Windows settings migration

Your personal files, and all Windows files and directories, will be moved to a Windows. You can access your data in the Windows. Migration tools are available to transfer settings from one computer that is running Windows to another.

These tools transfer only the program settings, not the programs themselves. For deployment to a small number of computers or for individually customized deployments, you can use Windows Easy Transfer. Windows Easy Transfer is a software wizard for transferring files and settings from one computer that is running Windows to another. It helps you select what to move to your new computer, enables you to set which migration method to use, and then performs the transfer.

When the transfer has completed, Windows Easy Transfer Reports shows you what was transferred and provides a list of programs you might want to install on your new computer, in addition to links to other programs you might want to download.

However, you cannot use a regular universal serial bus USB cable to transfer files and settings with Windows Easy Transfer. An Easy Transfer cable can be purchased on the Web, from your computer manufacturer, or at an electronics store. Windows Easy Transfer is not available in Windows USMT uses configurable migration rule. You can use USMT for both side-by-side migrations, where one piece of hardware is being replaced, or wipe-and-load or refresh migrations, when only the operating system is being upgraded.

This mapping usually happens the first time a user runs the newer version after the settings have been migrated. Some applications do this automatically after settings are migrated; however, other applications will only do this if the application was upgraded from the older version. If you perform a clean installation of the newer version which is the case in most migrations , the computer does not contain this set of files and registry keys so the mapping does not occur.

The newer version of the application cannot read settings from the source computer and it is also unable to import the settings into the new format. In this case, you will need to create a mapping for each setting from the old locations to the new locations. To do this, determine where the newer version stores each setting using the process described in How to determine where each setting is stored.

We recommend that you migrate the settings after you install the application, but before the user runs the application for the first time. We recommend this because this ensures that there are no settings on the destination computer when you migrate the settings.

Also, when some applications are installed, they overwrite any existing settings that are on the computer. In this scenario, if you migrated the data before you installed the application, your customized settings would be overwritten. This is common for applications that store settings in locations that are outside of the user profile typically these are settings that apply to all users.

These universal settings are sometimes overwritten when an application is installed, and they are replaced by default values.

To avoid this, you must install these applications before migrating the files and settings to the destination computer. By default with USMT, data from the source computer overwrites data that already exists in the same location on the destination computer.

After you have completed steps 1 through 3, you will need to create a custom migration. You can use the MigApp. Note We recommend that you create a separate. This is because the MigApp. Important Some applications store information in the user profile that should not be migrated for example, application installation paths, the computer name, and so on.

You should make sure to exclude these files and registry keys from the migration. Checking for the correct version of the application executable file using the DoesFileVersionMatch helper function. If the correct version of the application is installed, then ensure that each setting is migrated to the appropriate location on the destination computer. For information about the. On a test computer, install the operating system that will be installed on the destination computers.

For example, if you are planning on migrating from Windows 7 to Windows 10, install Windows 10 and the application. Next, run LoadState on the test computer and verify that all settings migrate. Make corrections if necessary and repeat the process until all the necessary settings are migrated correctly.

To speed up the time it takes to collect and migrate the data, you can migrate only one user at a time, and you can exclude all other components from the migration except the application that you are testing.

To troubleshoot a problem, check the progress log, and the ScanState and LoadState logs, which contain warnings and errors that may point to problems with the migration. Conflicts and Precedence. Skip to main content.

This browser is no longer supported. Download Microsoft Edge More info. Click image to enlarge it. You can fine-tune the backup settings in the Backup options pane by clicking the More options link. For instance, you can set the backup frequency, folders to be backed up and folders to exclude, and stop using the backup drive to select a different backup drive, for example.

Most important, at the very bottom of the Backup options pane is the Restore files from a current backup link. Use it to restore files from the backup drive. Tip: You can back up to and restore from a network drive if it is set up in the Windows 10 File Explorer. Click the Mapping a network drive link for details on how to do that. Note: Windows 10 can restore from a Windows 7 backup; click the Go to Backup and restore Windows 7 link to initiate that operation on your new PC. In Windows 7, right-click your local drive to open the Properties window, then click Back up now in the Tools pane to open the Back up or restore your files window.

It works over your network and optionally via a direct cable connection provided by Laplink if you buy the CD version, lets you choose which files and folders to transfer, and will transfer your settings, bookmarks, and applications too. You can migrate from old Windows versions to later Windows versions, as well as between the same versions.

Before you transfer any applications via a utility like PCmover, sign out of or deactivate any apps on your old computer. Most software these days is tied to an online account that limits the number of active installations or has digital rights management to prevent piracy via copying.

Regardless of the transfer method you use, you almost certainly will have apps to reinstall, depending on what IT did for you in preparing your new computer.

PCmover Professional will transfer most apps; its documentation describes its limitations. On your new PC, re-download the apps you need and sign in as required.

Chrome, Firefox, and Edge all sync bookmarks across all your devices if they are all signed into the same account. Just enable syncing in each browser on each device you use.

To be clear, you can sync only to the same browser, such as from Chrome to Chrome.