Utility spotlight Windows Easy Transfer Companion Lance Whitney

t’s time to migrate your users from their old Windows XP Icomputers to new Windows Vista machines. The biggest chore in any mi- gration is reinstalling your users’ appli- cations on their new PCs – and making sure those apps work. Now, a free tool from Microsoft can spare you those countless reinstalls. The Windows Easy Transfer Companion (WETC) can copy key software programs from Windows XP to Windows Vista. WETC provides a Currently in beta, WETC is differ- categorised list of ent from the Windows Easy Transfer transferable apps wizard in Windows Vista. Whereas the wizard copies data files, program set- 1. Programs that transfer well – soft- provide solutions to any problems. You tings and user profiles, WETC copies ware that will transfer without can also save a pre-transfer report that entire applications, though only from problems and run on the Windows lists all programs that will and will not Windows XP SP2 to Windows Vista. Vista PC. be transferred. You must run the transfer under an ad- 2. Programs that transfer with possible The transfer then proceeds, copy- min account. limitations – software that’s capable ing the data related to each program. You install WETC on both the of being transferred but may not run At the end, a status message tells you source and destination computers. The properly. which programs were copied and PCs can talk to each other over a net- 3. Programs that will not be trans- whether errors occurred. You can save work or through an Easy Transfer USB ferred – software that won’t run on a detailed post-transfer report. After cable. The driver for the Easy Transfer Windows Vista and will not be in- exiting WETC, reboot the Windows cable is included in Windows Vista; for cluded in the transfer. Vista PC, log in and run the transferred Windows XP you’ll need to install the programs to make sure they work. driver from the product CD. For each program that can’t transfer Any problems? The WETC Programs After connecting the cable, you start successfully, WETC briefly explains folder on Windows Vista includes a WETC on the Windows XP machine. why. Typically, applications might not shortcut to a Resources tool with an The utility scans the hard drive, gathers copy because they’re missing install- Undo feature that can remove all apps basic system information and analyses er information or other key data, are copied to the Windows Vista machine, all installed software. When that pro- incompatible with Windows Vista, but this information expires within cess completes, you run WETC on the or are already on the Windows Vista three days. You can learn more about Windows Vista computer. The utility machine. Also, WETC will not copy Windows Easy Transfer Companion communicates with the Windows XP specific types of applications, such as and download the latest version at sup- machine to display a list of all discov- antivirus and system utilities. Nor will port.microsoft.com/kb/931696. ■ ered applications, divided into three it transfer OS frameworks, such as categories (see the screenshot above): Microsoft .NET – you’ll need to install Lance Whitney is an IT consultant, those in Windows Vista before you trainer and technical writer. He has This column is based on a prerelease copy any apps that require them. spent countless hours tweaking Windows version of Windows Easy Transfer From the list of programs, you check workstations and servers. Originally a Companion. All information herein is off the ones you want to copy. A help journalist, he took a blind leap into the subject to change. screen can assist in your decision and IT world 15 years ago.

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