) As mentioned in some ubuntu task documents, allow for backup/archiving accounts to other media in the case of a destructive (replacing) install.
3) Restore/copy zero or more accounts in to a target user account (specifying order).
4) Reverse migration in case Linux fails to sell it's self. That is copying documents/settings back.

Installs which involve destroying the source partitions could invoke migration in backup only mode (and limit backup locations to those which already exist and will continue to do so).

Settings could be backed-up/restored.

Re-migration from other operating systems/installs could occur just before destroying the retiring part of a multi-boot system (without being forced to use the whole install process to invoke migration).

[Michael Evans (mjevans1983)]

Please set importance to Wishlist (I don't seem to be able to make that change)

[James E. LaBarre (jamesl-bestweb)]

As part of this request, Migration Assistant should also be able to migrate from backed-up Windows installations. For example, you want to do a clean installation, so you copy the entire NTFS partition (in my case, using SystemRescueCD) to a USB drive and wipe the internal hard drive. Should be able to point to the backed-up XP setup to grab settings and documents. Alternatively, could temporarily attach old HD with XP as a secondary drive and copy settings/documents from there