Transferring files and settings from an old PC to a new PC

If you just bought a new PC to replace your old one, you would normally want to copy your files from the old PC to the new one, unless you don’t have anything you consider important on the old PC. If you’ll be using Windows XP (and you should be, considering that all the pre-Windows XP versions are no longer supported by Microsoft) on the new PC, you don’t have to do this copying manually anymore. Instead, you can use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.

Not only does the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard allow you to transfer your files from one PC to another over a network or through a direct cable connection between the old and new PCs, it also allows you to transfer common PC settings, such as program settings, desktop and display settings and dial-up connections.

If the old PC is running Windows XP, you can start the transfer process either by running the wizard on the old PC or on the new one. If you are using a version of Windows prior to Windows XP, you’ll have to run the wizard on the new PC, create a Wizard disk, then use this Wizard disk to transfer files and settings from your pre-XP computer.

For Windows Vista, there’s Windows Easy Transfer. Based on the writeup from the Microsoft Vista site, this is an improved version of Windows XP’s Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. However, since I don’t have Windows Vista installed on my PC yet, I won’t be discussing it in this article.

Before proceeding with the transfer, make sure to install an anti-virus program on the new PC. This will help prevent any viruses from being transferred with the files and settings from the old PC.

To transfer your files and setting using the wizard, follow the steps below:

1. Close all open applications on the new PC.
2. Click Start->Programs->Accessories->System Tools->Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. This will open the wizard.
3. You’ll be asked if the PC where you’re running the wizard is the new computer (the computer where you want the files and settings to be transferred), or the old computer (the computer from where you will get the files and settings to be transferred). By default, the new computer option is selected.
4. You will be asked if you want to create a Wizard disk to use on your old computer (where you will also run the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard). If you have your Windows XP CD on hand, select the Use Windows XP CD option. If not, select the default option.

Next, go the old PC, and do the following:

1. Run the Wizard disk you created, or use the Windows XP CD, and select the files and settings to transfer. The default option transfers all settings for applications and Windows. You can accept the default, or choose your own files and settings to transfer by selecting the Let me select a custom list of files and settings check box, and then click Next.
2. Select the files and settings you want to transfer. Depending on your selection, the wizard might inform you that you need to install certain programs on the new PC to run the files for transfer.
3. Still on the old PC, click Next to start collecting all files and settings for transfer. Wait for the transfer to finish before going back to the new PC.

Then, on the new PC, do the following:

1. On the new PC, click Next. Select the type of connection between the old and new PC.
2. Click Next. Select the location of the files and settings from the old PC.
3. Click Next to start the transfer. Completion time for the transfer depends on the size of the files and settings to be transferred.
4. Also, the wizard will warn you if there’s a file that can’t be transferred. Just click Ignore to continue with the transfer.
5. Click Finish once the transfer is complete.

That’s all there is to it. Beats manual setup and transfer anytime, right?

Posted in Categories: Software, Windows or Vista ~ No Tags ~ Trackback

Related Posts: No related posts