How to Use Windows Easy Transfer to Set Up Vista with All Your Files

If you have upgraded your old computer to a brand new one running Vista, you'll want to transfer some of the files from the old computer to the new one. The good news is that you can use Windows easy transfer to set up Vista with all your files. This utility makes moving all those files quick and easy. Here are some steps to point you in the right direction.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer with Vista
• Easy transfer cable

1. Get an Easy Transfer cable. This is a specially designed USB cable that is optimized for use with Easy Transfer and Windows Vista. The cable also includes the Windows Easy Transfer software.

2. Install the software on your old computer.

3. Connect your old computer to your Vista-capable computer with an Easy Transfer cable.

4. Select what files and user accounts you want to transfer. Advanced set up gives you the option to transfer only part of the files and data found on your computer if you want.

5. Let the Easy Transfer software do the work. The transfer rate across the cable is listed at 20 GB per hour, so if you have a lot of data this may take a while.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use a removable hard drive or storage media to make the data transfer from one computer to another. If both of your computers are hooked into the same network, you can also make the change to a new file system that way.
• You can also download the Easy Transfer software from the Microsoft website. See the link in the resources section of this article.
• Programs and applications are not transferred between computer systems. Only files, data and settings can make the switch.