A new computer or even a simple hard drive upgrade for many means the inevitable process of installing a new operating system. Despite the deceptive simplicity of the Windows setup wizard, the procedure for preparing a new PC for full operation is always tedious and time consuming. It’s not enough just to install Windows, you also need to transfer all the data from the user profile, as well as install a considerable number of applications that you have become accustomed to for a long time working on an old PC.

Fortunately, there is a way to save your time and speed up the boring procedure of installing and configuring work programs. With the help of special utilities, you can transfer old data to a new hard drive, and in some cases, even migrate from one version of the operating system to another, while retaining user files and the entire arsenal of previously installed software. Read below about what tools you will need for migration.

"Windows Easy Transfer"

The most obvious way to transfer all your data to a Windows 8 computer is to use the built-in utility, which is called "Windows Easy Transfer". It is part of the operating system from Microsoft, starting with Windows XP, it is also in the latest Windows 8. With it, you can transfer files, system and user settings. The work of "Windows Easy Transfer" is built in the form of a wizard. First you need to run it on the old computer and choose one of the ways to save data. If you have two computers at your disposal that are on a local network or connected with a special cable, you can transfer files without accessing an external drive. But if you want to install Windows 8 on an old computer, then you can not do without connecting an external drive.

After deciding where to save the files, you need to choose what exactly you want to save. By default, Windows Easy Transfer offers to save all files that are stored in the user's profile (documents, music, videos, pictures, application and system settings), as well as items that the user has shared. It should be borne in mind that using a regular data transfer application, you can copy any files and folders to a new system, and not just those that can be seen in the wizard window. To do this, you need to turn to the advanced settings and manually mark all the elements in the file manager. The wizard window will display the total size of the data that will be copied.
All data is stored in a single MIG file, access to which can be password protected for security. As you might guess, the size of such a file can be rather big, so before using the drive, you should check which file system it uses. If FAT32, you need to format the USB flash drive or external drive to NTFS, because the size of the MIG file will most likely exceed the 4 GB maximum allowed on FAT32.

After the data has been copied to the drive, you can run Windows Easy Transfer on the new system. Specify the path to the MIG file, if necessary, enter a password, and you can choose which files to transfer to the new computer. Keep in mind that you may also need to enter the password of the account that is used on the old computer in order to copy custom content. All this, of course, is done for security reasons. Once the process is complete, Windows will display detailed statistics showing the number of accounts, programs, and documents transferred, as well as generate a list of applications that were installed on the old computer but not on the new one. You will have to install them manually, but the program will tell you what is missing.

Its work for the user is as simple as possible: just run the program, and it will generate a list of all applications installed on the system. Select the ones you want to transfer to the new computer and instruct PickMeApp to save all files related to them. For each application, PickMeApp will create a file in its own TAP format containing all the data. The user now needs to manually copy these files to an external drive and then overwrite them in the PickMeApp installation folder on the new computer. Well, if a flash drive is not at hand, you can use any cloud storage service convenient for you - Dropbox, Google Drive, Yandex.Disk, etc. Place the TAP files in a folder whose contents are synchronized with the "cloud", and they will be copied to the remote server. Install the client of the "cloud" service on a new computer, and the files copied earlier will immediately be on your hard drive.

After PickMeApp detects TAP files, a list of applications available for installation will be displayed in the program window. Installation takes place directly from the PickMeApp window, and applications that have already been installed are marked with a green marker for clarity.

PCMover is another alternative solution that can be trusted to transfer applications to a new computer. And this program is able to transfer system and user settings. In general, it can be considered as "Windows Easy Transfer" with advanced features.

PCMover can help you transfer data from one computer to another, and copy important information when updating the system on an old PC. For each case, a separate mode of operation is provided. When it comes to transferring data between computers, the program must be installed on both. Communication between devices can be carried out via a local network, via a USB cable, using a Windows EasyTransfer cable. It is also possible to copy data to an external drive.

All the main work is done on the old computer: the program allows you to choose which accounts, files and applications to transfer. By default, PCMover offers to copy all installed applications, files on drive C, email messages, user settings. If you wish, you can view the list of installed software and filter out unnecessary ones, add separate folders, files of certain types, and the contents of other disks for transfer to a new system. Separately, you can set exceptions for certain types of files and directory names.

After launching PCMover on a new computer, the user can determine what exactly should be copied: all saved data, only files, files and settings (without applications). Before restoring applications, you can view a list of them and select only the ones you need. Keep in mind that when migrating commercial applications, not all licenses will work on the new computer. Some programs may need to be reactivated. You also need to take into account that programs such as anti-virus scanners, firewalls, spyware search tools, local search utilities, most likely, will not work correctly after the transfer due to their specifics. It is better not to transfer such applications, but to install them directly on the new system.

Since the transfer of a large amount of data can take a lot of time, the PCMover developers have provided for sending notifications when the process is completed. The program can notify you that the files have been transferred by e-mail or SMS.

