Windows 7: Can an Easy Transfer archive be used/read without using Easy Transfer?

This sounds like a dumb question, but here's the background.

My daughter's XP laptop crashed (trashed hard disk that I doubt we can rescue much data from) and so we got her a Windows 7 computer. Unless we can rescue much of the old data from crashed XP, she's pretty much starting off empty.

Except that today I discovered on an external hard drive the "Easy Transfer" of her account from 15 months ago, from a computer she shared at that time, that was used to "port her up" on the XP laptop. So in theory, this "Easy Transfer" archive should have all of her data and files from 15 months ago.

But although the archive LOOKS like regular Windows folders and files, on closer examination, it's not. For example, I know there are jpg and .doc files, plenty of them, in the mix, yet all I see is lots of shortcuts to such files.

Is there a way, without running Windows Easy Transfer (I don't want to mess with her now running and configured Windows 7 laptop), to turn the Easy Transfer archive into a source from which I could copy over selected files and folders onto her new machine?

Easy transfer sometimes is neither easy nor a true transfer. It is basically to transfer files (data) and settings (configurations). It can however leave you in an in-between state with some of each and neither of both.

It may be easier if everything works according to plan, but can be much more difficult if it does not.

The clean (non easy) re-install is always better despite being a pain.

Just my two cents.

First, this is not what the OP asked, in any way.

To answer the OP, no....I have not found any utility to read the files created by WET for a purpose other than what it is designed.

Second, I use WET regularly to transfer data for my repair shop customers and have never had any problems, at all. It transfers all documents, pictures, music and settings to the new computer and I have never had it fail.

Hmm, this suggests an obvious solution I overlooked. I guess I could run WET to move the files from the external HD to the new computer. Except what happens to her already-established account on the new computer.

By this, I mean, let's say her name is "Mary" - that's the name of her already-established account on the new computer, and it was also the name of the account on the old computer. Does WET just power the old files over the new one? Or does it give me the option of (say) setting up "Mary2" on the new computer?

Mary2 I believe