Trying out the Windows Easy Transfer Companion Beta


Robert McLaws is letting folks know the beta of Windows Easy Transfer Companion is available at Microsoft.com. You can download the beta here. The beta works on both Windows XP and Windows Vista and is designed to help you move your applications from Windows XP to Windows Vista when upgrading to a new Windows Vista PC.

Windows Easy Transfer Companion will work with over 100 programs in transferring over to your new Windows Vista PC. It will also alert you if a program will not transfer or might have problems transferring (transferring without "high confidence"). You can transfer your applications though an Easy Transfer Cable (like the one offered from Belkin) or through your home network (LAN).

I decided to test Windows Easy Transfer Beta out myself. I prepped my Windows XP PC to transfer the applications I have installed over to my new Windows Vista Home Premium PC. Just like Windows Easy Transfer Companion, let's call my Windows XP PC my "Old PC" and my Windows Vista Home Premium PC my "New PC" for this post. After Windows Easy Transfer Companion prepares for the transfer, it tells me that my Old PC is ready and gives me Companion Key that I will need to enter on my New PC.

   

Once I enter the Companion Key into my New PC - my Old PC detects it is now connected through my network and the transfer begins on my New PC. It will first do a series of scans from my Old PC to my New PC. After those scans are completed, it will detect which applications are transferrable. They are displayed in groups of how well they transfer. As you can see, I have two applications that will "transfer well": Macromedia Flash Player and Windows Live Photo Gallery (very cool!). I am going to choose to just transfer Windows Live Photo Gallery.

 

It prepares for the transfer again and the transfer begins with statuses of the transfer appearing on both my Old PC and my New PC.

 

And the transfer is complete.

 

After the New PC rebooted, I went to test out Windows Live Photo Gallery after the transfer on my new PC. Windows Live Photo Gallery failed to open. Apparently Windows Live Photo Gallery requires the Microsoft SQL 2005 Compact Edition framework installed as a prerequisite. I neglected to transfer this from my Old PC as (see in above screenshots) it was not advised. No worries though! I went to Microsoft.com, downloaded the framework, and installed it. Windows Live Photo Gallery fired right up after that. Overall though, this tool worked great.

You can click here to view my Windows Easy Transfer Companion Screenshot Gallery.

For background information on Windows Easy Transfer and Windows Easy Transfer Companion, I suggest reading Nick's post from a few months ago that discusses using Windows Easy Transfer and the technology behind what is now Windows Easy Transfer Companion.

 

Posted by Brandon LeBlanc


Oh and it gives you a Summary Report at the end on your New PC in .doc format. It is a pretty nice report to have. Just thought I'd add that tidbit.

 

Posted by DustoMan


Will this feature work with a dual-boot install of Windows XP/Vista?  That would sure be handy.

 

Posted by someone


When will Microsoft support the USB communications device class (USB CDC) standard instead of its own MS Remote NDIS standard? Users would love transfering files over generic USB to USB cables instead of proprietary ones such as Belkin. Direct Cable Connection already does this for parallel and serial ports, why not for USB? ANY USB 2 USB bridge cable does not seem to work with Easy Transfer or Easy Transfer Companion.

 

Posted by The MAZZTer


No DustoMan.  It requires both PCs to be running at the same time, either on a network (in this example it was a virtual network) or with a connection cable made by Microsoft.

 

Posted by tino


Where are the differences to the jet available Windows EasyTransfer for XP and build-in Vista version?

 

Posted by Teamzille.de


Mit Windows Easy Transfer lassen sich Daten und Einstellungen ja schon leicht von einem Computer mit Windows XP auf einen mit Windows Vista bertragen. Der Windows Easy Transfer Companion hilft auch noch dabei, die dazugehrigen Anwendungen von einem PC

 

Posted by Barry Jones


One more good tip when migrating to Vista is to check all msi packages which you are going to install. Take a look at migrate2vista.com. They offer free tool - msi readiness analyzer. It's just for checking msi packages to compatibility with Vista. It can show you the list of possible issues then may occure when installing application to Vista. And what i like most of all - it can suggest you the most optimal way of solving them.

 

Posted by ajmarton


I am purchasing a new HP Slimline computer (Vista Home Premium) and want to transfer my programs from my current Vista Home Premium system to the new computer when it arrives.  The current system has one HD that came partitioned into C and D drive.  D is the restore drive with all the software and is static.  C is the partition with the system and installed programs.  I have a portable exterior drive that I used for data that can be plugged into the new computer.  Is there anything I need to know about using the transfer companion when transferring programs from one VISTA system to another.  I plan to de-select the D partition and only transfer the C partition as it has all the programs.  

 

Posted by olsontru


I cannot get WETC to work.  I believe instructions are the culprit.  All seem to allow that you load WETC on both machines, then one set says plug the cable in and run WETC on the XP PC then on the Vista machine (Release notes 12/6/06) Another set says run both together.  Either way I get program non responsive, on the XP PC early on when it is scanning.  WET did it's thing fine, but WETC is becoming a career task.  Help

 

Posted by Brandon LeBlanc


olsontru, can you elaborate on "non-responsive"? The Windows Easy Transfer Companion is beta so there are bound to be a few bugs too - keep that in mind.

 

Posted by Cat45


Have a new Dell and want to transfer my programs from my Old Dell to the new one running Vista Home Basic, but I want to do this via and external hard drive. Once I transfer my programs I will use teh external as a secondary drive on the Vista machine (larger capacity drive), Any instructions on how I do this and do I need to make the external a master or slave drive when I do this? I have programs that I may not be able to run if I was to reinstall them on the new machine because of the CD keys may shoe up as already in use - have had this happen before when I iinstalled programs on my existing machine running XP SP2 - even though I had the license for the program,, talk about frustrating and expensive....

 

Posted by ds808


I used Windows Easy Transfer Companion to transfer MS Office XP from my XP computer to my new Vista computer.  The transfer was completed successfully.  But when I run the program on the Vista computer it detects a configuration change and says I need to insert the CD.  I don't have a CD.  How can I solve this problem?

 

Posted by sksnumber1


I just got a new laptop that came proloaded with Office (Office Vista?  Student Home version?) but I have Office 2000 which I prefer (don't ask me why...stuck in my ways) anyway, the preloaded new Office is a trial version (30 day I think, or maybe 60, can't remember) but I wanted no part of that so I uninstalled it.  But, when I try the east transfer companion, I'm told I can't transfer my old Office because the program already exists on the new computer.  It must be finding something left behind, even though I ran the uninstall?!?  What does the ETC look for on the new machine so that I can manually remove it, to allow the old Office to move over?  Thanks!

 

Posted by ds808


I found my Office XP CDs.  All I needed to do was insert the CD. I guess it needed something on the CD to reconfigure for VISTA.  It did not ask for a product key.   I then needed to reactivate via the internet.  No I'm good to go.  

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