The tool from Chinese developers is very similar to the popular Acronis TrueImage program, but, unlike the latter, it is distributed free of charge. With EaseUS Todo Backup, you can transfer the operating system to another hard drive, as well as create a copy of partition, disk, or system data. In addition, the program has the usual data backup tools, but they are beyond the scope of our topic.
A disk cloning tool can be useful if the old hard drive is already too small to hold all the applications and user files. Plug in your new drive and start the data migration process. EaseUS Todo Backup can create a copy of a disk considering all sectors (in this case, the size of the target disk must be larger than the old one, or at least the same). There is also a mode designed to transfer data to SSD drives.

When performing various data transfer manipulations, the system backup mode can also be useful. They should be used immediately after installing a new OS (or after buying a laptop with Windows preinstalled). As long as the system is not overloaded with applications and works as stable as possible, create a backup copy of it and save it as an image. If you encounter problems with Windows later, you can always download this image and restore your system to its original state.

Sergey and Marina Bondarenko
Written for CHIP magazine

The need to transfer files, settings, and programs from an old computer to a new one is intimidating, especially if there is no practice of making regular backups. Simple utilities and some useful tips will help to facilitate the task.

With regular backups, things become much easier. But when the right files are randomly scattered all over the hard drive, you risk losing them if the drive or the computer itself fails. No backups anywhere!

File Transfer Utilities

There are many special utilities that allow you to automatically transfer files and settings from your old computer to a new one. Programs, however, will have to be reinstalled, but important data and parameters will be saved. In any case, the most important thing is to save personal files. Here are a few popular utilities to accomplish this task.

Easy Transfer is a utility from Microsoft built right into Windows. Unfortunately, in Windows 8.1, it has lost some of its functionality and no longer supports transferring files and settings over the network. However, you can still connect an external drive to the old computer, transfer files to it using this utility, then connect the same drive to the new computer and copy the data to it in exactly the same way. The utility is built into Windows 7, 8 and 8.1. To launch it, open the Start menu or Start screen (Windows logo key), search for the keywords "data transfer" without quotes, and click when you see the desired link. For Windows Vista and XP, you can download Easy Transfer from the official Microsoft website.

Mac Migration Assistant is Apple's utility built right into Mac OS X. It helps you migrate data from an old Mac to a new one, or from a Windows computer to a Mac. In the latter case, you need to download from the Apple website. Well, to run the utility in Mac OS X, press the keys + [space], type "Migration" (without quotes) and click.

There are other similar programs, including a paid one that Microsoft offered to use when upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7. Unfortunately, it is no longer free, and it is unlikely that anyone would want to pay for a one-time transfer of files to a new computer.

Backup and restore

Should be created regularly. If this is already done, to transfer data to a new computer, it will be enough to create the most recent backup and then restore the files from it on the new PC.

However, there is one caveat: backups created using the Backup tool in Windows 7 cannot be imported into. Back in Windows 8 there was a function to restore files from Windows 7, but in Windows 8.1 it is no longer there.

However, you can back up data on external media using any utility, from the built-in Backup to third-party programs and Apple Time Machine on Macs, and then simply copy the files from the archive to a new computer. On Macs, the already mentioned Migration Assistant allows you to import files from Time Machine backups as well.

Easy copying of files

The easiest way to transfer data is to simply copy files. It is suitable for creating simple backups, and for moving files to a new computer. Connect a sufficiently large external drive to your old PC, copy or drag all the necessary files to it, and then connect it to the new computer and copy the files there. Yes, it's that simple - and if the files are also logically organized into folders, you can very quickly copy all the most important things.

Of course, you can only transfer your personal files in this way, not system settings. If you want to keep your bookmarks in your browser, you should export them and then import them on a new computer. Modern browsers - Chrome, Firefox (and Internet Explorer, but only in Windows 8) - even have a built-in sync feature that allows you to transfer bookmarks from your old computer to a new one through a specially created account.

Cloud storage

Cloud storage also makes it easy to transfer data to a new computer. Many people probably use Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo! Mail or similar with IMAP support instead of POP3. This means that emails are stored on a remote server, so you don't have to worry about moving mail to a new computer (unless, of course, POP3 is still used to receive emails).

The same can be said about services that allow you to store files, settings and other data online. Good options are Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive. It is enough to install the client application of the cloud service on the old computer and copy all your files there. Then you can log in with the same account on a new computer - and all the files saved in the cloud will be downloaded there. Windows 8.1 even has integration with OneDrive - Microsoft offers to store all files in the cloud so that they can be accessed from any computer without having to transfer something somewhere else. With the same success, you can use other cloud services.

One of the biggest challenges when preparing to migrate from Windows XP to Windows 7 is migrating applications, files, and settings. Microsoft does not offer automatic upgrade options for this transition, as it did when migrating from Windows Vista to Windows 7.

Therefore, when migrating from Windows XP, you usually have to install Windows 7 from scratch, then reinstall all applications, and then copy user documents, settings, and other non-standard settings. Microsoft might not provide a direct update option, but the company does offer a tool to help with the latter.

