How to Transfer Files and Settings from a Windows XP or Vista PC to Windows 7 with an External Hard Drive
This article is to demonstrate a way to transfer data from a Windows XP or Vista computer to a Windows 7 computer using Windows Easy Transfer.
Windows Easy Transfer is a file transferring program included in newer versions of Microsoft Windows operating system which allows the moving of files and settings between two computers. The program assists migration of Windows XP or Windows Vista to a computer running Windows 7. It makes easy for you to copy files and settings from Windows XP or Vista.
You can also use this program to transfer data between two computers which run Windows 7.
1- Hardware requirements:
To transfer data, you can use LAN (Local Area Network), USB drive, external hard drive and CD, DVD or Windows Easy Transfer cable. On this article, we will show how to transfer data with external hard drive.
Things you need:
- External hard drive
- Two computers: one with Windows XP or Vista, one with Windows 7.
2- Data transferring:
The purpose is to copy Windows Easy Transfer to your Windows XP computer and let it copy files and settings.
Firstly, connect your external hard drive to the Windows 7 computer, click Start and choose All Program, Accessories and System Tools then select Windows Easy Transfer.
When Windows Easy Transfer starts running, click Next.
Next, you select how you want to transfer data. Here we choose An external hard disk or USB flash drive. Then you follow instructions on the screen to copy Windows Easy Transfer.
After copying, you will see a screen as following:
Following the step 3 as mentioned in the picture above, connect your external hard drive to your Windows XP computer and run Windows Easy Transfer. Windows Easy Transfer Key screen will appear.
Type your Windows Easy Transfer Key in the box as picture then click Next.
Now check the data on the Windows XP computer. When it is done, you will see an accounts list. Select the account you would like to copy to Windows 7 computer and click Next. Data transferring is starting.
A screen will appear that shows a list of data transferred.
Lastly, connect your external hard drive to your Windows 7 computer, run Windows Easy Transfer and let it copy all of the files and settings from your external hard drive to the computer.