Moving files from XP to Win 10

[InquiringMinds]

I am in the process of upgrading from XP to Win 10. It has taken me a long time to get this done because of several applications that I need that do not work on Win 10. So I am gradually replacing them with alternatives.

BC has been a godsend in this process. I was able to share the XP C-drive on our local WiFi system so I can set up various BC sessions to keep the two in sync until I can close out XP.

I see that M$FT, being the stable geniuses that they are, has renamed several of the core folders. My Documents, for example, is now just Documents. I just discovered that they also moved several folders that were under My Documents up one level. Here's a map I found online:

Is this correct? Is it complete?

I set up a session to compare \My Documents on XP to \Documents on Win 10. But, of course, this won't work because folders like \Pictures are no longer under \Documents. So I am wondering if I can get some suggestions from this community as to the best alternative approaches. I have come up with these:

1. Set up separate sessions for each of the folders that are no longer under \Documents. This means that I will have to exclude those folders from the main session that compares \My Documents to \Documents.
2. On Win 10, move the files in \Pictures, etc., back up under \Documents until the upgrade is complete. Then move them back to where Win 10 wants them. This makes the main compare work, but I don't know if it will interfere with normal operations for Win 10.

I appreciate any comments and suggestions.

Thanks

[Aaron]

That looks right, although I wouldn't manually update AppData. Instead, try to use each program's internal logic for re-importing settings, as they might be using AppData\Roaming instead, or another folder/logic for their Windows 10 deployment. Instead, back up to some other location into Win10, like C:\users\username\appdatafromxp\ (just to have the files locally), then figure out how to import each Win10 program's settings individually.

I'd recommend the first plan: try to navigate into Win10's logic (which, dates back to Win Vista, 7,8). It's what they'll use going forward, and matching defaults is what MS and other programs most commonly expect. This would allow things to work more smoothly when using the Win10 machine itself, so you would have less headaches caused by some other program encountering non-default behavior and not handling it well.

[InquiringMinds]

That looks right, although I wouldn't manually update AppData. Instead, try to use each program's internal logic for re-importing settings, as they might be using AppData\Roaming instead, or another folder/logic for their Windows 10 deployment. Instead, back up to some other location into Win10, like C:\users\username\appdatafromxp\ (just to have the files locally), then figure out how to import each Win10 program's settings individually.

I'm mainly talking about migrating data files, not software profile files. Most of the software on XP is really, really old and will have to be replaced, so any files specific to those programs will stay on XP.

I'd recommend the first plan: try to navigate into Win10's logic (which, dates back to Win Vista, 7,8). It's what they'll use going forward, and matching defaults is what MS and other programs most commonly expect. This would allow things to work more smoothly when using the Win10 machine itself, so you would have less headaches caused by some other program encountering non-default behavior and not handling it well.

I guess I can exclude an entire folder from the compare, right? I'll look into that. So my compare will be between \My Documents, but excluding \My documents\My Pictures (etc.) and \Documents.

Then I need a separate compare between \My documents\My Pictures and \Pictures, right?

Thanks for the help. BC is a great tool!

[RodolfoGiovanninetti]

On my Windows10 pc I see that there are junctions as place-keepers for old directories.
For example, I have "C:\Documents and settings" that points to "C:\Users".
BUT, I cannot use that junction, neither with B.C. nor with windows explorer nor with command prompt.
It is because of security settings.
There is a deny access for everyone.
If I change these security settings, so that I remove the deny access, then I can enter into this "C:\Documents and settings".
To keep trace or previous settings, I did non remove these deny access lines, but changed for deny access to deny delete, so that when I need to revert back those lines are still there and I can change back from deny delete to deny access.
Now, inside "C:\Documents and settings", I find other similar junctions.
I can remove the deny also for those.
If You do so, You should be able to have only one folder structure to compare directories with the same name.
It is up to You to choose if You want to change these security settings.
If You do so, You should document changes, so that You put back the deny settings once You do not need the old pc.

Regards

Rodolfo Giovanninetti

[InquiringMinds]

On my Windows10 pc I see that there are junctions as place-keepers for old directories.

Interesting. I'll check it out. Thanks.