The free Windows 7 Transfer Tool (Windows Easy Transfer for Windows 7) allows you to transfer files and settings from a user's old computer running Windows XP to a new machine running Windows 7. Among other types of files, it copies user accounts, documents, browser favorites. email and application settings.

Windows Easy Transfer is available for 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows XP (as well as 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista). It's included with Windows 7, so there's no need to install it on a new machine. Windows Easy Transfer is not a new tool, but the latest version has several new features that make migration much easier.

You can download the tool for Windows XP from the Windows Easy Transfer download web page and select the version for your OS. Run the resulting file to install Windows Easy Transfer and download it by selecting the appropriate link from the start menu.

The first page explains what information can be migrated. Next, you need to decide which files and settings to migrate, and choose one of the three options (Figure 1).

You can use a cable that links the two computers directly, a network, but both computers must be accessible from that network (either via a regular or wireless connection), or an external drive or USB drive. Windows Easy Transfer creates the file , which can be transferred to a new computer. After selecting one of the options, confirm that the files and settings you want to migrate are on the current computer.

Rice. 1. Windows Easy Transfer offers three ways to migrate.

The next steps depend on the chosen migration option. If you choose to create a file on an external drive, the tool immediately searches your computer for files to copy.

For a cabled transfer, you need to connect the computers with a cable, open Windows Easy Transfer on a new Windows 7 computer, and then select the cabled migration option in the transfer tool. (The Easy Transfer is located in the All Programs/Accessories/Utilities folder.) If Windows Easy Transfer is not already open, plugging in the cable will open it or prompt you to open it. The connection should quickly be established and the search for files to copy should begin.

If you choose to migrate online, the migration tool will provide a key when you run it on a Windows XP machine. After that, you need to run Windows Easy Transfer on a new machine with Windows 7 and select the option to migrate over the network. After entering the transfer key, the tool will find the old computer and report that two computers are found and start scanning.

If you perform any of the three migration options, when you finish browsing your old Windows XP computer, the migration tool will show you the user accounts that contain the files and settings included in the migration process. If migrating using an external drive, you must continue using the tool on the old computer; if you are using a cable or network, Windows Easy Transfer must be running on the new computer.

You can view and even change the list of files by clicking the Customize link. Windows Easy Transfer will display the File Manager window (Figure 2) where you can see all the folders and files selected for transfer. You have the right to select or deselect any files and folders. The program carefully selects the material to transfer, but you still need to review the selection in the file manager in order to clearly control what will be transferred.

Rice. 2. File manager allows you to view the list of files selected for transfer.

Here, the transfer process again varies depending on the transfer method. When using an external drive, after selecting and verifying all files to be migrated, click the Next button, and then set a password to protect the file to be migrated. The migration tool prompts you to provide a name and location for the migration file. Although this option applies when using external drives, if you do not want to connect an external drive to your computer, you can save the transfer file on the network.

Next, apply the Windows Easy Transfer file on the new Windows 7 computer. To do this, on the new computer, open Windows Easy Transfer and select the option to transfer from external storage, then set transfer to local computer. Answer yes to the question whether there are already saved files, and then specify the transfer file on the external drive and on the network share.

In the cable and network transfer options, after selecting files and options, click the Transfer button to begin the transfer process. When the process is complete, the migration tool will provide a summary of what has been transferred to the new computer: a list of transferred files and applications, Windows XP-only applications not transferred to Windows 7, and a list of third-party programs installed on the old computer but not yet on the new one. You can view these Windows Easy Transfer Reports by clicking the Windows Easy Transfer Reports link in the All Programs/Accessories/System Tools folder.

Windows Easy Transfer should be performed as the last step in the process of migrating a computer from Windows XP to Windows 7. The tool is most effective when applications on a Windows 7 computer duplicate the same applications on a Windows XP computer. I hope that Windows Easy Transfer will save you a lot of time and effort as you migrate your users to the new world of Windows 7.

The other day I faced such a task that it was necessary to transfer the user profile from one section of the hard drive to another.

At first glance, there seems to be nothing complicated, just mark the folders and copy to another section. However, it should be noted that this method of transferring a profile to another disk partition will not work. In such cases, various third-party programs are used designed to back up the entire disk. I suggest considering the already built-in program " ”, with which you can transfer user folders: these are documents, images, music, including hidden files, etc. It should also be noted that you will be able to transfer your data stored on a computer running Windows XP to Windows 7.

Windows 7 Easy Transfer

So, click on "Start" select: All Programs > Accessories > Utilities > Windows Easy Transfer.

As a result, the "Data Transfer Tool" window will open, which lists what can generally be transferred, it can be documents, messages, music, etc.

We are offered 3 options. I propose to briefly consider each of them, in general it should be noted that the "Data Transfer Tool" contains, which describes the data transfer algorithm step by step.

1. Data Transfer Cable - With a special USB cable, you can connect two computers and transfer data. Just do not think this is not the USB cable that connects from the computer to the printer.

