"migwiz" Folder On My C: Drive

My c:\Windows\System32 folder has a subfolder named "migwiz". In that folder is "migwiz.exe". When I double-click it I get an error message with a bunch of gobble-de-gook in it. When I search "migwiz" I get a message stating:

"Windows Easy Transfer is not available in Windows 10

Most of the folders in "migwiz" are empty.

If this program is not available in Win10, why is it in my migwiz folder?

Programs and Features does not list this program, and most of the files in the folder are dated 12/7/2019; there is one folder dated 3/9/2022. I bought this computer in March 2018 and this is the first I've heard of "migwiz".

Can I safely delete this folder by simply permanently deleting it or is there some special way to delete the folder? Or should I delete this folder???

 

Info about Easy Transfer
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...ndows-10-ff30fba8-9b3e-58f8-5cf2-dfabae35fa01

I found one thread with no answer on whether to remove or not.
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...ndows-10/456203f8-98d9-4741-942c-3f41a4e6807c

I tend to NOT remove anything in the Windows\system32 folder for fear that I will break something. If it were me, I'd let it remain. On my Windows 7 computer, where it still works, it is taking up less than 40 MB. I'm sure on your Windows 10, it is taking up a lot less. So, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

You're right, of course! I don't know why I worry about 40 MB of files when my system came with 2-TB hard drive...

 

Within the aforementioned folder is an executable file: mighost.exe. I found a bt of write up here. Given this is Microsoft, I have a strong feeling that if you delete the folder, MS will just repopulate in its next update.

 

Reading the following I believe you can safely delete the folder.
https://blog.techygeekshome.info/2022/08/windows-easy-transfer/

 

It looks like this is just another loose end that MS has forgotten about

 

I made a system backup, then went back and deleted the entire "migwiz" folder, then rebooted. So far so good.

 

@Zebra Last... That's encouraging!

As I previously wrote, Programs and Features does not list this program, and most of the files in the folder are dated 12/7/2019; there is one folder dated 3/9/2022. I bought this computer in March 2018 and this is the first I've heard of "migwiz".

Looking into this further, I found a file named unbcl.dll in my C:\Windows\SysWOW64\migwiz folder. It's the only file in that folder and was created on 9/28/2020. I didn't put it there so I assume that a Windows Update did, or maybe some other application that I installed put the file there. Dunno.

So back to my original question: If this program is not available in Win10, why is it in my migwiz folder and how did it get there?

 

Still good! YMMV, of course. You can spend days and weeks and months digging deep and learning about the myriad of MS win folders. Suffice to say, MS doesn't always removed unneeded folders; and in any case, certain ones not used by a vast majority might still be retained for backward compatibility required by a small minority of users. And for those minority, I wouldn't be surprised at all if one or three files even get occasional updates along the way. Who really knows? Those inclined, feel free to dig deep and report back!

I am not terribly patient. When in doubt, I will sometimes just make a system backup and then try deleting. Esp. in program files where I know I don't need Windows Mail or Internet Explorer, etc., etc.