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Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Wednesday, February 08, 2006 6:39 AM

The Files and Settings Transfer wizard (F.A.S.T for short) is a common utility used to copy files and application settings from one computer to another. It can even be used as a limited backup tool on a computer. After choosing what to backup, the files are consolidated to one or two big ones which can then be burned to CD, copied to USB flash drive, etc. I got a new laptop yesterday, so the first thing I did was run the wizard on the old laptop, then bring the files to the new laptop. Unfortunately, I was completely out of luck on the new machine. Running the wizard (Start | All Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Files and Settings Transfer Wizard) on the new machine yielded:

"The location that you specified does not contain stored information. Please type a valid folder path into the edit box If you entered a path to a folder on a removable disk, the disk must be in the drive"

Oh well, I must have pointed to the wrong folder. Nope.
Oh well, I just need to run the wizard again -- something went wrong. Nope.

So I do some Googling on it, and I come up with *many* hits. This is not an uncommon problem. Interestingly, the most common response I find is the same basic message: RTFM. Well, in more polite terms, but basically the posts all implied that something was done wrong. In rare instances, people pointed to the 32-bit/64-bit incompatibility issue for which there is a fix. After spending way too much time on it, I finally figured it out.

One of the posts mentioned installing the 64-bit fix on both machines (though neither machine is 64-bit). That and the wording of other posts makes me realize, that the problem is incompatibility between the wizards on the two machines. Both machines are running Windows XP Tablet Edition SP2. Both are completely current on fixes. What could possibly be wrong? Now I didn't really want to run the 64-bit fix on my machine since I shouldn't need it, but there's a much easier fix: copy the wizard files to your removable media when you copy the actual saved settings folder. So easy! So:

Run the wizard on the old machine
Copy %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\usmt (%SYSTEMROOT% should be replaced by your Windows folder, generally C:\Windows) to the same media as the wizard-generated files
On the new machine, run migwiz.exe from the copied usmt folder
Follow the typical steps for the New Machine.

Voila! It works! It makes no sense, as everything should be the same between machines, but the upside is you don't need to install a separate fix. Everything runs from the same media, making it easy to keep the correct files together. I hope this helps someone else. I sure pulled out my hair over it!

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# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Thanks, Arian. Your simple fix worked like a charm and saved me a ton of time, I'm sure. Thanks for figuring it out and for sharing it! 2/14/2006 8:08 AM | Brian

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Cool! I'm glad it helped! 2/14/2006 8:53 AM | Arian

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Massive help worked like a charm!! Thanks for sharin 2/14/2006 2:39 PM | Keith

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Worked for me as well. Many thanks. 2/25/2006 12:39 PM | George

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Oh, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

I've been tearing my hair out on this one as well. Got two computers with Pro, trying to migrate the files. The first time, I assumed that it might be a problem with the old computer. The second time, though, it was from a new desktop to a new laptop, so I figured Microsoft cut some corners.

Thanks again for a relatively simple fix. (And we're in agreement that it shouldn't be necessary.) 2/26/2006 8:09 AM | GopherGas

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Thanks for posting this fix. Simple enough, but I didn't think of it! 3/14/2006 10:48 AM | yumchild

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Thank You very much for the post, it saved alot of time on a service call!! 3/20/2006 2:30 PM | chuckycharms

# Thanks a lot!

I have been dealing with this all day long! Read a lot on www.microsoft.com, but none of the solutions offered worked. Found your web on Google and it saved the day! 3/24/2006 5:45 PM | Petur

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

That sounds great if there are two machines but what if I'm trying to pull the files from a network source to the same machine that's been imaged? 4/4/2006 9:28 AM | Maximilian

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Well, on the same machine it shouldn't be a problem. Only follow these steps if you are having the "The location that you specified does not contain stored information" error. If you ran the FAST wizard, reinstalled Windows, and are now having the problem trying to bring the settings back, then there's some Windows update that you had installed last time that isn't there now. At the time that you ran the FAST wizard is when you would have wanted to copy the wizard files themselves. I'm not sure there's much you can do now. If you reinstalled with the exact same version of Windows, try to Windows Update it back to the same state. Microsoft really needs to fix this problem!! 4/4/2006 9:32 AM | Arian

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

It works, THANKS A LOT!!!! I tried to use the wizard, with frustrating results. I called the customer service line at Gateway and they were no help. They let me know that I was probably doing something wrong, and that they might be able to help for a fee. My brother found your site and it worked as smooth as silk. Thanks again! 5/19/2006 3:29 PM | Chuck

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Arian your absolutely right. The key is that the new machine must have the same operating system and service pack as the old machine for the file and settings transfer to work. 6/6/2006 12:27 PM | Nick

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Thank you so much! 6/6/2006 10:01 PM |

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Thank You!!!!! 6/7/2006 11:07 AM | Becky Fino

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

You are brilliant!!!!
Cheers
M
:-) 6/14/2006 8:19 AM | Maggie

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

I have the same issue. Some poking arround indicates at least the following versions of FSTW are out there.
5.1.2600.0
5.1.2600.1106
5.1.2600.1143
5.1.2600.2665 (latest 64 bit version.)