If you decide to transfer information using a data transfer cable, then it should be noted that on another computer you will also need to run the "Data Transfer Tool". Computers will be connected for some time. If there are no connection problems, "Data Transfer Tool" will transfer data to another computer.

2. Network – if the computers are connected to a local network, then it will be possible to copy information from one computer to another. We continue to consider

This method involves the transfer of data to other computers interconnected via a local network. When you click on the "Network" link, a window will open in which you will need to click "Next".

As you can see, the data transfer algorithm is described point by point, I think that you will understand.

Then the "Data Transfer Wizard" will generate a key that will need to be entered on a new computer, thereby connecting both computers to each other.

After a successful connection, the compatibility of the data transfer will be checked, and then the transfer of information from one computer to another will begin.

3. External drive or USB flash memory device. This method involves using a USB flash drive or an external hard drive.

We will need to specify what action we want to perform on the data. That is, either the data needs to be copied to a computer, or the data will need to be transferred from this computer to another medium. In our example, select "This is my computer" and click on the link - This is my source computer.

As a result, a window will open in which you will need to specify what kind of data we want to transfer. With the help of checkboxes, we mark the documents we need that need to be sent to a flash drive.

Then in the next window you will need to set a password. For example, I set the password to 12345 and click "Save" and select an external drive ( flash drive) to save. In general, in such simple ways, you will know what Windows 7 Data Transfer Tool is all about.

Thus, a folder in the .MIG format will be created on your flash drive. In order to transfer a saved .MIG folder to, for example, another computer, you launch the "My Transfer Tool" and when the "My Transfer Tool" wizard asks you to specify a computer (as shown in the figure below), you must click on the first link "This is my computer you want to transfer files and settings to this computer."

Well, I hope the information in this lesson on the topic Windows 7 Easy Transfer was helpful for you. This is the end of it, see you in the next lesson!
And finally, here's a video for you

The data transfer tool is a simple tool, but knowing some of the intricacies of how it works will save you from bitter disappointment. My tips will help you save and restore your data, bypassing all the pitfalls.

To avoid problems, you need to ask yourself four simple questions:

• what needs to be moved
• will it all be saved
• how to transfer something that is not automatically saved
• is it possible to restore everything on a new system

And then you will not have questions that Herzen and Chernyshevsky once asked. However, I will also try to answer them.

Today on the program

A note about Windows 8.1 and Windows 10

Unfortunately, in Windows 8.1 the data transfer tool is unable to save files and settings. It can only restore them. This is likely due to the integration of OneDrive into the operating system, as well as a wide range of synchronized settings. Unfortunately, cloud synchronization does not allow you to transfer a number of user settings and program settings.

AT Windows 10 there is no means of transferring data at all. Alternative - console utility USMT, included in the ADK . It is quite simple, and the issue is solved by studying a couple of its parameters.

What data is saved automatically

Microsoft has provided automatic saving of all your settings and data, as well as files stored in the profile.

Standard Libraries. If these libraries include folders located outside the system partition, they are also preserved.

All user environment settings, including File Explorer settings, folder view, desktop, taskbar, and Start menu, including any icons pinned to them.

A new computer or even a simple hard drive upgrade for many means the inevitable process of installing a new operating system. Despite the deceptive simplicity of the Windows setup wizard, the procedure ...

No matter what anyone says, but carefully setting up a new OS takes an order of magnitude more time than it takes to figure out the process of creating its image and then transferring it to another PC.

Windows 7: backup and restore. Built-in tool in OS (Windows Transfer)

The easiest way. Porting Windows 7. Location in the operating system of the backup tool: "Start | All programs | Service | Archiving and Restoration. The menu in the column on the left is "Create a system recovery disk" and "Create a system image"

Creating a system image

You must specify the location where the data will be archived: select another disk partition, external HDD or optical disk (DVD, Blue Ray). It also has the ability to save a backup to a network drive. It is not practical to use optical media, so use a logical drive with sufficient storage space or an external HDD to store the backup. Select a location and click the "Archive" button. After the archiving procedure is completed, boot on another computer from the Windows 7 installation disk (or from the ERD Commander 6.5 boot disk, I described how to create such a disk or how to make a bootable flash drive with ERD Commander), after disconnecting it from the old one, and connecting the USB HDD or any other media of your choice containing the system image. Select System Restore and select the disk with the Windows 7 image. Now wait for the recovery process to finish and reboot, remembering to set the BIOS to boot from the hard disk.

This built-in tool in Windows is not without drawbacks, such as a long time to create an archive and the lack of a compression function. However, there are other, more functional products.

Cloning the operating system

A bootable copy of an old hard drive can be transferred to a new computer using a backup utility or through virtualization. In this case, Windows and applications will be available immediately, without reinstallation.

You've got a new PC running Windows 7, but you don't want to part with your old PC's customized Windows XP and all your applications. Then you need a copy of the system partition, which includes the boot sector (boot sector), which is necessary to start the OS.

