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.

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Comments

  1. GCRaya
    Posted on: February 17, 2007 at 2:40PM  

    Thats great but what advice do you have for the people who are going to do a clean install on a box that is running a pre-release of Vista or XP?

  2. ZenAvat
    Posted on: February 17, 2007 at 5:08PM  

    GCRaya, lemme see if I can help you with that.

    The Windows Easy Transfer™ is not limited to transfers from one machine to another via the USB cord(although, it makes a sweesh of time;) ). Instead, you can save all the data in a compiled format, called Migration Store(.MIG), that can be transfered to an external/internal drive not being used as the primary(read: OS) or onto some external media; like a DVD ROM. It all really depends on the size of the collection and what works best for you.

    Here are the options listed below as the end-user would see them using Windows Easy Transfer™:

    Network transfer: Secure transfer with a wired or wireless netwrok

    Removable storage: CD, DVD, External HD (Or alternate internal, just don't format!), or Flash drive

    Easy Transfer Cable: As seen in the article above.

    Hope this helps!

  3. Rosyna
    Posted on: February 18, 2007 at 12:11AM  

    FWIW, USB 1.x no longer exists any more. It was renamed to USB 2.0. USB 2.0 defines 3 speeds: Low Speed, Full Speed and Hi Speed. Full speed is 11mbps. A device can and will be labeled as USB 2.0 even if it cannot go any faster than low speed. It's all marketing.

  4. Brandon LeBlanc
    Microsoft
    Posted on: February 18, 2007 at 7:42PM  

    GCRaya, Windows Easy Transfer works for transferring files from Windows XP and 2000 to Windows Vista. You can also use Windows Easy Transfer to put your data on either a external harddrive or DVD for doing clean installs and when a PC-to-PC transfer won't work.

    In regards to pre-release versions of Windows Vista, I believe Windows Easy Transfer should be included for you to take your data off.

    If you're running a pre-release version of XP, unfortunately there really isn't a supported solution for you. However, Windows Easy Transfer works great on XP RTM.

  5. Nick White
    Posted on: February 19, 2007 at 3:05PM  

    Hey glaeken:  the Tornado does not work with WET, such as the Belkin Easy Transfer cable.  It is its own solution and transfers files between two machines.  As far as I know, it does not transfer any settings like WET does.

    Hope this helps.

  6. hitmouse
    Posted on: February 20, 2007 at 11:05AM  

    Sadly it doesn't really properly document what settings it migrates (a similar problem exists with the Office Transfer Wizard).

    It's hardly comprehensive in what it moves. So if you have a non-Microsoft app like Thunderbird, you may find that none of your email accounts or newsreader settings are moved...and you won't be warned of this.

  7. glaeken
    Posted on: February 21, 2007 at 4:54PM  

    Ah okay...but basically it will allow you to transfer files from one PC to another but it has its own solution or process for that. But it would not work with the Windows Easy Transfer program...Good thing you said that, dont want to give my customers wrong info.

  8. ashwoof
    Posted on: February 21, 2007 at 10:17PM  

    Easy transfer did not work for me when I tried to move files from my XP machine to my Vista machine. I followed all instructions but nothing happened. My XP machine has an AMD Athlon processor. Is this the problem?

  9. Michael_Moor
    Posted on: February 21, 2007 at 11:06PM  

    Very nice tool !thanks for share.

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    http://www.dl4all.com

  10. johngardner58
    Posted on: February 22, 2007 at 7:19PM  

    I did allow the minidump to be sent but where should I go to leave more details as to my setup (memory, partitions) etc.  I can't leave feedback because it never gets that far.   I have unloaded everything I can think of (AV, Firewall it's ok because I'm behind another firewall)  It always crashes in the same place.  The registery has been cleaned. Drives defragged.  Win XP home sp2

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

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