Windows Easy Transfer Migration

After you have set up Windows Easy Transfer on the source computer, you are ready to perform migration. If you want to migrate only a single user account, you can log on with that account to perform the transfer. If you want to migrate all accounts on the computer, you need to log on with a user account that has local administrator privileges. To do this, start Windows Easy Transfer, select the transfer method, and then, on the Which Computer Are You Using Now? page, select This Is My Old Computer. If you are using the External Hard Disk or USB storage device method, Windows Easy Transfer will then perform a migration check and provide an estimate of the size of the data you can transfer to the new computer on the source computer. If you are using the Network or Easy Transfer Cable method, you will select items for migration on the destination computer.

When selecting items for migration, you can accept the default values or customize what to migrate for each user account and all shared items. To customize, click Customize under each user account. This will allow you to select whether you want to transfer each user's Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, Program Settings, Windows Settings, and Other Items. If you want to be more specific, you can click Advanced, which brings up the Modify Your Selections dialog box. This dialog box allows you to select which accounts to migrate, as well as which files and folders Windows Easy Transfer will migrate to the new machine.

By selecting Advanced, you can determine what you want to do with the user accounts being migrated from the source computer to the destination computer. You have the option of mapping a user account on the old computer to a specific user account on the new computer or you can have Windows Easy Transfer create a new account. If you select the Create A New Account option, you will need to specify a password for the new account. If you do not choose to use Advanced, Windows Easy Transfer will create new accounts on the computer running Windows 7 with the old account names but will assign a blank password that needs to be changed when the user associated with that account first tries to log on.

The first step to take when running Windows Easy Transfer on the destination computer is to specify the transfer method that you are going to use and that this is your new computer. Depending on which method you are using, one of the following will happen:

• If you are using the external hard disk or USB flash drive method, you will be asked to specify the location of the Easy Transfer file and to enter a password to open it.
• If you are using the network method, you will need to enter the Windows Easy Transfer key before the transfer will begin. The source computer displays this key. You will then go through the process of selecting what to transfer that was described previously.
• If you are using the Easy Transfer Cable method, the wizard will attempt to detect the cable and then will initiate the transfer. You will then go through the process of selecting what to transfer as described earlier.