To physically clone an old computer's hard drive, install Paragon Drive Copy 11 on it - this is a solution for backing up, restoring and migrating systems in physical and virtual Windows environments, that is, move windows from one computer to another won't be difficult.

Paragon Drive Copy 11 supports all existing technologies Reserve copy. As a result, the user has more than seven ways to create backups and a whole range of archive storage options: from CD / DVD / Blu-ray media to FTP servers.

Functionality expanded in line 11 system recovery, which now allows you to return the PC to working capacity not only using boot disks based on Linux / DOS and WinPE 2.1, but also by migrating and deploying the system to another hardware platform (P2P) or to any virtual environment (P2V). Paragon Drive Copy 11 functions correctly in all popular types of virtual machines, including MS Virtual PC, VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion. There is support for USB 3.0 devices.

Transferring Windows with Paragon Drive Copy

Open the program and call "Backup disk or partition". Select the partition you want to clone and check the "Change backup settings" box. In the next dialog box, under "Archiving settings | Compression level ”, you must select the entry“ No compression ”and check that the option“ Direct access to partition sectors ”is activated in the“ Copy settings ”section.

It is more convenient to transfer data using an external HDD, but if you do not have one, you can use network drives or burn data to Blu-ray discs.

Data archiving. Choosing a location for data recovery: creating a partition

Created with Paragon Drive Copy operating system clone(or system partition) is best saved on an external drive (USB, E-SATA)

Once the copy has been created, transfer it to the new computer. If you want to keep the modern OS installed there, create a new partition for Windows XP and integrate it into the Windows bootloader selection menu. To do this, first install Paragon on a new computer. Run and select "Advanced Archiving Operations". Paragon Drive Copy will show the partitions available on the disk in a new window. If there is an area that satisfies the size and is not partitioned into disks, right-click on it and select "Create Partition". Its volume should not be less than the copied archive from Windows XP. If the new computer has only one large Windows partition, it must first be made smaller. In the Paragon program, unfortunately, you will not be able to do this. Therefore, use an additional utility for working with partitions, such as Partition Wizard Professional Edition 5.0

When the partition for a copy of Windows XP is ready, click on it in the "Backup & Recovery" program and select "Restore a logical drive from an archive." Click on "Switch to File Viewer" and select the desired archive. Follow further instructions. Finally, copy the clone to the new system using the "Run" button.

Now you can start your old computer through the Windows bootloader - a utility from Paragon brought it there under the name "Microsoft Windows". It's better to rename it with the EasyBCD program. Click in its interface on "Edit Boot Menu" and select the above entry. The "Rename" function will allow you to set a more informative name.

Data archiving. Alternative Solution: Virtual Cloning

Use the Virtualization Operations section of the program to turn your old PC into a virtual machine and run it on your new PC. Select "P2V Copy" to create a virtual copy of your computer. In the wizard, be sure to select the "Microsoft Virtual PC" option, even if you're using VirtualBox. Launch "P2V OS setup". On the new PC, install the VirtualBox utility and double-click on the VMC file to launch the copy.

Online storage for PC. Image of your system on the network

If you have a fast Internet connection, it is possible to place a copy of your old computer on online disks. You will not only transfer data to a new system, but you will be able to restore it after a failure.

Notebook users who are concerned about the safety of their data should save them online: if the device and external hard drive are stolen, this will help you restore the system on another computer, but before you put your data in web storage, you need to take care of security.

The most important factor in the successful implementation of the plan is a sufficient amount of free space for a clone of the system. For small partitions, free online storage of 25 GB is quite suitable. .

Learn more about Windows Live Skydrive storage from Microsoft

With SkyDrive tools, you can create three different types of folders that can be accessed over the Internet (these folders are stored on a server managed by Microsoft):

• personal folders to which only their creator has access;
• public folders with restricted access assigned by their creator to certain individuals to whom files are provided;
• public folders with unlimited access, which can be opened via the Internet by anyone.

After registration, the following options are available:

• Access free 25 GB storage from any computer connected to the Internet or from any web-enabled mobile device. With an additional program, you can even drag and drop files directly from your computer to SkyDrive. The presence of this application provides convenient downloading and synchronization of files to the server. Some do not accept the ubiquitous web interface and prefer to use the familiar win-shells.
• Free. To date, almost all services of this type are free to some extent, only a few resort to micropayments for expanding functionality. Nevertheless, in the age of capitalism and the global financial crisis, the absence of any payment for such a service can be safely attributed to the merits.
• Own folder structure. Storage of any types of files. Ability to link accounts. Direct links to folders.

To create a copy, you can use the Paragon Drive Copy program presented in the previous section. You can repeat the above process, and also use the proposed backup archive compression function - this will significantly reduce the upload and download time. You can also clone your old computer with Paragon's Virtualization Operation by creating a virtual copy of the system and then hosting it online. The generated image can be downloaded at any time and run in VirtualBox. But before that, it does not hurt to encrypt a copy using the TrueCrypt program.

