Using Windows Easy Transfer

For those of you buying Windows Vista PCs today (or thinking about buying Windows Vista PCs in the future) and wondering how best to move all the information on your old PC to your new one, I'd like to update you on some of the new ways Windows can help transfer all your personal stuff:  documents, photos, music, email, address book entries, Windows settings, and now, even programs.

The good news is that we've made this process much easier for the millions of people who will buy Windows Vista-based PCs in the coming years.  Read on to see how we designed Windows Vista's transfer features to work together with special cables from hardware partners, and to learn about the beta release of our new tool for transferring programs, based on the Alohabob PC Relocator software we acquired last year.

Windows Easy Transfer

This wizard is built into Windows Vista and will automatically transfer your personal data from a Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Vista based-PC to a Windows Vista-based PC.  It gathers up the data from your old PC and then applies it on your new PC in the right places.  It will move user accounts, files and folders, email messages and settings, address book entries, and Windows settings.  It does not move programs.

Windows Easy Transfer supports a number of ways to connect the two PCs to actually move the data:

  • Easy Transfer Cable (more info below)
  • Home or small business network
  • Removable or external hard drive
  • Writable CD or DVD

WET 1 

Easy Transfer Cables

In the past, one of the most difficult parts about the transfer process has been connecting the two computers if you don't have a home network.  Fortunately, we've worked with hardware partners to create a really cool new product called Easy Transfer Cables.  These are specially designed to work together with Easy Transfer to move all your data in the easiest and fastest way possible.

WET 2

They're USB 2.0 cables with a special chip that enables them to connect two PCs.  (A standard USB cable cannot do this, even if the USB connectors fit).  The cable will come with a CD which has the Easy Transfer software on it -- you just install it on your Windows XP-based PC and then plug the cable into both PCs.  That's it!  The Easy Transfer wizard will popup automatically on both PCs and you can begin transferring right away.

These cables are being manufactured worldwide by a number of partners, including Belkin International, Vivanco Group AG and Bafo Technologies.  They will be sold at retail stores, online retailers and from PC manufacturers.  Look for the Certified for Windows Vista or Works with Windows Vista logo to know that the cable is supported.

Windows Easy Transfer Companion (Beta)

Although the standard Easy Transfer wizard does not move installed programs, this is a very important capability that's been requested by our customers.  Because of this we have been working on a new tool called Easy Transfer Companion, which will transfer programs and program settings from a Windows XP-based PC to a Windows Vista-based PC.  When used together with Easy Transfer, you will be able to move everything you need to your new PC running Windows Vista.  Easy Transfer Companion has been designed to transfer many of the most popular programs for consumers and small businesses, as well as many others.  You can transfer programs with either an Easy Transfer Cable or a network.  We've released the tool in Beta so that we can take feedback on the overall functionality and get more information about the experience of transferring specific applications outside of those that we've tested internally.  At this point the Easy Transfer Companion is only available in English and designed for use in the US.  It is available for download here.

Easy Transfer Companion is based on technology we acquired from Apptimum, Inc. last year -- makers of the popular Alohabob PC Relocator software.  For reference, here is the original press release on this acquisition.

Because this tool is in Beta, at the end of the transfer process it will ask for your feedback on how well it worked so we can continue improving its performance and bring it to a wider number of users in the future.

WET 3

I hope these features help you and your family quickly and easily set up your new Windows Vista-based PC.

Tags: , ,

Comments

  1. pbjsteele
    Posted on: May 19, 2008 at 4:48PM  

    I have the Belkin ETC and am attempting to transfer from Vista Ultimate to Vista Ultimate.  Both are OEM copies pre-installed on Dell Optiplex machines. I can consistently reproduce a freeze at 2 different places. I've done it over 10 times now.  

    I'm pretty sure the program is buggy. I'm willing to help MSFT work out these bugs by providing log files, but don't know who to contact. Do you know?

  2. pwang
    Posted on: May 23, 2008 at 11:07AM  

    I have the same problem as BrendaW has. I wait overnight and the flashing icons are still there and everything just freezes. Tried 3 times and no luck. Guess I'll just re-install my software and move files to my new computer manually.

  3. eagletk
    Posted on: July 12, 2008 at 9:39PM  

    HELP!!!  I bought a new laptop today - started by creating a new profile.  After messing around with it for awhile I found the Windows Easy tranfer program and though yeah!  Until it completed the transfer from my old desktop and now it tells me the 'new' profile I created isn't valid and I cannot log on!!   The welcome screen is loading with my 'new' profile on the laptop which is not being recognized.  I assume it wants the old profile but how do I 'switch' it to the 'old' profile from this screen?  Thanks!!  