I have USMT2.UNC data that isn't 2665 or 1143. I can not tell what versions are on the install disks, but non of my install disks (old XP home, XP Pro SP2) recognize my USMT2.UNC. Does anyone know where I can get FSTW version .0 or .1106 to extract my data? 6/14/2006 8:04 PM | Jerry Trantow

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Jerry, I checked my file versions and I don't have it. I'm assuming that you no longer have access to the Windows installation you backed up from. Someone needs to crack the format and write a universal FAST wizard! (hint, hint Microsoft...) ;-) 6/15/2006 10:15 AM | Arian

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

I have used FAST to save my settings on my network drive and I don't have my old computer any more, what now??? 6/18/2006 7:34 AM | Chris Bezuidenhout

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

You're in a tough spot. I'm not sure how to determine the version. As Jerry Trantow above points out, there a number of versions, and if you don't have the same version, it doesn't seem to work. I could host a few different versions of the wizard files if anyone can send them to me. Sorry, I can't be much more help. 6/18/2006 10:39 AM | Arian

# You the man!

Awesome! I'm impressed that you figured that out - it would have taken us days!

Thanks again! 6/20/2006 5:06 PM | ELNEL Consulting

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

You are awesome!!!!! Thanks! 6/23/2006 8:19 AM | Jessica

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Hi

I am wondering if the FAST version issue will give this error, if not do you know of a work around.
This is the error I get, the file is 36.4gig in size going onto a 120gig drive so there should be no problem.
Cannot complete the transfer

An error occurred while the wizard was loading your data.

The wizard cannot create the data needed to save your settings. Make sure you have enough disk space available.

Cheerz

Geordifc
6/26/2006 1:02 AM | Geordifc

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Remember that the data is compressed. As far as I know, you can't determine the size of the uncompressed files from looking at the backup, but maybe you don't have enough space. Of your 120GB of space, how much is free? Probably shoot for at least double the size of the backup files. 6/26/2006 4:36 AM | Arian

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

There is about 98gig free. There was only about 45 gig on the drive at the time when I ran the wizard.
I tried it on a 250gig drive last night just to see if there was a problem, and I still got the same error.
There are about 15 files in the UMST2 folder including IMG00001 and 'status', but there are other IMG files that was created at the same time.

Thanks again 6/26/2006 11:28 PM | Geordifc

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

On the spot. Many thanks for this. I do not know if it does make sense or not, becuase I am not very proficient in computers, but it worked. Many thanks. 6/29/2006 9:48 AM | Xavier B

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

I have the same issue as Geordifc, my backup files will not work and i am told that i do not have enough space

An error occurred while the wizard was loading your data.

The wizard cannot create the data needed to save your settings. Make sure you have enough disk space available

I have a 250GB drive and the backup is only 130MB, both machines are XP pro sp2 and so far none of the suggested fixes work, i have about 9 backups from other machines and they all do this on every machine tested, this broken app has basically compressed my files and wont let them go, why i used this instead of winrar ill never know. i have posted all over even msdn and MS reps keep telling me to RTFM as if its a complex operation.

If anyone has a solution please email it to me! leo@rogerwilko.com 7/7/2006 2:03 PM | leo, leo@rogerwilko.com

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Hey, There is one tidbit of info that MicroShitheads and et al seem to leave out: If the NEW system does not have the EXACT SAME profiles prepared to accept the info the FASTwiz does not know where to put the files OR settings. The new system must be exactly like the old one in the user environment in order for it to work properly.

The Hotfix solution is a bunch of crap and was most likely cooked up by a programmer(s) who was/were (1) too damn stupid or (2) too damn lazy to relay the info to the Knowledge Base or (3) He loves his "cushy" job so much that he has to create problems in order to solve them. Hey, it's the American way!!!

Most likely, if you run out of space on a large drive with such a small DAT file; it is because the files are actually on your drive; just not where you expect them to be. If you take a close look at your program files on C: you will see all your original program groups are there (those are the settings but not the actual EXE and have no registry entry) You can launch the EXE file andtheprogram willrun but with serious issues - especially if it has add-in/on's) You will still have to reinstall your programs for the new OS to actually be able to find the executable, but all the other crap will still be there.