Secure data encryption

Some online storages offer their own encryption feature. I recommend that you perform this operation on your computer in order to initially exclude the possibility of access to an unprotected clone during the download or immediately after it for particularly cautious users.

After successfully creating a copy of the old computer, install TrueCrypt and the corresponding localization file. Create an encrypted folder image, or

disk by placing it on a local or external HDD. To do this, launch TrueCrypt and use the "Create volume" menu item to place the encoded file container on the selected disk. Choose a medium-strength algorithm such as "Serpent" because too strong encryption will adversely affect upload and download speeds. To place files in a ready-made container, you need to connect the latter as a disk. In the main window of the TrueCrypt interface, select any letter and use the "File" button to navigate to your container. Click "Mount" and enter the password. In Windows Explorer you will see a new local drive where you can put your PC clone. Terminate the connection with the TrueCrypt program and navigate to the new computer where you want to install the system clone. Install TrueCrypt on this PC and connect an external drive with an encrypted container to it. Then mount the file container as a new local drive as above and open it in Windows Explorer. Now you can import the clone.

If you use online storage to host an encrypted container, then in order to prevent it from being constantly downloaded by TrueCrypt, in the "Settings - Options" item, you must check the "Save modification date for container files" checkbox.

Situation #1: new computer, identical operating systems

If you replaced your old (previous) PC with a device with a similar OS, data transfer is carried out very quickly using the backup protocol created by the Ocster Backup program.

Since standard folders such as My Documents are the same in old and new versions of Windows, you only need to select the desired copy in the Ocster utility and restore it using the wizard. If the computer failed before you created the current backup, use the program calendar to refer to an earlier version of the backup. Be sure to activate the "Use default access permissions" option. Otherwise, the new OS will not get access to the data due to the lack of the necessary rights for this. In addition, in the wizard, you can click on the backup folder and selectively restore files.

Situation #2: new computer, different version of Windows OS

If you are upgrading from a client PC to a more modern device with the latest OS version, you will have to reckon with its peculiarities. For example, in XP, your profile files are stored in the C:\Documents and Settings\username folder, while in Vista and Windows 7 they are stored in C:\User\username.

For such cases, Ocster Backup offers a small number of settings, so you will have to download the Windows Easy Transfer program (link above). However, it is worth mentioning some limitations. You will not be able to transfer personal data using this utility if the versions of Windows on the old and new computers have different localizations, and there may be problems with transferring data from a 64-bit system to a 32-bit one.

Windows 7 already has this program built in. This way you will be able to seamlessly import all settings to a new computer using the same wizard.

How to move Windows to an SSD drive

Special situation: migrating Windows from IDE or SATA to an SSD drive

Conventional hard drives store data on tracks divided into sectors. There is no such breakdown in SSD. When you install Windows 7 on a solid state drive, the operating system takes into account the peculiarities of flash memory, but when you import a clone of an old computer, such a drive will be about half as slow, since most backup utilities save the clone according to the old sector logic.

Program to transfer Windows to SSD

Paragon offers the Drive Copy 11 Professional utility, which allows you to correctly transfer a system clone (system image) to a solid state drive. It's very tempting to take advantage of the latest, faster and quieter SSDs. But the capacities of affordable SSDs are limited, and in most cases, your system partition will be larger than you'd like. The Migrate OS to SSD option of this program is a unique way to migrate only the files you need to run Windows, eliminating everything else, in order to migrate the system to an SSD or any other smaller drive.

Using a 3TB disk (the system does not see the entire volume of a 3TB HDD)

If you own a hard drive with a higher capacity - more than 2.2 TB, you may encounter the inability of your system to use all the free space (full volume). Reason: The traditional MBR partitioning method does not provide for this possibility. But Drive Copy 11 Professional will come to the rescue again, which will allow you to transfer the system and use the new 3TB hard drive for the entire volume.

Need to quickly and securely transfer data and system settings from one computer to another? Read about the easiest and most effective ways to transfer information, suitable for beginners and experienced users.

Transferring data from one computer to another can seem like a rather long and complicated process, during which all data will be transferred through a third-party medium. This method is indeed possible, but it has many disadvantages and risks that data is exposed to during transportation. In addition, simple copying does not allow you to transfer browser settings, system settings, and other important settings.

Transferring information and settings using built-in Windows tools

Information backup is a useful feature in Windows 10 that allows you to create current system image. With its help, you can return the OS to a previous state or transfer data and settings from one computer to another.

To use the backup you need:

Step 1. Click right click by button "Start", select the item "Control Panel". You can also open the control panel with search strings. In the window that opens, select the item "Backup and Restore".

Step 2. Choose an item "Creating a system image".

Step 3. In the window that opens, select the location where the image will be saved. Important! The system image can take up quite a lot of disk space (depending on the amount of data copied from the current OS), so the best choice is to save the image to external hard drive or bulk flash drive.

After transferring the system image to another computer, it is enough to open it. As a result, the user will be able to complete Windows 10 with own settings, installed programs and them personal settings.

