How To Transfer Files & Settings From Windows 7 To Windows 8  tips and tricks

Transferring programs, customized program and application configurations, and other important information from old PC to new PC is certainly not only time intensive, but also a wearisome task, as one needs to create a list of all the installed programs, Windows elements, User Account files, Method configurations such as Modification, Color Management, Print styles, Convenience, Key pad and Mouse configurations etc., and then personally transfer the configurations and information to new PC.In the past, we’ve covered numerous applications such as Backup Utility, Backup Folder Sync and DataGrab, which let users effortlessly backup User Profile folders without having to manually transfer Documents, Pictures, Music, AppData, Roaming and other important folders. Applications like Special Folders Manager not only makes it easy to create copy of Users profile folders, but also help restoring them at their original locations with a click, but what if you want to migrate entire system including Settings, Applications and data saved in local drives from old PC to new PC?
In this post, we will take a look at the easiest way of transferring Windows 7 system and user configurations, local pushes, and other required information to new PC running Windows 8. Although Windows 8 final Edition is yet to be released, the steps involved in transferring information from Windows 7 to Windows 8 would probably not change.
To begin, login to Windows 7 PC, and launch Windows Easy Transfer from Start Search. Windows Easy Transfer is Windows 7 native utility that allows you to copy files, system and user settings from one PC to another. It presents an easy wizard that guides user through the process of selecting files and system & user settings, and transferring all the selected files and settings to another PC.

The Information and Configurations Migration instructions are separated into two parts, saving Windows 7 files & settings to external drives, and switching saved settings and files to new PC running Windows 8.

Save Files And System & User Settings To External Hard Drive

After launching Windows Easy Transfer wizard, click Next to choose the type of target location, where all the specified configurations and information will be saved. You can use Easy Transfer Cable, Network location, or Exterior challenging generate drive to move the configurations to your new PC. The first two options require connecting your new PC to old PC in order to send the information and configurations. However, if you’re planning to upgrade your PC to Windows 8, select the third option that moves your system configurations along with information to generate drive. We will use an generate drive to save the configurations, and then move them to Windows 8 PC. Just plug-in the external challenging generate drive, and then Select A challenging generate drive or USB memory stick option to proceed.

Now, select This is my old computer option to transfer files and setting from current PC.

In this step, it shows currently logged-in Information and Distributed Products options, enabling you to select the files from both Person Account and Distributed locations. You can change the default directory and file area by hitting Personalize. The Personalize hyperlink present in Person Account area lets you pick Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, Program Configurations and Windows Configurations, whereas the Distributed Products section’s Personalize hyperlink will open a Distributed Products menu, enabling you to select the shared things that are to be moved.

In order to manually pick User profiles’ folders, and files from hard drive partitions, click Advanced to openModify your selections dialog. It presents a simple file browser to select the Windows folders and local volumes which are to be transferred. After the Windows folders and local volumes are selected, clickSave.

Window 7 Easy Transfer wizard saves all the settings, user folders, and information from disk drive drive partitions in a MIG computer file. It also lets you apply password-protect this computer file from unauthorized usage. Once you’ve selected the information, it will ask you to enter the password to secure the transfer process. Clicking Save will prompt you to specify the exterior disk drive drive folder where your information and settings are to be copied. It’s worth mentioning here that USB drive/External disk drive drive formatted with FAT-32 computer file system does not support saving computer file larger than 4GB. So, before you select the exterior disk drive drive destination, make sure that it’s formatted to NTFS computer file system.

When the destination folder is selected, it will start copying the settings and selected folders. The time it takes to complete the copying process depends upon the volume of selected data.

Once copied, open the destination folder to verify the copying process. Now, eject the external hard disk, and move to PC running Windows 8.

Transfer Settings And Files On New PC Running Windows 8

Now that you have stored the system & user settings, and data files from old computer in Windows Simple Move data file (Windows Simple Move –Items from old computer.MIG), it’s time to recover all the data files, information folders, shared items at their unique position. Just like previous Windows versions, Windows 8 comes with Simple File Move utility to help you move the data from old to new PC, and to recover the stored data in MIG data file to unique locations.
To get started, open Windows Search from Windows 8 Start hover menu, enter easy exchange in search bar, and then click Apps. Now, launch Windows Simple Move utility from main window. If you don’t find the Windows Simple Move, first set up Windows update to set up all the additional Windows 8 components.

In Windows Easy Transfer wizard, select An external hard disk or USB flash drive option to restore data and settings saved in MIG file.

In next step, choose This is my new computer option.

It will now ask you to plug-in the external hard disk where the MIG file is saved. Plug-in the external hard drive and select Yes to specify the Windows Easy Transfer file.

On selecting the MIG file, it will ask you to specify the password. Enter the password to restore the data, and click Next.

Once accessibility is provided, it will ask you to choose what to move from old PC. At this point, you can choose the information files and configurations that are to be shifted to your new PC. Press Personalize under Person Account and Distributed Items segments to choose the information files. However, if you want to change the generate map alternatives, click Progress Options. It will open a individual dialogue to tune with map user records and local pushes configurations. Once you have chosen the configurations and information files, hit Exchange to begin the configurations and information migration process.

While transferring files and settings from your old PC, it may ask you to enter the password of your old PC to transfer the protected content. Once correct password is entered, it will immediately restore the system and personalization settings of old PC including user account details, desktop theme and numerous other settings.

After all the files and settings are restored from old PC, you can take a look at the files that were transferred during the process, and applications which you might want to install

Clicking See what was transferred option will open Windows Easy Transfer Reports utility, letting you view the transferred user accounts, documents, documents, program & system settings.

The Program report tab shows the list of applications that you need to install on new PC. You can view detailed information of listed applications by clicking More information.