How to Transfer all the Stuff on my old Computer to my New Computer?

[Portland R]

I just bought a new computer that runs Windows 7 pro. I've got an old desktop and an old laptop and I would like to take all the stuff off of those old machines and have it available to me on my new machine - Including my copies of MS Office, my eSet, and some other applications.

How do I do this?

I no longer have an IT guy to rely on so this is my first time even thinking about how to transfer all these files, photos, applications, etc.

Any help out there?

 

[Tom Tancredi]

NO. You have to reinstall all the software from scratch, if you don't have the CDs or licenses anymore PONY IT UP and buy new copies. As for your mps, docs, pics, and so on there is a way to do it, but depends on the version of windows on the old computer, and best if you have a external hard drive to dump them to. What version of Windows is on the 'old' computer? Is it x32 or x64? I assume the new computer is x64?

 

[Portland R]

NO. You have to reinstall all the software from scratch, if you don't have the CDs or licenses anymore PONY IT UP and buy new copies. As for your mps, docs, pics, and so on there is a way to do it, but depends on the version of windows on the old computer, and best if you have a external hard drive to dump them to. What version of Windows is on the 'old' computer? Is it x32 or x64? I assume the new computer is x64?

Old Computer = 32 bit, Windows 7 Ultimate
New Computer = 64 bit, Windows 7 Pro

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Well in the old computer just click the orb in the blank field type Windows Easy Transfer and you can use that to get your data. Problem is x64 is significantly different in how it sets it up, so normally WET will just dump all the stuff into the 'folders' (My Docs, My pics, etc.) only. Normally it would actually put in your background, render all the icons / shortcuts / etc. on your desktop and so on, but your changing from x32 to x64

 

[Portland R]

Darn. So I will not get my "desktop" and icons transferred onto the desktop? Will they be easily accessed via a special folder?

 

[Tom Tancredi]

No. Your changing the way the computer functions, so it has different paths. You will just have to suck it up as being 'start from scratch'. Plus if any are to programs and files (shortcuts) they would be totally wrong and missing as your changing whole computers.

 

[Portland R]

Ok. Thanks

 

[daveje49]

My question follows the same path so I am posting here. I will be trf from one win7 x64 to my new win7 x64 in about a week and I have a trf patch cord on order to link my 2 PC's together for optimum trf ability. The trf of files is an easy no-brainer, EXCEPT I use 3rd party themes (all stored in C:/Windows/Resources/Themes and likewise for Cursors.

Can I just copy/paste the contents of these two C:/Windows from old file to new new file and have all my themes at hand? ('Personalization' as Ctrl Panel calls it is a big reason why Win7 is so great...)

Also, in reading up on WET the term 'files AND SETTINGS' is bandied around a lot - but what IS MEANT by "SETTINGS"? For example; will it trf my sysconfig settings, my own settings (or task profiles) in task scheduler? Will it transfer autoruns regarding sidebar.exe; and for that matter trf my sidebar?
3rd party programs; its a GOOD thing they must be manually reinstalled - Id guess we only used 1/3 of the stuff we have.

Just for the record; my old system is a 3.5 yr old Toshiba Satellite L455; x64 w/a single core Celeron 900 "Penryn" CPU 2.2Ghz and 3GB Ram. Intel embedded GPU. STILL...it can run two monitors and do fairly decent video editing...and sine i like my gadgets; my sidebar consumes an avg of 22% of CPU resource...it has served me Exceptionally well...

New system? MSI GT70 I7 Haswell 4700MQ w/24 Gb Kingston Ram; nVidia 770M GPU; twin 128Gb SSD's in RAID 0 & 1Tb 7200rpm HDD. Let's just say its 'Kick-Ass', as MaximymPC would say. Ordered through PowerNotebooks with Win 7 Pro.

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Okay what WET does is copy the files and settings so everything will 'look' the same. The premise is you would need to configure the new system the SAME WAY, with the SAME software version, the same 'add on' software etc. Then the 'settings' will be applied once WET is done and you reboot.

As for your sidebar, M$ gave that up a while ago and shuttered the whole thing years ago. The downside the applications are coded to check every few minutes for 'updates and authentication' but they hit a dead end so they consume needly CPU. Solution: www.rainmeter.net . TONS of configurations, themes, or just hack it together yourself for FREE and still get all the stats.

Here is my computer, the rainmeter apps run along the bottom and right, rocket docket along the top. I could actually hide my tray bar but I have Networx Bar running to keep an eye on my U/D. http://my.jetscreenshot.com/demo/20131220-nv0q-375kb.jpg

AND FORGET THE silly transfer cable. Just get a external HDD, connect, run WET, now not only do you 'transfer' to the new computer but it is a BACKUP of all your stuff too!