Approaching Nirvana!
To reach this ultimate state, I successfully “clean installed” Windows 7 on my computer. While this procedure took ages, I wondered if it would ever finish. Finally, the installation setup removed my previous operating system, Windows Vista, as well as all my programs including several misbehaving programs and their remnants. Now, I had a fully fledged Windows 7 Home Premium on board and it ran sweetly. So far, so good!
Having previously created an Easy Transfer file, using Windows Easy Transfer, and saved it on a portable hard drive, it was now time to resurrect this file containing important data, and migrate it onto the my computer. Again, I turned to the Windows Easy Transfer wizard.
Migrating Files and Settings
Before commencing this operation, as a precaution, it’s a good idea to close all your active programs.
- Click the Start button and in the Search box, type Windows Easy Transfer.
- In a top of the Search box, select Windows Easy Transfer.
- When Windows Easy Transfer screen opens, click the Next button.
- In the next screen, select the option, external hard drive or USB Flash drive.
- Another screen opens with two options — This is my new computer and This is my old computer.
- Even though you are transferring these files to the same computer, select This is my new computer.
- A new screen opens advising you to plug in your external drive or USB Flash drive.
Follow these instructions and click Yes.
- Internet Explorer opens displaying a list of Drive locations.
- As the Easy Transfer File was previously saved on the removable drive, select the removable drive, Drive F:.
10. Drive F opens, displaying the file, Windows Easy Transfer – items from old computer.
11. Select this file, and click the Open button.
12. In the next screen the wizard asks you to “Choose what to transfer to this computer.”
13. Inside this screen, select the checked item.
14. Click the Transfer button.
15. Windows Easy Transfer begins transferring the file onto the hard drive on your computer.
Note: Depending on the size of the file, this may take some time.
16. A new screen opens informing you that the transfer is complete.
Note: There are additional options in this screen. These are Easy Transfer Reports.
You can:
- See what was transferred.
- See a list of programs you might want to install on your new computer.
17. If you can’t be bothered checking the options in this window, click the Close button.
18. Windows Easy Transfer shuts down. All the saved files and folders are back on your computer.
Easy Transfer Reports
Let’s check the first option!
- Click See what was transferred.
- This opens a tabbed window.
The first tab presents a Transfer Report and the second a Program report.
- If you click Transfer report, you will see a list of successfully transferred documents.
- If you click the second tab, the Program report, there is a list of programs previously installed on your computer.
This information is helpful and it may influence whether you reinstall programs used prior to Windows 7.
- Scroll through the list to see previously installed software. When finished with that window, click the X button to close it.
- Windows Easy Transfer now closes.
The Ultimate Test!
Has the Windows Easy Transfer wizard justified all this time and effort? Are all the files and folders, so carefully saved, safe and sound in the Libraries of your computer?
Well, the answer to both questions is an unqualified, Yes!
To test this, click the Start button and in the Start Menu, click your personal folder (that will be your name) located at the top of the menu. Windows Explorer opens displaying its folders – Documents, Music, Pictures and Videos. Inside each one, you will find the files you previously saved using Windows Easy Transfer.
