Question：I have tried multiple times to use Easy Transfer for files from my old HP XP to my new HP Vista computer. First time I did "all user files" and it stopped transferring midway and said that my D: drive was full on the new Vista. So I did a recovery boot to factory settings, and tried again.
Second time I tried to transfer, I unchecked the D: drive and tried to keep it shorter, not so many files. It transfered what I asked it to, but made those files under a separate user. And again, blinking at me my D: drive is critically low on space.
I did another system recovery, but it didn't work. The D: drive is still full. I am doing another system recovery currently to see. I negligently did not set a restore point before I started. The tech support woman from India was no help at all.
What am I doing wrong? Why won't Easy Transfer work "easily"? I have so many games, movies and music on my XP that I can't copy out on disc since I don't have a working burner. I'm not so concerned about transferring settings as much as the music, although I hate to have to lose all my favorites under outlook express and web pages.
Thanks for any help.
Answer 1：http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/928634Above is the help link for how-to-use Windows Easy Transfer.
Some info on what your D: drive normally is.
Look in Computer, and if D: is between 5GB-9.9GBs, it is the Recovery Partition.
Transfer your Data to C:.
Your D: Drive normally is the Recovery Partition, that the Manufacturer put there, for your computer to put it back to factory settings in case of System Crash.
It is not for you to save anything to; and it is not to compress and/or Index, or have System Restore turned on for it!!!!.
Whatever you have installed or saved to D:, DELETE it very carefully, stop indexing, uncompress, and leave it alone.
You are supposed to have made Recovery disks from D:, in case of Hard Drive failure.
Ask the Manufacturer how to make them.
Cheers.
Mick Murphy - Microsoft Partner
Answer 2：I have no idea how to transfer the data to the C: drive. Easy transfer doesn't let you choose where the information is going. I know I don't want anything going to the D: drive, but I don't know how to stop it from happening. I would have no idea how to delete files from the D: drive even. I have recovery disks now and have got the computer back to manufacturer's settings.
Is there a better method than Easy Transfer? Am I the only one who is having this issue?
TIA
Answer 3：You can burn your Data to CD/DVD, or use a Flash Dive to transfer Data.
Below is MS's info on how to use it:
Windows Easy Transfer
Buy an Easy Transfer Cable
You can purchase an Easy Transfer Cable from many computer manufacturers or retailers. To ensure the cable is designed for Windows Easy Transfer, be sure to look for a "Certified for Windows Vista" or "Works with Windows Vista" logo on the packaging.
Buy an Easy Transfer Cable now at Windows Marketplace
Windows Easy Transfer helps you easily move the files and settings stored on your PC running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or even Windows Vista to a new PC running Windows Vista. Windows Easy Transfer will automatically transfer things like:
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User accounts
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Files and folders
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E-mail messages, settings, and contacts
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Photos, music, and videos
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Windows settings
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Program data files and settings
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Internet settings
There are several ways that you can use Windows Easy Transfer; choose the way you prefer to connect your two PCs, choose the data you want to transfer, and then let Windows Easy Transfer do the work for you.
Easy Transfer Cable
An Easy Transfer Cable is a special USB cable that is designed to work with Windows Easy Transfer by creating a direct link between your old PC and your new PC. Using one of these cables is the easiest and fastest method for transfer and is recommended if you don't have access to a network. An Easy Transfer Cable will transfer data from PCs running Windows XP or Windows Vista to a PC running Windows Vista.
Here's how it's done…it's as easy as 1-2-3
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Install the small software application that was included with your cable (or download the software here) on your current PC.
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Plug the cable into both computers.
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Windows Easy Transfer will launch and guide you through the transfer process. Your information and files will transfer at approximately 20 GB per hour.
Using a home or small business network
If you already have a wired or wireless network, this is a great way to transfer all of your data. You can use your network to transfer your data in real time across your network or by using a shared folder on the network.
Using an external hard drive
If you own an external hard drive, Windows Easy Transfer can copy your data to that drive and then copy data from the drive to your new computer.
Using CD or DVD
Windows Easy Transfer can use your PC's CD or DVD burner to transfer your data. This solution is not ideal but may work well if you're moving only a small amount of data that can fit onto one disc. If you have a larger amount of data that won't fit onto one disk, it's possible to use this method of transfer by using multiple discs.
To learn more about the details of the Windows Easy Transfer process, read more in Windows Vista Help.
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Windows Easy Transfer supports migration from the following operating systems:
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4)
- Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)
- Windows Vista
Prepare for the migration on the destination computer
To start Windows Easy Transfer on the destination computer, follow these steps:
- Close all active programs.
- Click Start
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, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, click Windows Easy Transfer, and then click Next. - Click Start a new transfer.
- Click This is my new computer.
- Click No, show me more options.
- Click the option that is required for the Is Windows Easy Transfer installed on your old computer page prompt.
- Select the destination media on which you want to store the Windows Easy Transfer Wizard files. You can store the wizard files on a CD, on a DVD, on removable media, or on a network drive.
- Click Yes, I'll transfer files and settings over the network.
- Type a path and a folder name in which you want to store the Windows Easy Transfer wizard files, and then click Next.
