Summary
The File and Settings Transfer Wizard addresses one of the most pressing issues surrounding operating system migration: how to get settings both at the application level and settings quickly moved to the new operating system. The wizard does a good job in a Microsoft-centric environment, yet it needs to provide the same level of functionality with many third-party applications including Adobe, IBM, Sun, and others. The migration of network settings varies in accuracy by platform, so if you are looking to bring Windows XP into your organization this year, be sure to check out Release Candidate 1 (RC1) on each class and configuration of system you plan to use. Finally, there is the continuing lack of support for video drivers in Windows XP, which becomes very clear when comparative installs are done on servers running in VGA mode, laptops running S3 graphics, and workstations running Permedia-based graphics from 3Dlabs. Of the three, the server and workstation ran the best when using the File and Settings Transfer Wizard to move between operating systems.
Microsoft claims that the File and Settings Transfer Wizard is aimed at small businesses in which the members of workgroups will handle the migration of settings and data files. The fact that this wizard would be even more valuable if it were completed in a script form is potentially one area that could benefit system administrators in larger organizations when Microsoft decides to pursue that area as a development priority.