You can choose to migrate your files and settings from an existing installation. In this case, you can use the User State Migration Tool or Windows Easy Transfer. Windows Easy Transfer Windows Vista ships with a utility called Windows Easy Transfer that is used to transfer files and settings from one computer to another. As shown in Figure 1.2, you can transfer some or all of the following files and settings from a computer running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista:
_ User accounts
_ Folders and files
_ Program settings
_ Internet settings
_ Favorites
_ E-mail messages, contacts, and settings
You can use Windows Easy Transfer to migrate files from a computer running Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4, but you cannot transfer system and program settings.
FIGURE 1 . 2 Windows Easy Transfer
You can launch Windows Easy Transfer by inserting the Windows Vista media in your optical drive and selecting Transfer Files and Settings from Another Computer. Alternatively, you can push the wizard files to a CD or DVD, removable media, or network drive from any Windows Vista computer, and then you can launch migwiz.exe from the source computer.
You can launch Windows Easy Transfer from Windows Vista by selecting Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Windows Easy Transfer.
You can transfer the migrated files and settings using the following methods:
_ Easy Transfer Cable, which is a USB cable that connects to the source and destination computers.
_ CD or DVD
_ Removable media, such as a USB flash drive or a removable hard drive
_ Network share
_ Direct network connection
You can give password-protect to the migrated files and settings if you use CDs, DVDs, removable media, or a network share.
User State Migration Tool
Windows Vista ships with a utility called the User State Migration Tool (USMT) that is used by administrator to migrate large numbers of users over automated deployments. The USMT is similar to Windows Easy Transfer with the following differences:
_ The USMT is more configurable and can use XML files to specify which files and settings are transferred.
_ The USMT is scriptable and uses command-line utilities to save and restore user files and settings.
Overview of the USMT
The USMT consists of two executable files: ScanState.exe and LoadState.exe. In addition, there are three premade migration rule information files: Migapp.xml, Migsys.xml, and Miguser.xml. Finally, you can create a Config.xml file that specifies what should and should not be migrated. The purpose of these files is as follows:
_ ScanState.exe collects user data and settings information based on the configuration of the Migapp.xml, Migsys.xml, and Miguser.xml files and stores it as an image file named USMT3.mig.
_ LoadState.exe then deposits the information that is collected in USMT3.mig to a computer running a fresh copy of Windows Vista.
The information that is migrated includes the following:
• From each user:
_ My Documents
_ My Video
_ My Music
_ My Pictures
_ Desktop files
_ Start Menu
_ Quick Launch toolbar
_ Internet Explorer Favorites
- From the All Users profile:
_ Shared Documents
_ Shared Video
_ Shared Music
_ Shared Desktop files
_ Shared Pictures
_ Shared Start Menu
_ Shared Internet Explorer Favorites
_ Files with certain file types, including .doc, .dot, .rtf, .txt, .wps, .wri, .xls, .csv,
.wks, .ppt, .pps, .pot, .pst, and more _ Access Control Lists (ACLs)
- Settings for many applications, including certain versions of the following:
_ Adobe Acrobat Reader
_ Apple QuickTime Player
_ MusicMatch Jukebox Basic
_ Microsoft Windows Media Player
_ MSN Messenger
_ Microsoft Works
_ Microsoft Office
_ Quicken
_ Real Player Basic
_ WordPerfect Office
_ Yahoo Messenger
_ Internet Explorer settings
_ Outlook Express mail files
_ RAS settings
_ Dial-up connections
_ Phone and modem options
_ Accessibility settings
_ Classic Desktop
_ Command Prompt settings
_ Wallpaper selection
_ Screen saver selection
_ Fonts
_ Folder options
_ Taskbar settings
_ ODBC settings
_ Mouse and keyboard settings
_ Multimedia settings
_ Regional settings
- If running Windows Vista:
_ Internet Explorer settings
_ Outlook Express mail files
_ RAS settings
_ Dial-up connections
_ Accessibility settings
_ Folder options
_ Taskbar settings
_ Mouse and keyboard settings
_ Multimedia settings
_ Regional settings
_ Network printers
_ Bluetooth settings
_ Media Player settings
_ FAX settings
_ IIS settings
_ Scheduled tasks
_ Terminal Server settings
_ Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) settings
_ Windows Logon Settings
Migrating Files and Settings
Linear Mode