Note The default path is C:\migwiz.
Migrate files and settings from the source computer to the destination computer
Migrate files and settings from the source computer to the destination computer by using one of the following four migration methods.
Method 1: Use a USB cable that can connect two computers to migrate files and settings
- Install a USB cable that can connect the two computers, and install the drivers for that cable, as appropriate for your situation.
- Start Windows Easy Transfer to transfer files and settings to the destination computer.
Method 2: Use a network drive to migrate files and settings
- Locate the removable media or the network drive that contains the Windows Easy Transfer wizard files, and then double-click Migwiz.exe to start Windows Easy Transfer.
- If you are running any other programs, you will be prompted to close these programs. You can save your work in each program, and then close the programs individually. You can also click Close All in Windows Easy Transfer to close these programs immediately.
- Click Next.
- Click Through a network.
- Click Connect directly via network to start the migration.
Note Click Save to network location if you want to store the files and the settings in a file that will be loaded later. If you want to store the files and the settings on a network drive, you will be prompted to provide the path where you want to store the files and the settings. - Click Everything - all user accounts, files, and program settings (recommended) to migrate all the files and the settings. If you want to determine exactly which files and settings that you want to migrate, click Only my user account, files, and program settings, or click Custom.
- Review the list that contains the files and the settings that you want to migrate, and then click Start. To add or to remove files or settings from the list, click Customize.
- Click Close after Windows Easy Transfer has completed the migration of files and settings to the destination computer.
Method 3: Use removable media to migrate files and settings
- Locate the removable media or the network drive that contains the Windows Easy Transfer wizard files, and then double-click Migwiz.exe to start Windows Easy Transfer.
- If you are running any other programs, you will be prompted to close these programs. You can save your work in each program, and then close the programs individually. You can also click Close All in Windows Easy Transfer to close these programs immediately.
- Click Next.
- Determine the appropriate removable transfer media, and then click On a CD or other removable media, such as a flash drive.
- Click To a network drive to save the files and the settings to a folder that is on the removable drive.
- In Where do you want to save your files, type the path to a folder on the removable drive, and then click Next.
- Click Everything - all user accounts, files, and program settings (recommended) to migrate all the files and the settings. If you want to determine exactly which files and settings that you want to migrate, click Only my user account, files, and program settings, or click Custom.
- Review the list that contains the files and the settings that you want to migrate, and then click Start. To add or to remove files or settings from the list, click Customize.
- Click Close after Windows Easy Transfer has completed migrating files and settings.
- Connect the removable media to the destination computer.
- Start Windows Easy Transfer, and then click Next.
- Click Continue a transfer in progress.
- In Where did you copy your files, click Removable media. If the Removable media option is unavailable, click Network Drive, and then click Next.
- In Locate your saved files, type the path where you saved the files and the settings. You can also click Browse to locate the files and the settings. Click Next after you have located the files and the settings.
- Select the user names on the destination computer that match the user names on the source computer. If there is not any user account that is created on the destination computer, you may have to create new accounts. To create an account on the local computer, directly type a user name. To create a profile or a domain user, type a user name in the following format: domain\user.
- In Choose the drives for files on your new computer, select the destination drive for each source drive.
- Review the list that contains the files and the settings that you want to migrate, and then click Start. To add or remove files or settings from the list, click Customize.
- Click Close after Windows Easy Transfer has completed migrating files and settings.
Method 4: Use a writable CD or a writable DVD to migrate files and settings
- Locate the removable media or the network drive that contains the Windows Easy Transfer wizard files, and then double-click Migwiz.exe to start Windows Easy Transfer.
- If you are running any other programs, you will be prompted to close these programs. You can save your work in each program, and then close the programs individually. You can also click Close All in Windows Easy Transfer to close these programs immediately. Click Next.
- Click Burn a CD or DVD.
- In Choose your media box, type the path of the CD or DVD. Click Next.
- Click Everything - all user accounts, files, and program settings (recommended) to migrate all the files and the settings. If you want to determine exactly which files and setting you want to migrate, click Only my user account, files, and program settings, or Custom.
- Review the list that contains the files and the settings that you want to migrate, and then click Start. To add or remove files or settings from the list, click Customize.
- Click Next after you complete burning the CD or DVD.
- Click Close after Windows Easy Transfer has completely moved the files and the settings.
- Put the CD or DVD in the destination computer.
- Start Windows Easy Transfer, and then click Next.
- Click Continue a transfer in progress.
- In Where did you copy your files, click Read CD or DVD.
- In Choose your media box, select the CD or DVD drive, locate the files and the settings, and then click Next
- In Choose the drives for files on your new computer, select the user names on the destination computer that match the user names on the source computer. If there is not any user account that is created on the destination computer, you may have to create new accounts. To create an account on the local computer, directly type a user name. To create a profile or a domain user, type a user name in the following format: domain\user.
- In Choose the drives for files box on the destination computer, select the destination drive for each source drive.
- Review the list that contains the files and the settings that you want to migrate, and then click Start. To add or remove files or settings from the list, click Customize.
- Click Close after Windows Easy Transfer has completed migrating the files and the settings.
Mick Murphy - Microsoft Partner