Also; if you go to C: Documents and Settings, you will see redundant user profiles (2 of each). One will have USERNAME.WINDOWS the other will be just USERNAME. The one with just the user name will have all your files that you thought were lost. They aren't.

That is why your drive is filling up with files; you now have two of everything on there. The problem is which profiles to get rid of?

Don't get rid of any yet until you setup the new machine with the proper answer profiles (don't worry about passwords or anything; they are not included when FASTwiz collects the data) Just make sure the new machine has each and every profile setup (exactly the way they are spelled on the old system) before you launch the wizard (regardless of the OS build.or bit depth) It will make life much easier.

One thing though...Don't delete ANY profile until you have the files secured on the new machine (unless you want to spend the time on a clean install and reactivating your machine). I'll keep an eye on this thread to check your progress. Good luck. 7/8/2006 8:24 PM | Ciannaky

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

GENIOUS!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! wish you luck, good health, prosperity and all you wish for yourself. 7/12/2006 7:15 PM | Do

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Thanks Mate, you saved me a bunch of time. I must say that finding you was a royal pain - I intend to post your link on all the other websites I had to trawl through to find you, so that the next poor sob does not have to sit on TechNet for 3 hours. THANKS again
7/14/2006 7:35 AM | Brendon

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Thanks! That worked like a charm. I can't believe how much time I spent trying to figure why it was failing on my own.

Google is my friend™.

JL 7/18/2006 12:07 PM | John Linthicum

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

I just have got to thank you. I'm no newbie (despite the @aol address), but I was banging my head on the wall! Good LORD, I thought I was gonna go crazy. Thanks again!

--Jamie in Las Vegas 7/21/2006 1:31 PM | James Greenlee

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

THANK YOU !!!!! 7/24/2006 10:44 AM | Jaro

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Thanks,
I appreciate the info. Works great. Wish there were a way to consolidate all the Google hits asking this question down to this answer. I get so tired of people posting their questions and someone answering "don't you know how to Google"? After about 30 of these questions, you get one that decides to answer the question rather than say something so unhelpful. But unfortunately, Googling for computer answers is becoming more and more difficult as people make rough stabs at answering a question, or don't read into the question, thus raising the hit count on the specific question, but not the answer count.

Thanks 7/25/2006 7:44 AM | Chris Wolf

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

I've just spent 2 days trying to move my email files and folders to my new laptop. I tried an outlook express backup software and the file and settings transfer wizard. Neither worked. The FAST wizard kept stopping midway through on the new computer and I kept getting a Windows encountered a problem error with migwiz.exe. Unfortunately I couldn't get the system32 copy/paste solution to work either. I'm not sure why but it wouldn't run on the new laptop.

I finally found an easy way to transfer my email messages.

In Outlook Express, go to Tools, Options, Maintenance then click on Store Folder to see where your email messages are stored.

Copy this location, then go to Windows Explorer and paste the location. This will bring up the folder with all of your email folders. Do a select all and copy all the folders, then save them to an external hard drive or wherever you want to save them.

Go to Windows Explorer in your new computer, click Tools, Folder Options, View and click the button Show Hidden Files and Folders.

Copy the folders from your external hard drive to the Outlook Express folder on your new computer. If you aren't sure where that folder is, open Outlook Express in the new computer and find the Store Folder using the steps mentioned above.

This will copy all your email files and folders over to the new computer and it takes just a few minutes.

When you're done, go back to Windows Explorer and unclick the Show Hidden Files and Folders button so it hides them again.

This won't transfer your address book or your account settings. You will have to transfer those separately but at least this way you will have your messages.

I hope this helps someone else and saves some of the time and pain I went through with this. 7/30/2006 12:04 PM | Kip

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Thanks - this was a life-saver, it really worked. By following the instructions above (or below?) I managed to transfer everything between 2 machines running te same version of XP and SP2!

Steve 7/30/2006 12:11 PM | Steve Cook

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Another thanks, to go with the rest. Not a mention of anythnig like this on MS's knowledgebase, gg MS. 12/10/2006 8:52 PM |

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

I love you. And no, I'm not that kind of guy. But I still love you. Will you marry me? No, I'm not kidding. So what if I'm already "officially" married. My wife would agree: we need someone like you around. 12/15/2006 6:16 PM | Hubert Humphries

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Another thanks. I'm amazed that a utility of this kind was apparently updated in some way that prevents the new version from being compatible with the old. 1/27/2007 9:07 AM | Joe Sullivan

# re: Prepping a new laptop (Files and Settings Transfer wizard)

Thanks for a simple and effective answer to a problem that bothered me for 24 hours.

Now I can go on to other things!

No thanks to Microsoft, but many thanks to you! 1/28/2007 9:53 PM | August S

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