Transferring information and settings using Windows Easy Transfer

At the moment, to transfer settings and computer files, you can use a large set of tools that are recommended by Microsoft, or are released by third-party manufacturers of hard drives and specialized software.

Among them are:

• Laplink PCmover Professional
• Seagate DiscWizard (for Seagate hard drives)
• Samsung Data Migration (Samsung media)
• Acronis True Image (similar to backup)

Many of the transfer programs can be paid and bundled high speed connection cables to complete the transfer in the shortest possible time. As a rule, such programs are used for corporate use, when one version of the OS with a view configured for operation and an installed software package is distributed to all corporate machines.

However, they all have a common principle of operation that allows you to transfer data over the network. the Internet, special high speed cable, as well as create system image on a third party hard drive or computer.

It should be noted that many programs fit individually to HDD or SSD, therefore, before use, it is recommended that you carefully familiarize yourself with the possibilities and utility compatibility with different types of media.

We strongly discourage the use of pirated or hacked data transfer utilities. Such software may have viruses "embedded", which will give third parties access to all information, data and passwords on the user's computer!

Transferring information by copying

If the above methods cannot be performed for various reasons, you can use a simple transferring information by copying. To do this, you need a computer that sends files, a PC that receives data, as well as any external drive. The transfer can be done practically any flash drive or a portable hard drive - it all depends on the speed and size of the drive, as it can take too long to transfer a large amount of data.

If you have a fast internet connection, you can use cloud services like Google Drive and transfer through them. Unfortunately, many services give only limited space for free, but this method also has the right to life.

If the user decides to take the path of transfer by copying, at the moment there are many special high speed cables like Belkin Easy Transfer. Such products have an affordable price and sufficiently high efficiency, which allows you to quickly transfer data between different computers without worrying about the safety and security of information.

What do you associate with a data transfer tool? With the installation of a new system? True, but that's just one of the seven use cases you'll learn about today. And some of them are quite consistent with the motto of my blog!

If the large size of the migration file bothers you, move your photos, videos, and music to another drive manually.

Easy Transfer does not save installed programs, so on a new system it is better to install them first, and then double-click the migration file.

This will avoid a situation in which the program will overwrite the transferred data during installation.

Play with the "More" link and checkboxes to compare your findings with mine. About transfer program settings there will be a separate conversation, as well as about other pitfalls.

2. Account rename

A friend of mine didn't like the account name that his son set right after buying the laptop. Changing the display name didn't work because it kept showing up in the paths. Helped out the data transfer tool!

Without dancing with a tambourine, we created a new account and transferred the settings from the old one to it. We moved the folders with videos, photos and music manually beforehand in order to create a migration file faster. It turned out a little more than 1 GB. A few days later, my friend was finally convinced that a miracle had happened, and deleted the old account and its profile.

Note. An alternative and faster way is documented in KB2454362.

3. Create accounts with the same settings

You installed the system, set it up, and now you want every family member to have the same settings? Launch the data transfer tool!

Don't forget to clear passwords in Browser Options and Credential Manager before saving the file.

After saving the file, open it with a double click and find the treasured link "Advanced options" in the crooked interface.

A wonderful window will open for you, allowing you to select an account to import settings and data, or create a new one.

It's hard to say what prevented making the drop-down list a little wider, but you'll figure it out. At the same time, you learned how to map disks.

4. Create customized accounts during system installation

The use of a data migration tool for this purpose is not entirely obvious, which does not negate the originality of the approach. During system installation, you can enter audit mode by pressing Ctrl + Shift + F3 on the account creation screen.

Logging into audit mode is done with the built-in Administrator account. Therefore, after running the migration file, you have a choice.

You can:

• click the "Transfer" button, thereby immediately creating an account with the same name and settings that were in the original account
• click the "More options" link, create an account with a different name and transfer the data to it

Now make sure that in the utility window sysprep all parameters are set as shown in the figure below, and click OK.

After the reboot, you will be able to log in with the already configured account.

5. Create a system image with configured accounts

If you are familiar with my materials on the topic of automatic installation, then you should associate audit mode with creating a customized system image.

Indeed, you can use the data transfer tool when preparing the image!

Once you have an account set up on a test system, you can save its settings to a migration file. And when you enter the audit mode, run the file and transfer the settings by associating them with the account built-in administrator. However, first you will be in for a surprise, because the Administrator account will not be in the list!

This is an interesting inconsistency in audit mode. You sign in with the built-in administrator account, even though it's disabled in Windows. By the way, the same thing happens in safe mode if there are no other active administrators.

The solution to the problem follows from here - run the snap lusrmgr.msc and enable the built-in administrator (you can also use the net user command). Now restart the migration file... voila!

After you have finished migrating settings, disable the built-in administrator. As a finishing touch, specify the sysprep options as shown in the figure below.

Now you can capture the image! Just be sure to ensure that the configured account is copied to the standard user profile using the answer file.

Now all accounts created in the system will have the same parameters. The only exceptions are certain aspects of personalization, such as the desktop background and account picture.

6. Refusal to work by the built-in administrator

How do you transfer your data and settings?

