Just how reliable is Windows Easy Transfer?

I ask because I have used the old File and Settings Transfer Wizard in XP
with mixed results. Sometimes the resulting settings were incomplete or
corrupted and it was far worse than starting from scratch.

Now I have to move my Vista Ultimate x64 installation to a new PC and I
definitely don't want to have to reconfigure all 102 programs listed in
Control Panel not to mention the system settings. I use Acronis True Image
but installing the same disk images won't work as the hardware is quite
different. So I am looking to Easy Transfer for some help.

I will do a fresh install of Vista on the new machine and then run Easy
Transfer. So...

1. Do I run Easy Transfer BEFORE or AFTER I install all the programs? I am
guessing AFTER.

2. Will ALL settings for ALL programs be transferred?

3. Does Easy Transfer just blow away the files and settings that are already
there on the new machine? I mean when I install Outlook it will create a
default PST etc. What happens to those files and settings? I am hoping it
will COMPLETELY overwrite any files and settings that already exist on the
new machine so that there are no conflicts.

4. Will it actually work 100%?

--
And loving it,

-Q
_________________________________________________

(Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

Hello Qu011,

This Help topic should answer many or all of your questions:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...fe1033.mspx#EX

I hope this is helpful.

Best regards,

Meredith


"Qu0ll" <> wrote in message
news:uRNDgo$...
>I ask because I have used the old File and Settings Transfer Wizard in XP
>with mixed results. Sometimes the resulting settings were incomplete or
>corrupted and it was far worse than starting from scratch.
>
> Now I have to move my Vista Ultimate x64 installation to a new PC and I
> definitely don't want to have to reconfigure all 102 programs listed in
> Control Panel not to mention the system settings. I use Acronis True
> Image but installing the same disk images won't work as the hardware is
> quite different. So I am looking to Easy Transfer for some help.
>
> I will do a fresh install of Vista on the new machine and then run Easy
> Transfer. So...
>
> 1. Do I run Easy Transfer BEFORE or AFTER I install all the programs? I
> am guessing AFTER.
>
> 2. Will ALL settings for ALL programs be transferred?
>
> 3. Does Easy Transfer just blow away the files and settings that are
> already there on the new machine? I mean when I install Outlook it will
> create a default PST etc. What happens to those files and settings? I am
> hoping it will COMPLETELY overwrite any files and settings that already
> exist on the new machine so that there are no conflicts.
>
> 4. Will it actually work 100%?
>
> --
> And loving it,
>
> -Q
> _________________________________________________
>
> (Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

"Meredith Regal [MSFT]" <> wrote in message
news:25E73572-1676-4767-B0CF-...

> Hello Qu011,
>
> This Help topic should answer many or all of your questions:
>
> http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...fe1033.mspx#EX
>
> I hope this is helpful.

Yes, thank you Meredith, it is helpful. But it still doesn't answer two of
my questions:

>> 3. Does Easy Transfer just blow away the files and settings that are
>> already there on the new machine? I mean when I install Outlook it will
>> create a default PST etc. What happens to those files and settings? I
>> am >> hoping it will COMPLETELY overwrite any files and settings that
>> already exist on the new machine so that there are no conflicts.

So what happens to the default settings created for each application as it
is installed? Are they COMPLETELY overwritten?

>> 4. Will it actually work 100%?

Does anyone have real experience moving a significant user account from one
machine to another with or without success?

--
And loving it,

-Q
_________________________________________________

(Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

"Qu0ll" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> "Meredith Regal [MSFT]" <> wrote in message
> news:25E73572-1676-4767-B0CF-...
>
>> Hello Qu011,
>>
>> This Help topic should answer many or all of your questions:
>>
>> http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...fe1033.mspx#EX
>>
>> I hope this is helpful.
>
> Yes, thank you Meredith, it is helpful. But it still doesn't answer two
> of my questions:
>
>>> 3. Does Easy Transfer just blow away the files and settings that are
>>> already there on the new machine? I mean when I install Outlook it will
>>> create a default PST etc. What happens to those files and settings? I
>>> am >> hoping it will COMPLETELY overwrite any files and settings that
>>> already exist on the new machine so that there are no conflicts.
>
> So what happens to the default settings created for each application as it
> is installed? Are they COMPLETELY overwritten?
>
>>> 4. Will it actually work 100%?
>
> Does anyone have real experience moving a significant user account from
> one machine to another with or without success?
>
> --
> And loving it,
>
> -Q
> _________________________________________________
>
> (Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)


Man... I don't have an answer for you... but I tell you what... I sure am
interested in hearing how your adventure ends. Please do keep us posted.

Thanks,

Lang

The following is a cut from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931696 regarding
the Windows Easy Transfer Companion.

WETC has the following system requirements: . You must have the following
two physical computers: . The source computer must be running an x86-based
version of Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2).
. The destination computer must be running an x86-based version
of Windows Vista.
Note Both computers must be running the U.S. English version of
Windows.
. At least 200 megabytes (MB) of hard disk space must be available.
. To use WETC, you must log on as an administrator.



I am not certain at all if you can do what you want with 64 bit operating
systems.
--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)



"Qu0ll" <> wrote in message
news:uRNDgo$...
>I ask because I have used the old File and Settings Transfer Wizard in XP
>with mixed results. Sometimes the resulting settings were incomplete or
>corrupted and it was far worse than starting from scratch.
>
> Now I have to move my Vista Ultimate x64 installation to a new PC and I
> definitely don't want to have to reconfigure all 102 programs listed in
> Control Panel not to mention the system settings. I use Acronis True
> Image but installing the same disk images won't work as the hardware is
> quite different. So I am looking to Easy Transfer for some help.
>
> I will do a fresh install of Vista on the new machine and then run Easy
> Transfer. So...
>
> 1. Do I run Easy Transfer BEFORE or AFTER I install all the programs? I
> am guessing AFTER.
>
> 2. Will ALL settings for ALL programs be transferred?
>
> 3. Does Easy Transfer just blow away the files and settings that are
> already there on the new machine? I mean when I install Outlook it will
> create a default PST etc. What happens to those files and settings? I am
> hoping it will COMPLETELY overwrite any files and settings that already
> exist on the new machine so that there are no conflicts.
>
> 4. Will it actually work 100%?
>
> --
> And loving it,
>
> -Q
> _________________________________________________
>
> (Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

"Richard Urban" <> wrote in message
news:...

> I am not certain at all if you can do what you want with 64 bit operating
> systems.

If that's the case then why provide an Easy Transfer memory option in Vista
x64?

--
And loving it,

-Q
_________________________________________________

(Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)

"Qu0ll" <> wrote in message
news:%...

> If that's the case then why provide an Easy Transfer memory option in
> Vista
> x64?

That should be "menu" option not "memory" option.

--
And loving it,

-Q
_________________________________________________

(Replace the "SixFour" with numbers to email me)