  4. motleytwins
    Posted on: August 21, 2008 at 9:02PM  

    I just purchased three Dell Inspirons with MS Vista for my twins and wife and I am trying to transfer files using Windows Easy Transfer.  The first problem I found is that the instructions for finding Easy Transfer in the Dell Quick Reference Guide are incorrect.  Once I got past that, I downloaded Easy Transfer to my old Dell Dimension XP system and went through the process to transfer my sons files.  It immediately gave me a scanning error and shut down the program.  In researching a solution, I have discovered that there are lots of people out there with the exact same problem, yet I have found no solutions.  It appears that Microsoft has a problem that has not been solved.  Does anyone out there have a possible solution?  Thanks!

  5. Jeannie
    Posted on: September 10, 2008 at 10:52AM  

    WET Hanging at File Transfer:  Okay, so I spent about 7 hours last night attempting to use WET to transfer from XP to Vista and it kept Hanging on the File Transfer.  Other posts said to be patient, so I did as told and just waited--and waited.  The transfer never happened even when left running over night.  And according to Task Manager it was still running and the Data Light was blinking on the middle piece. After reading other posts I did reinstall the program (using the disk that came with the Belkin cable--not the download), disabled Sophos (AV), Auto Updates, as well as hibernation mode.  I tried choosing different things to see if it was a data issue, but it hung at the calculating size on some attempts and it hung on file transfer on others.  I was able to get transfers ONLY if I chose individual folders from within My Documents (only have attempted word docs at this point, have yet to transfer any photos).  The individual folders are typically 6 GB or less.  When I tried to transfer the whole My Docs (26.2 GB) it wouldn't go.  So, for those of you experiencing this, disable the active monitoring programs and try transferring smaller folders.  It appears based on the comments on this board that there is a problem, but no real solution has been proposed.  Easy Transfer should be renamed to Difficult and Frustrating Transfer and the documentation/instructions(I bought a Belkin) should address potential problems and provide trouble shooting tips.  I would expect more for the $$.

  6. Jeannie
    Posted on: September 10, 2008 at 11:53AM  

    Also--when it is actually transferring files and operating correctly--you will the green bar-it will keep adding bars and you can read the files that it is transferring.  I have found that if the bars don't start adding up right away--there's a problem and often there is an icon in the right top corner of a cable connection that flashes on the WET screen on both computers.  Cancel the operation and try it again. Again, it's usually because the folder is too large, so I break it down to smaller groups.

  7. Frank75
    Posted on: September 27, 2008 at 9:43PM  

    WET is nothing more than an easy massive headache. After spending the past 24 hours (I even let it run overnigh), WET is simply a useless waste of time. I need my new computer NOW and Easy Hang has merely delayed me using it. I've got a brand new Windows Vista machine (my first desktop that I've had with Vista - we WON'T use Vista at work due to the endless problems) and an old Windows XP Pro Machine.

    All WET does is hang and sit there. I've tried just about everything (and am trying to get Easy Headache to transfer over a network) and now I give up! Are there any relatively SIMPLE instructions on how to MANUALLY transfer settings between XP and Vista?

    This is VERY frustrating!

  8. threeby8887
    Posted on: October 03, 2008 at 10:32PM  

    I have the opposite problem: I need to transfer files from a Vista computer to one that runs XP (it's a long story).  How can I do this?

  9. Sharelle
    Posted on: October 26, 2008 at 7:20PM  

    Hi, hoping you can answer a question for me.  We have a laptop with Vista loaded, the screen died and it was going to cost more to repair it than to purchase a new computer, so we purchased a new computer also with Vista.  Unfortunately we had not backed up photos from the old computer for quite a while and now want to get them transferred to the new PC.  Can I used Easy Transfer to do this even though the old laptop screen does not work.  I suppose what i need to know is once the computers are conected can I do all the commands from the new PC to complete the transfer? or do I have to pay someone cleverer than myself to do it?? Thanks in advance, Sharelle

Trackbacks

  1. Posted by: julianhopkins.net on May 26, 2007 at 7:00AM

    Since I left my old job, I had to buy a new notebook. I have used Compaq and HP for the last four years, but frankly kept having niggling problems that prompted me to look elsewhere. Cost is also an issue, and looking around I found that the best price/q

  2. Posted by: The Windows Experience Blog on June 29, 2007 at 6:13AM

    Robert McLaws is letting folks know the beta of Windows Easy Transfer Companion is available at Microsoft.com.

  3. Posted by: How hard will it be to move to the Windows 7 Release Candidate? | Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report | ZDNet.com on April 12, 2009 at 10:56PM

    Pingback from  How hard will it be to move to the Windows 7 Release Candidate? | Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report | ZDNet.com

Recent Posts

Tags

View more
© Copyright 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.   |   Privacy Statement