Easy Transfer from XP to Vista

[Desert Rider]

I'm about to help a friend setup his new system which has Vista. Old
system has XP. I've been checking out the Easy Transfer information on
the MS website and also through forums and internet tutorial sites.

I won't be using the Easy Transfer cable. I plan on using a 4 GB flash
drive. I'm confused by the instructions about doing it this way. I
have downloaded the Easy Transfer application from MS. Do I install
this on the XP system and then use it to transfer the data to the
flash drive? Some instructions seem to indicate that the ET app should
be installed on the flash drive.

Also, it appears that the whole process is started from the new Vista
system. I would like to transfer the data from the old XP system to
the flash drive, then disassemble the old system, assemble the new
system (space considerations make it impractical to have both systems
set up at the same time) and then import the data from the flash drive
to the new Vista system. Can it be done this way?

There is not a lot of data on the old system. Mainly I'll be
transferring his Outlook Express account settings, address book and
email; some pictures and a few documents. I have found information
about transferring the OE data without using Easy Transfer and I know
how to pull the other data to the flash drive so I can just copy it to
the new system.

Can anyone clarify using the Easy Transfer software with a flash drive
or point me to a URL with info? TIA for any help.

 

[Mike Dionis]

You must run it from Windows XP first. This will allow it to send the files
to the flashdrive. The reason I would believe that it suggestz to but the
app on the thumbdrive is so that when you run it from XP you are using the
compatible version that Vista will understand.

 

[Guest]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928634/en-us

The above link is for Windows East Transfer.

 

[Desert Rider]

Thanks but I've checked that page out. If you'll take a look at it
you'll see that it initiates the process from Vista on the new system,
then transfers the migwiz to the flash drive, then has the user place
the flash drive in the old system and continue (see below). What I
want to do is start with the old system, migrate the files to a flash
drive and then onto the new system.

Can I do this by just installing the migwiz files on the oldl XP
system and then just following the rest of the steps?

Prepare for the migration on the destination computer
To start Windows Easy Transfer on the destination computer, follow
these steps:
1. Close all active programs.
2. Click StartStart button, click All Programs, click Accessories,
click System Tools, click Windows Easy Transfer, and then click Next.
3. Click Start a new transfer.
4. Click This is my new computer.
5. Click No, show me more options.
6. Click the option that is required for the Is Windows Easy Transfer
installed on your old computer page prompt.
7. Select the destination media on which you want to store the Windows
Easy Transfer Wizard files. You can store the wizard files on a CD, on
a DVD, on removable media, or on a network drive.
8. Click Yes, I'll transfer files and settings over the network.
9. Type a path and a folder name in which you want to store the
Windows Easy Transfer wizard files, and then click Next.

Note The default path is C:\migwiz.

Method 3: Use removable media to migrate files and settings
1. Locate the removable media or the network drive that contains the
Windows Easy Transfer wizard files, and then double-click Migwiz.exe
to start Windows Easy Transfer.
2. If you are running any other programs, you will be prompted to
close these programs. You can save your work in each program, and then
close the programs individually. You can also click Close All in
Windows Easy Transfer to close these programs immediately.
3. Click Next.
4. Determine the appropriate removable transfer media, and then click
On a CD or other removable media, such as a flash drive.
5. Click To a network drive to save the files and the settings to a
folder that is on the removable drive.
6. In Where do you want to save your files, type the path to a folder
on the removable drive, and then click Next.
7. Click Everything - all user accounts, files, and program settings
(recommended) to migrate all the files and the settings. If you want
to determine exactly which files and settings that you want to
migrate, click Only my user account, files, and program settings, or
click Custom.
8. Review the list that contains the files and the settings that you
want to migrate, and then click Start. To add or to remove files or
settings from the list, click Customize.
9. Click Close after Windows Easy Transfer has completed migrating
files and settings.
10. Connect the removable media to the destination computer.
11. Start Windows Easy Transfer, and then click Next.
12. Click Continue a transfer in progress.
13. In Where did you copy your files, click Removable media. If the
Removable media option is unavailable, click Network Drive, and then
click Next.
14. In Locate your saved files, type the path where you saved the
files and the settings. You can also click Browse to locate the files
and the settings. Click Next after you have located the files and the
settings.
15. Select the user names on the destination computer that match the
user names on the source computer. If there is not any user account
that is created on the destination computer, you may have to create
new accounts. To create an account on the local computer, directly
type a user name. To create a profile or a domain user, type a user
name in the following format: domain\user.
16. In Choose the drives for files on your new computer, select the
destination drive for each source drive.
17. Review the list that contains the files and the settings that you
want to migrate, and then click Start. To add or remove files or
settings from the list, click Customize.
18. Click Close after Windows Easy Transfer has completed migrating
files and settings.

 

[John Hanley]

One suggestion: when you do the Easy Transfer via the flash drive, do it in
manageable chunks and don't do it all at once. I did mine in approximately
500 MB batches. That way, if something ain't right you are not putting all
your files at risk. Also, test it with a very small batch to start with to
make sure you have the procedure down pat. I did mine this way and it went
very well. Good luck!