Windows 8 Bible

What You Can Transfer

You can’t transfer everything from your old computer to the new one. But you can transfer just about everything you created or downloaded yourself. Specifically, you can transfer the following:

• Files and folders: Everything within the Documents and Public Documents folders and their subfolders to corresponding folders on the new computer.
• Media Files: Music, playlists, album art, pictures, and videos — most of which are likely stored in your Music, Pictures, Videos (or their Public) folder equivalents.
• Internet settings and favorites: Settings required for your Internet connection to work, as well as Favorites you’ve collected. You can also transfer cookies, which retain information that allows you to gain access to certain websites that might otherwise require logging in.
• Personal settings: Windows personalization settings such as desktop backgrounds, screen savers, Windows 8 interface settings, taskbar options, fonts, network connections, color schemes, accessibility options, and so forth. However, don’t expect everything to look and work exactly as it did on your old computer because there are some changes in Windows 8.
• User accounts: If you have multiple user accounts on your old computer, you can transfer those as well. Each user account will retain its documents and settings.
• Program settings: Settings you chose within programs to personalize things can be transferred. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the programs themselves are not transferred. ...