How To: App, Data Migration To Vista Made Easy

For most customers, moving to Vista will mean moving to entirely new systems. Many if not most PCs now installed lack the processing power and memory capacity demanded by Microsoft's new OS. For users installing new Vista PCs, the big question becomes, How do I get my data and settings over to the new system?

Data migration is a voodoo science. Ask 10 system builders how they transfer their clients' data, and you'll probably get at least five different answers. For example, some use Windows' built-in File and Settings Transfer Wizard. Others prefer to go the manual route, individually selecting data to transfer. But with only one exception, most PC file-transfer applications neglect one of the most important considerations of any old-new migration: the ability to transfer entire applications from an old system to a new one.

Thankfully, over the course of researching the most efficient method of migrating data, I have found a new application from an established software company that is not only capable of quickly transferring music, photos, and other data, but also all-important applications. It's Laplink's PCmover. I believe PCmover is the best solution now available, one that every system builder should have in their toolkit.

Before I delve into this application, I want to explore Microsoft's promise of simple data migration via a new Vista application known as the Windows Easy Transfer utility.

Windows Easy Transfer: Turnkey Data Migration?

Given the importance of transfering data from old PCs to new ones, it makes sense that Microsoft would develop its own solution. Unfortunately, in my tests, Windows XP's Files and Settings Transfer Wizard is of average quality at best.

But Microsoft claims to have a new, improved file-transfer application ready for Vista. It's called the Windows Easy Transfer utility, and it's bundled into Vista. The program works like this: After downloading and installing the application onto the older Windows XP system, you connect the two systems with a proprietary Easy Transfer USB Cable. This USB 2.0 cable can generate data-transfer rates of up to 1 GB per second. Then you run the program on both systems.

But based on limited information now available from Microsoft, it's not clear whether their utility will allow for the all-important migration of applications as well as user data. (For more, see Microsoft's Community site, Are You Ready For Windows Vista?)

When I queried the company about this, a A Microsoft spokesperson replied, "Windows Easy Transfer makes it easy to set up your new computer by automatically transferring important information from your old computer to your new one, such as files and folders, e-mail messages, Windows and program settings, contacts, photos, music, and Internet favorites." Unfortunately, this reply doesn't answer my question.

Two Other Options: Spare Switch and Intellimover

When I began researching the ideal data-migration methodology, I expected to have to wade through four or five solutions. Much to my surprise, this was not the case. After sorting through a number of also-rans (including the Windows File and Transfer Settings wizard), I initially evaluated three software packages, each offering a unique and promising take: Spare Switch, Intellimover, and PCmover. Ultimately, only PCmover offered all the features I wanted.

The first package I evaluated, Spare Switch, is made by the company of the same name. Spare Switch promises easy data transfers, without cables, by using a network of servers as a go-between. This allows an old PC to compress and then upload the data to be migrated to the Spare Switch servers. The new PC then accesses this data and downloads it.

It's a pretty unique hook. But in my tests, the Spare Switch software does not allow for the migration of applications (such as Microsoft Office, iTunes, etc.) from an old system to a new one.

The second program, Intellimover from Detto, offers speedy data-transfer rates via a proprietary USB cable offering data-transfer rates of 1 GB per minute. But this solution also lacks the ability to move applications between systems.

For these reasons, I cannot recommend either Spare Switch or Intellimover. So let's move on to the utility I do recommend. Ingredients

My ingredient list for transferring data and files from XP to Vista consists of just two products:

LapLink PCmover: Ultimately, the only program that satisfied my data- and application-transfer needs was LapLink's PCmover. It has a suggested retail price of just under $60 at retailers and about $50 online from Laplink's Online Store. According to LapLink, the Vista version will be available online as of January 15, and from retailers as of January 30. PCmover is currently the only data-migration application that offers the all-important ability to transfer applications in addition to files, settings, and other data. Here's a box shot of LapLink's PCmover software:

LapLink "Silver" USB 2.0 cable: LapLink bundles a USB 1.1 cable with the boxed version of the PCmover software. If that's all the older XP system can handle, then that's the cable to use. But if both systems have USB 2.0 ports, you can take advantage of that standard's 480 megabits per second (Mbps) data-transfer rate. (That's 90 times faster than USB 1.1's measly 5 Mbps speed.) Thankfully, LapLink offers a proprietary USB 2.0 cable for purchase at the Laplink cable online store; it sells for just under $50. Here's a look at LapLink's "Silver" USB 2.0 cable:

PCmover From The Ground Up

Laplink, a company that veteran IT workers and system builders alike will recognize as reliable and consistent, offers the most complete solution with PCmover. The software is extremely easy to use, and even non-experts will feel comfortable installing and running it. More important, PCmover can transfer not just files, settings, and data, but also applications and program settings. In fact, PCmover is so good, PC manufacturers including Toshiba and Sony have already partnered with LapLink to offer the utility to their customers. And Intel now promotes the software to its U.S. system-builder channel via rebate offers.

System builders working with Macs, take note: You can also use PCmover to transfer data and applications from a PC to an Intel-based Mac running Windows XP via Apple Boot Camp, or Parallels Desktop for Mac.

Because I conducted my tests prior to the general release of Vista, I tested the LapLink software on a system loaded with Windows Vista Release Candidate 2. I was delighted to discover that the application and transfer process both worked fine.

As with any new OS release, application compatibility will be a concern. For more information regarding the ability of older XP applications to operate in Vista environments, browse this Windows page: Windows Application Compatibility. Nine Steps to a Clean Migration

With my two PCs side by side—one shiny and new, the other old and decrepit—and with the PCmover software in hand, it was time to start making the data transfer. You can follow right along with these nine steps.

• After you've downloaded PCmover, install the software on both systems. That is, you'll need a copy installed on the XP system you'll be transferring data from, and the Vista system to which you'll be transferring this data.
• Attach the USB cable to both systems. Windows will automatically detect the hardware and is capable of automatically installing the drivers; so choose the automatic driver-selection process.
• Fire up PCmover on the older, XP-based system. Register the older system's serial number. PCmover's software license and registration is tied to this specific PC. You can move data from this system to any number of new PCs, but you cannot install and use the software on another old PC without buying a new serial number. System builders, you'll want to add the cost of the software to your migration rates, depending on how many licenses you purchase.
• Now launch PCmover on the new Vista system. Once you run the application and declare it to be the new system, the software will automatically begin to search for a connection to the older XP system.
• Select the method of migration. Ideally, this will be "USB cable"—which is definitely the fastest method. But you can also specify a network connection or a hard drive. If you specify a network connection, you'll be prompted to identify the new Vista computer on the network.
• PCmover will perform a short "snapshot" of the two PCs. When that's completed, you'll be prompted to continue with an automated data migration. You can also customize the process. For example, you might choose to avoid migrating desktop settings. You can also specify which users' data/applications will be migrated, and to which accounts on the new PC this content will be transferred.
• As shown in the next screenshot, PCmover also lets you select which users' data and settings will be moved to the new PC. If you choose, you can also transfer data from one user account to another.
• Next, map the hard drives. You can choose to transfer the contents of each drive to a specific drive on the new system. For example, you can map the C: drive on the XP system to the C: drive on the Vista system. Or you could map a second drive on the XP system to the C: drive or any other drive on the Vista system. And if you plan to physically move an entire drive over the new PC (recommended, in the case of a media drive), you can de-select a drive.
• As shown in the next screenshot, you should use the drive-mapping selection box to specify which drives will send and receive the transferred data:
• When you've completed all your settings, click the Done button. The software will begin the transfer process. When it's finished, you'll need to reboot the Vista system.
• After the Vista system re-starts, you'll be prompted with PCmover's StartUp This applet. It lets you choose which programs transferred from the old system will launch when the new system starts up.

That's it. You've migrated not just data and PC settings, but also applications, Windows registry settings, and other program settings from an old PC to a new one. Pretty cool.

PCmover's ability to transfer entire applications (including games) is a massive time-saver for system builders. This should eliminate the often futile search for installation CD-ROMs and registration keys. Further, PCmover's easy and straightforward process is a welcome alternative to, well, just about everything else out there. In fact, the software is so easy to use that systems builders can leave the application for even novice PC users to install and run themselves.

GEORGE JONES is a San Francisco-based technology writer and computer-games consultant. Since 1992 has worked at numerous computer publications, including PC Week, CNET.com, and Maximum PC.