If you are looking at just transferring files from XP to Vista or from your old computer to your new computer you have many different options. One of which is the free easy data transfer tool built into Windows XP and Vista. This easy data transfer tool is not hard to use and does transfer over files and user settings. You can always just manually do the data transfer as well but if you go that route you will not be able to transfer over the user settings from your old system to the new. The overall cost to use the easy data transfer wizard depends on what method you use to transfer over the files. If your using a network then you have no additional costs. If you use a CD or an external media device then you have the cost of the CD's or the USB hard drive.
But How do I transfer over programs to my new Computer
Computer
The Windows easy transfer wizard will not transfer over programs. If you want to transfer over your old data you will need to purchase software to do this. This type of software is not all too expensive. Most people can purchase this for a round 59 bucks. You may also want to get an easy transfer cable as well if you do not have a network or USB hard drive to back the data onto. With the easy data transfer cable you can just sync the two computers together using the data transfer software and in a few clicks the transfer will start. The time it takes will vary widely on how much data you have. It may take 20 minutes or even 3 hours if you have a ton of music and pictures. To sum it up here there is no free way to transfer programs from one computer to another.
There are some important things to consider when transferring over programs. For instance if you have XP and are moving to Vista then you will want to make sure the programs you are moving will work with Vista. Most printers need to updated software to work with Vista. Office programs will work just fine and most anti-irus program will as well. You should always check first. If you do not check you can always just uninstall the program if it does not work.
How To Transfer Programs From Old Computer To New Computer
To learn what programs work best for transferring over programs check out our Data Transfer Software page. If you want to learn more about using the free easy transfer wizard check out our How to Data transfer site.