XP backup to Vista - original location?

Hello all,
Before posting my question here I did peruse the list but didn't find my
answer yet.
I've gone the route of restoring my WinXP *bkf to my new Vista HomePremium
laptop by installing the program "NT Backup Restore Utility" as per Microsoft
recommendations.
However... I was not clear where to restore them to: original location,
alternate location or new folder. Because I was unsure what Vista would do
with "original location since many of those are renamed, etc." I initially
opted to create a new folder and put it all in there. Big mistake! Each
file was transferred separately (not in a folder grouping) and it was immense
and very slow navigation. Deleted that after a couple hours of frustration.
So, yesterday I did the 'restore to original location' and it took me a
while to find out just where that "original location" was in Vista. Ah -
hah, I finally found it spread out under the C: drive, Documents and
Settings, All Users, Application Data,Programs, etc.
So, what's the problem, you say? Well, just that prior to backing up I had
no idea which programs would be Vista compatible and, of course, there's the
usual build up of junk accumulated after 2 years of use on my old XP laptop.

Now, what I'm left with is manually dragging, dropping pictures and other
files as well as deleting (not uninstalling, mind you, because it was never
"installed" onto Vista, just transferred) bunches and bunches of folders,
files and programs.
Is there anyway I could have avoided this or any way someone could help me
know which are duplicates or unnecessary??? I'd rather do this now because
the Vista laptop is still relatively new, than to encounter problems later
down the road.
Thanks!
Belinda

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928634/en-us

Have a read of the above.
I am not fussed with it, as it still makes errors.

The best way is copy to CD, Mem Stick, external drive, etc. for your files.
That way you leave the junk behind!

Programs, reinstall. The advantage of that is you can right-click on the
program's setup.exe> properties> compatibility> and make it install in XP SP2
mode if you know it is incompatible with Vista.


"belindaloo" wrote:

> Hello all,
> Before posting my question here I did peruse the list but didn't find my
> answer yet.
> I've gone the route of restoring my WinXP *bkf to my new Vista HomePremium
> laptop by installing the program "NT Backup Restore Utility" as per Microsoft
> recommendations.
> However... I was not clear where to restore them to: original location,
> alternate location or new folder. Because I was unsure what Vista would do
> with "original location since many of those are renamed, etc." I initially
> opted to create a new folder and put it all in there. Big mistake! Each
> file was transferred separately (not in a folder grouping) and it was immense
> and very slow navigation. Deleted that after a couple hours of frustration.
> So, yesterday I did the 'restore to original location' and it took me a
> while to find out just where that "original location" was in Vista. Ah -
> hah, I finally found it spread out under the C: drive, Documents and
> Settings, All Users, Application Data,Programs, etc.
> So, what's the problem, you say? Well, just that prior to backing up I had
> no idea which programs would be Vista compatible and, of course, there's the
> usual build up of junk accumulated after 2 years of use on my old XP laptop.
>
> Now, what I'm left with is manually dragging, dropping pictures and other
> files as well as deleting (not uninstalling, mind you, because it was never
> "installed" onto Vista, just transferred) bunches and bunches of folders,
> files and programs.
> Is there anyway I could have avoided this or any way someone could help me
> know which are duplicates or unnecessary??? I'd rather do this now because
> the Vista laptop is still relatively new, than to encounter problems later
> down the road.
> Thanks!
> Belinda
>