Windows Easy Transfer
Windows Easy Transfer is a utility that comes with Windows 7 that you can use to transfer user profile data from computers running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 to new computers running Windows 7. Windows Easy Transfer can be used to transfer user accounts, documents, music, pictures, e-mail, bookmarks, certificates, and other data.
There are three separate methods that you can use to migrate data with Windows Easy Transfer. The method that is appropriate depends on the circumstances of the migration. To migrate profile data with Windows Easy Transfer, you can use any of the following:
- Easy Transfer Cable This is a special cable with USB connectors that you can acquire from hardware vendors. You connect one end to the source computer and the other to the destination computer. Both computers are turned on during the migration, and Windows Easy Transfer runs on both computers at the same time. You can perform only a side-by-side migration using this method.
- Network To use the network migration method, you must have two computers running Windows Easy Transfer connected to the same local area network. Both computers are turned on during the migration, and Windows Easy Transfer runs on both computers at the same time. You can perform only a side-by-side migration using this method. When performing a network migration, you configure a password on the source computer that you have to enter on the destination computer.
- External Hard Disk or USB Flash Drive You can specify an attached external hard disk or USB flash drive. It is also possible to specify an internal hard disk drive or network share when using this method. You can perform a side-by-side migration as well as a wipe-and-restore migration using this method. You protect your data by entering a password on the source computer that you must again enter before importing the data on the destination computer.
Installing Windows Easy Transfer
Unless the source computer is running Windows 7, you will need to install the Windows Easy Transfer application. This includes source computers running Windows Vista. Although Windows Vista comes with an earlier version of the Windows Easy Transfer software, you should use the updated Windows 7 version when transferring data to Windows 7 computers.
To install Windows Easy Transfer on the source computer, perform the following steps:
- Run Windows Easy Transfer on the destination computer and select the transfer method that you are going to use.
- Select the This Is My New Computer option. If you have chosen the Easy Transfer Cable or Network options, go to step 3. Otherwise, click No when prompted as to whether Windows Easy Transfer has already saved your files.
- On the Do You Need To Install Windows Easy Transfer On Your Old Computer? page select I Need To Install It Now.
- On the How Do You Want To Install Windows Easy Transfer On Your Old Computer? page, select either USB Flash Drive or External Hard Disk or Shared Network Folder. The Windows Easy Transfer application installation file will be copied to this location and you will then be able to install the application on the source computer.