My selection of custom registry tweaks has long been overgrown with moss. After all, the data transfer tool completely eliminates the need to make changes to HKCU manually, with REG files or tweakers.

Tell in the comments, which of the seven listed cases have you had to deal with! How did you get out of these situations?

If you have any problems when using the tool report them. I described many of the pitfalls in the next article, but your feedback will help me complete it.

If you bought a new hard drive or solid state drive for your computer, it is very likely that you do not have much desire to reinstall Windows, drivers and all programs. In this case, you can clone or, otherwise, transfer Windows to another drive, not only the operating system itself, but also all installed components, programs, and more. A separate instruction for 10 installed on a GPT disk in a UEFI system: .

In fact, Seagate DiscWizard is a complete copy of the previous program, only it needs at least one Seagate hard drive on the computer to work.

All actions that allow you to transfer Windows to another drive and clone it completely are similar to Acronis True Image WD Edition (in fact, this is the same program), the interface is the same.

You can download Seagate DiscWizard from the official website https://www.seagate.com/ru/ru/support/downloads/discwizard/

Samsung Data Migration

Samsung Data Migration is specifically designed to migrate Windows and data to a Samsung branded SSD from any other drive. So, if you are the owner of such a solid state drive, this is what you need.

The migration process is done in the form of a wizard with several steps. At the same time, in the latest versions of the program, not only full disk cloning with operating systems and files is possible, but also selective data transfer, which may be relevant, given that SSD sizes are still smaller than modern hard drives.

The Samsung Data Migration program in Russian is available on the official website https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/tools/

Important: the same utilities for transferring Windows to another disk are available from other manufacturers of SSDs and HDDs. Usually, you can find them by entering a query consisting of the brand and the phrase "Data Migration", so you will find, for example, the Intel Data Migration Tool and similar programs for other brands of drives.

How to transfer Windows from HDD to SSD (or other HDD) in Aomei Partition Assistant Standard Edition

Another free program, also in Russian, which allows you to conveniently transfer the operating system from a hard drive to a solid state drive or to a new HDD - Aomei Partition Assistant Standard Edition.

Note: this method only works for Windows 10, 8 and 7 installed on an MBR disk on computers with BIOS (or UEFI and Legacy boot), when trying to transfer the OS from a GPT disk, the program reports that it cannot do this (possibly , a simple copying of disks in Aomei will work here, but it was not possible to experiment - failures during reboot to complete the operation, despite disabled Secure Boot and checking the digital signature of drivers).

The steps for copying the system to another drive are simple and I think even a novice user will understand:

If everything goes well, then at the end you will receive a copy of the system that you can boot from your new SSD or hard drive.

You can download Aomei Partition Assistant Standard Edition for free from the official website https://www.disk-partition.com/free-partition-manager.html

Transferring Windows 10, 8 and Windows 7 to another drive in Minitool Partition Wizard Bootable

Minitool Partition Wizard Free, along with Aomei Partition Assistant Standard, I would classify as one of the best free programs for working with disks and partitions. One of the advantages of the product from Minitool is the availability of a fully functional bootable ISO image of Partition Wizard on the official website (the free Aomei allows you to create a demo image with important features disabled).

By writing this image to a disk or flash drive (the developers recommend using Rufus for this) and booting your computer from it, you can transfer Windows or another system to another hard drive or SSD, and in this case, we will not be hindered by possible OS restrictions, since it is not running.

Note: I checked the cloning of the system to another disk in Minitool Partition Wizard Free only without EFI boot and only on MBR disks (Windows 10 was transferred), I can’t vouch for performance in EFI / GPT systems (I could not get the program to work in this mode, despite disabled Secure Boot, but it seems to be a bug of my particular hardware).

The process of transferring the system to another disk consists of the following steps:

When finished, you can close the Minitool Partition Wizard, restart your computer, and set to boot from the new disk that the system was transferred to: in my test (as I mentioned, BIOS + MBR, Windows 10) everything went well and the system booted no matter how than happened with the disconnected source disk.

You can download a free bootable image of Minitool Partition Wizard Free from the official website https://www.partitionwizard.com/partition-wizard-bootable-cd.html

Macrium Reflect

The free Macrium Reflect program allows you to clone entire drives (both hard drives and SSDs) or individual partitions, regardless of what brand your drive is. In addition, you can create an image of a separate disk partition (including Windows) and later use it to restore the system. It also supports the creation of bootable recovery discs based on Windows PE.

After starting the program in the main window, you will see a list of connected hard drives and SSDs. Select the disk where the operating system is located and click "Clone this disk" (Clone this disk).

At the next stage, in the “Source” item, the source hard drive will already be selected, and in the “Destination” item, you will need to specify the one to which you want to transfer the data. You can also select only individual partitions on the disk to copy. Everything else happens automatically and is not difficult even for a novice user.

Official download site: https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

Additional Information

After you have transferred Windows and files, do not forget to either set the BIOS to boot from the new disk or disconnect the old disk from the computer.