Windows Vista - The big move

You have bought a new PC or notebook and Windows Vista was pre-installed. But how do you get your favorites, settings, e-mail accounts and files from your "old" Windows XP computer to the new Windows Vista? Or you have Here you can read how you can easily move from one PC to the new one: "Easy Transfer" and the Vista Blog help you with your move!

Source: Microsoft's Official Windows Vista Blog

Simply switch from XP to Vista

You will find the "Windows EasyTransfer" wizard directly in the Start menu under "All programs/accessories/system programs". Before you get started, however, I would like to explain exactly which files are transferred:

• User accounts: All accounts that you have set up can be transferred to Windows Vista. This also includes the guest account as well as My Documents, Favorites and desktop elements.
• System and program settings: All Windows settings (e.g. resolution, date, time, region, language, hardware configuration, performance settings, security configurations) can be transferred from Windows XP to Windows Vista. At the same time, Windows Vista also offers the option of transferring various application settings (e.g. Office 2003, Media Player) and all shared folders.
• Various files: You can still choose the files you would like to transfer yourself!

You can only select all these elements on a Windows XP computer. If the source computer still uses Windows 2000, only some files can be selected! In the following steps, I will show you how to use Windows EasyTransfer in practice to transfer the settings and data from the old computer to the new one.

"Windows Easy Transfer" instructions

Windows Vista EasyTransfer allows you to perform the transfer via various media (e.g. CD/DVD, network, external data storage or EasyTransfer cable). We opt for the most common method: burning CDs/DVDs, as not every user has a network or EasyTransfer cable. Here we go:

1. After selecting "Windows EasyTransfer", the option "Start a new transfer". Now select "Target computer", as you are transferring the settings to the computer you have in front of you. If you are not using an EasyTransfer cable (see below), first select "No, show more options".
2. If Windows XP is installed on the source computer, we skip the option "Yes, Windows Vista is installed on the source computer" and decide on "No, I have to install the program now". You can now set up EasyTransfer via CD, flash drive, external hard disk, Windows Vista DVD or network! In this example we select a "USB flash drive" and plug a USB stick into the computer!
3. Now you must select the drive letter of the USB stick (e.g. G:), click on "Next" and wait for the transfer.
4. Now select "No, I would like to use a CD, DVD or other removable media" and have several CD (or better: DVD) blanks ready. Now start the old computer with Windows 2000/XP and connect the USB stick there!
5. Decide here now for "Run Windows EasyTransfer" and immediately after starting the wizard, click on "Use CD, DVD or other removable media". Here you must now click on "CD", whereby it is also possible to burn DVDs under this menu item!
6. You can now choose which data is transferred. Here I recommend the experienced user to click on "Advanced options", as you have much more freedom and choice over the elements to be transferred!

Here you can "System and program settings (all users)" and secure shares. It is also possible to transfer Windows settings. You can now decide which user accounts are to be transferred. Then select "Next" and wait until the wizard collects the data and burns it to CD/DVD! Once this is done, you can insert the data carrier into the Windows Vista PC and click on the file "IMG00001" to start the transfer. All you have to do is assign the user accounts and click "Transfer" start the transfer

The EasyTransfer cable

Various manufacturers (e.g. Belkin) already offer an "EasyTransfer cable". This is a modified USB cable with which you can transfer files between two computers in no time at all. This is of course faster and easier than transferring via network or CD/DVD, but a cable costs around 29€ - however, you can also synchronize data between two PCs permanently using the software supplied!

I hope that I have helped you with this little guide to transferring settings to Windows Vista to avoid the little stumbling blocks when moving!

Yours, Sandro Villinger

NOTE FOR NEW PUBLICATION: This article was produced by Sandro Villinger and comes from the Windows Tweaks archive, which has been built up since the late 1990s.