When you upgrade to Windows Vista, you can use Windows Easy Transfer to transfer files and settings from a Microsoft Windows-based computer to the Windows Vista-based computer. When you use Windows Easy Transfer, you can decide what to transfer to Windows Vista. You can also select the transfer method that you want to use.

Note Windows Easy Transfer does not transfer any system files such as fonts and drivers. To do this, you must install custom fonts and updated drivers again in Windows Vista.

You can use Windows Easy Transfer to transfer the following files and settings:

• Files and folders
• E-mail settings
• Contacts and messages
• Program settings
• User accounts and settings
• Internet settings and favorites
• Music
• Pictures and videos

However, you cannot use Windows Easy Transfer to move program files. Windows Easy Transfer can only move data and program settings. To transfer the settings of a program to Windows Vista, you must install the program on the Windows Vista-based computer before you run Windows Easy Transfer.

Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista

You can use Windows Easy Transfer to transfer both files and settings from these operating systems. Windows XP must have Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) or a later version installed.

Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional or Windows 2000 Server

Windows Easy Transfer can only be used to transfer files from Microsoft Windows 2000. Settings are not transferred from these operating systems.

Transfer methods

You can use the following data transfer methods to transfer files and settings from a qualified operating system to Windows Vista:

• Use a USB cable that connects the Windows-based computer to the Windows Vista-based computer.
• Establish a network connection between the Windows-based computer and the Windows Vista-based computer.
• Use removable media such as a USB flash drive or an external hard disk. You can connect either of these to the Windows-based computer and to the Windows Vista-based computer.
• Use a CD burner or a DVD burner in the Windows-based computer and blank media so that you can burn the files and settings to a disc. Then, you can transfer the files and settings to Windows Vista.
  
  If additional media is required, the user is prompted to continue to insert additional media until all the data being migrated is stored. The Migration Wizard supports burning DVDs from Windows Vista source computers. UDF-formatted DVD-Rs and DVD-RWs support dragging files. This is similar to the behavior of a floppy disk.
  
  Note DVD burning is not supported by Windows XP. CD burning and DVD burning is not supported by Windows 2000.

For more information about how to use Windows Easy Transfer, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: