Botched File Transfer?

I transferred my files & settings from my old WinXP computer to the new Vista computer using the Belkin Transfer & Windows Easy Transfer but I must have done something wrong. It transferred everything but the kitchen sink!
When I had a look at the Moved Files in the Vista, then brought up Print Peview to see just what I had, the Preview showed 896 PAGES of files (including Network Connections and Dell files that surely belonged to the old computer not the new one). This has got to mess up the new computer, wont it?:confused

 

Firstly , you shouldn't be transferring settings from an XP computer to a Vista one, they are very different operating systems and depending what settings you transferred could cause conflict with some vista applications ( I did this on my vista laptop from xp computer and regretted it lol )
It might help if you tell us what kind of files you are trying to copy over? If its just music/video/images there is no problem. however if the software you used transferred as much as you say is there an UNDO option? or before you tread any further use the system restore point before you made the changes on the Vista machine to make sure nothing nasty happens. I wouldn't expect any XP settings to be compatible with Vista except maybe a handfull. Sorry if I sound long winded lol let us know how you get on

 

Of course I had no intention of moving any Windows files. I just wanted to transfer my mail settings, documents, photos, etc. But this 896 page list must be every file in the computer. I dont know how I did this.
However, I've searched the new computer for some of the files listed that I don't think should have been moved and cant find them(except on the Moved Files list) so that's a good sign. A few days ago I did a System Restore back to the very first Restore point, so maybe that fixed it? But even after doing that all my documents and mail etc. are still where I want them. Wouldn't they also have disappeared after the restoration?

 

I only glanced at the Belkin website but didn't the software explain the differences between transfer options? Take a look at any documentation you got with the cable does it explain the different levels of file transfer?

My guess is that the included software puts compatible things like wallpaper in the appropriate places on the Vista system so they work and just creates folders for documents in the exact same path they were on the old system.

 

The instructions with the cable are minimal plus I had a lot of distractions going on at the time.
One of my biggest problems with Vista is finding things. They are not organized the same as XP. I HATE,HATE,HATE this system. What did we ever do to Bill Gates that he would do this to us? :cry

 

I have used a program from IBM and CA's Desktop DNA to transfer data from pc to pc, granted they were both XP (we lease all pcs here & I do a ton of swaps). And with those if you left the defaults selected it would scan the entire harddrive and copy every text file, picture, and sound file it could find... not just form the user profile - every! So it copied all the internet junk, it was a mess. I started using it to copy specific settings mail, etc and it worked a lot better.

CA's Desktop DNA had the option to zip all the files up and after you transfered it over you had the option to undo the transfer also, FYI.

But sounds like you have a mess to clean up. sry.

 

I sure do. I ran CCleaner and a Registry scan and I guess that they caught some of the stuff. I just cleaned up my Mail Contact list (there were double entries for everybody in there). Has anybody got any suggestions for what else I can do?

 

No , System Restore only restores settings, registration entries and installed applications to a point before they were affected/installed. it has no function on documents (in your my documents folder) so any files you wanted should still be there.
Mail contact settings are easy to transfer. In outlook express you simply export them to a file then Import them from that file on another computer with outlook express . the long winded way (and the way you keep your emails ) is to copy the folders from within 'My Computer/Documents and settings/"user name"/local settings/application data/Identities' to the same location on the new computer. I haven't done it that way for a while so dont quote me on its actual outcome lol.:-D