Swapping Up To Win7- How To Retain Preferences?

[Tosh McCaber]

I'm just about to swap my XP for Windows 7. Several programmes have built in preferences at present, which I wish to transfer to the new set-up. I have a 1TB external back-up hard drive, which I will copy everything onto, prior to the installation of the new system.

However, is it possible/where would I look in the old system for preferences for programmes eg Word, and DoubleCad, (which, I think, is a free simplified version of TurboCad)? Are various preferences in different locations?

[green granite]

Part 2 of this blog may help.: Migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7 - Guidance for IT pros - Springboard Series Blog - The Windows Blog (http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/springboard/archive/2009/11/03/springboard-series-blog-migrating-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7.aspx)

[spannersatcx]

I went from vista to 7, I downloaded a file/settings transfer program from the microdsoft website, I'm sure there was one for xp as well.

[Keef]

Sadly, not.

Vista to 7 will carry over the registry settings. Win 7 will refuse to do so for XP.

There is a hack that will do it quite easily, but MS warn that problems could arise.

I hacked the Win 7 Beta and RC1 installations on both machines (and had no problems), but did a "wipe and reinstall all" for the release version.

[Bushfiva]

Windows Easy Transfer may help.

[Tosh McCaber]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I’ve located a page on the MS site, which refers to Windows Easy Transfer for transferring from Windows XP to Windows 7. This involves using an Easy Transfer cable.

Obviously, the software downloads are different for transferring from XP, as opposed to Vista, up to Win7. However, does anyone know whether there are different versions of the Easy Transfer Cable for transferring from XP, as opposed to Vista? Or are all cables the same for both XP and Vista transfers?

[spannersatcx]

You can transfer to a USB hard drive as well, don't need a cable.