Windows7 "Easy" Transfer

[doofus]

Has anyone used the Easy Transfer program in Windows7? If you are a doofus like me, you will hook up the cable and blindly transfer stuff from the old PC to the new PC.

Warning-warning-warning be careful.

I let the program default to lots of user settings and it imposed itself upon several applications I'd installed.

Best to be very selective when using the program and check off only those folders which you really need.

I used to have a nice utility that moved folders or files from one PC to another. It was great for the doofus that bought a new PC every year and had top move lots of data. But sadly it wil not work with Windows7.

If anyone knows of a good file transfer utility that does not depend upon a network, I'd be grateful if you'd tell me about it.

[brenkco]

Paul,
I have used Laplink in the past with some success. I prefer to use an external hard disk however. They are very inexpensive now (probably the same or less than Laplink). After you're done, then you have a 2nd disk that can be used for backups, etc.

Ken

[thor]

i use a jump drive and transfer them to the jump drive then to the new computer

[Art-n-Marge]

Jump drive for me, too. Also know as "sneakernet" - You copy the files to the thing, then sneak over to the other computer in your sneakers to copy them back down - sneakernet.

Beware that an external hard disk is a great and convenient alternative but it has moving parts unless you get a solid state unit, and can be prone to failing too.

I also now back my files up to DVD (used to be CDs and prior to that IOMEGA or ZIP drives)... Funny how I've never had to go find anything past say 3 to 5 years and I've got lots of stuff older than that. The biggest problem that I have is that I've moved so many times in the past ten years, I'd have a hard time finding most of it anyway. I love and hate computers.

[lasater]

Just because we were curious, we tried an experiment.

We got a laptop with the minimum of storage capacity, RAM, etc. We plugged in a Western Digital external harddrive (My Book) and worked everything from it as though it was a "C" drive. We found that we could move the My Book from computer to computer with no problem...and this was with Windows 2000, Vista, and Windows 7.

Accessing your files takes about a half-second longer, but we are retired; so, who cares?!!

[thor]

windsows 7 transfer is only good if both computers are windows 7. if one computer is xp or vista the tranfer files does not work well at all.so using a jump drive is easier.

[SlickWillie]

quote:Originally posted by thor

windsows 7 transfer is only good if both computers are windows 7. if one computer is xp or vista the tranfer files does not work well at all.so using a jump drive is easier.

So the Belkin easy transfer cable won't work with XP and 7? Glad I didn't order that sucker. I'm going through this right now. Tried networking the two computers, but that won't work either. Was gonna use DVD to save a lot of my stuff, but for some reason my burner won't detect a blank disc in it. Oh, and it's a new LG burner. I had a problem with the old one, installed a new one, and it has the same problem.

[doofus]

I need to clarify. The Belkin cable DOES work, but if you let it default, it will select all sorts of things you may NOT want to transfer. Plus, it's very tedious in that you have to wait for it to "analyze" what's available for transfer, then you have to de-select the defaults and pick & choose what you want to transfer. So it works, but you have to be careful. And you're instructed to not use either computer while it sits there for hours and transfers data.

If I had known how finicky it is, I would not have bought it. There's your non-recommendation. Transferring user settings manually is probably preferable. I wold not trust it to transfer user settings correctly from a non-Windows7 PC to a Windows7 PC.

Plus, it will only transfer data one-way.

[MuddyPaws]

I'm a guy who builds computers for fun. PC & Macs. I support the IT needs of a large volunteer organization in Silicon Valley.

Unless you're using some highly unusual software (like I do for audio & video editing) all of your personal data is most likely stored somewhere within the 'My Documents' folder/directory. Be aware that XP, Vista, and W7 all have a slightly different directory structure to get to 'My Documents'. Of course if you've changed the default locations of documents, pictures, music etc. you're on your own. And there are some applications that have other ideas about where to put things. That's why I won't trust a canned solution like PC link. I prefer to either make a mountable copy of the old hard drive with Acronis Backup or physically transfer the drive to the new computer as a second drive.

[thor]

i like jump drives copy and paste .everything works so easy.and quick.

[CORattler]

Easy transfer does work between Vista and WIN 7. I do it all the time at work. What easy transfer does is transfer your profile (my documents, my music, my pictures, etc.) What is does NOT do is transfer files you have stored anywhere external to your profile like in folders that you have created on your C root like C:\stuff unless you select them by using the "custom" option. You can select multiple profiles using this option. It also does not capture and save 3rd party program files like anti-virus software. You'll have to reload that if you're installing a new operating system on a fresh drive.

[chieflawdawg]

Just bought a new desktop since my old one went 'kapooy' right before Christmas. Luckily I had everything backed up to external HD and DVD. But just like Art-n-Marge said, my external backup drive is tempermental and sometimes I have to 'tap' it lightly to get it working, the dvd's worked well to transfer. I also set up a LAN and put my pictures and documents in a public folder so I can access them from any of my laptops on the network. Still getting used to WIndows 7 though.

[Waynem]

Wow! I think it is a personal preference, and my preference is an external hard drive. As stated, all of your "personal" files are typically stored in one location. It's easy to find that location. Depending on the program you are using, either MS OFfice or Open Office, you need to know what file extensions your program is stored as. Then do a search for all file types with those extensions. There is no need to do a single search, just separate the extension names with a semicolon. Example File Find *.doc; *.xls; *.pps; *.wmv;(for those perverted movies you may have copied down) but that is the idea. Then just high light them and drag them to the external hard drive.

A neater approach is to find each set of extensions and create a Doc, xls, pps file folder on the hard drive and drag the appropriate file to those folders. Now, a word of caution. Just finding the Document folder on your present system may not disclose ALL of the files that you have saved. Many times a program can send a file to a last know location that you may have opened a file from, so do a File Find and look at all the locations where your files are.

As for programs, I do not copy them over. I have the original either on CD or in a file folder. If in a file folder I'll copy that folder over to the new hard drive. Also, some programs are not compatible with Windows 7, and definitely not on a MAC unless you are running Dual processors and Dual operating systems.

For those going from Windows to a MAC, make sure the external hard drive is formatted for FAT32. The MAC has it's own formatting method, but it will read and format FAT32 hard drives NOT NTFS.

This is the perfect time to get rid of all those old files that have not been opened in several years. (Archive them to DVD or CD)