Windows 7: Windows Easy Transfer - Transfer To & From Computers

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Last edited by Brink; 09 Nov 2011 at 11:42 AM..

This might be one of those stupid questions, but in all the threads I've read about using Windows 7 Easy Transfer, I've not seen it actually addressed.... I know that the Easy Transfer process will not actually transfer the installed programs themselves, so do all the desired programs need to be installed on the 'new' computer *before* running the Easy Transfer process? If not, wouldn't the programs installation process just over-write any configurations and settings that were copied from the "old" computer?

-Richard

RHoller: I don't believe in stupid questions!

I would agree that installing "old programs" after using the Easy Transfer utility would tend to defeat the usefulness of the utility. It can transfer the profile of a user including preferences, depending upon what is selected to save before the transfer, but first the programs themselves should be installed. However some software, like FireFox for example, will not overwrite preferences when it is reinstalled.

Cheers!
Robert

I have been tasked with figuring out how to back up domain user profiles since the powers that be do not wish to use roaming profiles and redirected folders. I have experimented with several utilities which will back up the c:\users\domainuser profile just fine ( well, thats a bit of a fib, my test laptop is workgroup only and i am backing up my profile to a usb drive as a test ) Easy Transfer has been the only thing which has restored the profile perfectly, including all the customizations...IE desktop icons, wallpaper etc. all other attempts have restored the c:\users\username folder but logging in only gives the default profile. In addition, it appends the computer name to the folder. IE c:\users\user gets exported. the local user account is on the pc. The profile is deleted by using another admin account on the profiles tab. I verify that the users folder is gone. When I restore, I get the user folder back, plus one saying user.computername. I am guessing that is why I get the default profile.

So, can this be scripted to run as a scheduled task?
Thanks in advance