What happened with Windows Easy Transfer in Windows 8.1? You launched tool and you noticed that the options to transfer items to a new PC using the transfer cable, network, and external hard disk are nowhere to be found. The only option available is to bring items from another PC running Windows 8, Windows RT, or Windows 7. This is because Microsoft is removing the feature in Windows 8.1.
Something similar happened with the “Backup and Restore” tool from Windows 7. Microsoft simply renamed the feature “Windows 7 File History” in Windows 8, signaling that in the new OS the backup tool was mainly for recovery purposes and surely enough the feature was removed in Windows 8.1. Now users wanting to create and restore a system image backup have resource to a PowerShell command-line tool.
The same thing is happening to Windows Easy Transfer and there is a clear reason. This transfer tool was able to backup user accounts, documents, music, email, pictures, and videos. Items that now can be easily transfer by using SkyDrive in combination with other services and tools, such as Xbox Music to backup your music collection, and File History to keep files always backup and up-to-date.
Although, when you go to Start and do a search for transfer, the actual tool is there, the only thing you’ll find is a stripped-down version of migration program, good only to migrate data over, but not to move files and settings from Windows 8.1 to another PC. This is one of many examples that shows how Microsoft is moving forward and pulling the plug on different features and adding new ones that are suited for the 21st century.
Will this affect you when moving to a new PC? Did you ever use this file transfer and backup tool?
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].