File and Transfer Settings Wizard Problem. Can't copy several files

[presto]

Two XP computers networked. Trying to use the Files And Settings Transfer Wizard. Started Wizard on the old computer.

After a while a message appears "Unable to copy this file : C:/Windows/System32/config/system.log. choose abort,try again, or skip. Try again fails so I choose skip. The message comes up a few more times and I skip each. At the end a message says "Transfer complete. These files could not be copied so copy them manually to the folder on the other computer then procede"

All of the files that could not be copied are .log files. Most of them are in the same folder. I try to copy them using drag and drop but am told "the file cannot be copied it is in use...". I try again in safe mode, same message.

Now, I am simply following the Wizard step by step. Why is this happening? I tried to copy those files on another computer as a test and they simply cannot be copied. (I'm sure there is a way but what is going on here? Why does this Wizard want to copy files which it cannot copy?)

I searched the internet but couldn't find anything on this. Help really appreciated.

[Krispy Kritter]

Most likely it is because the files are in use as stated in the error message. Running in Safe mode wouldn't prevent log files from being used. Is there a real need to copy log files from pc to pc?

[presto]

I don't know why it wants to copy the log files. I want it to transfers the settings and files. For all I know it uses the log files to do this.

[Krispy Kritter]

Sorry, I wasn't sure what you were doing at first. Have you tried using the new computer yet? The log files shouldn't have any needed information concerning setup and settings of your old pc. When XP boots, it usually generates any needed log files that don't already exist and they are used to log basic operational information and any errors. They are generally there for troubleshooting purposes, not necessarily operation.

[presto]

When I go to the new computer and run the wizard it tells me there are no file and settings wizard files in the folder I specified.

I was confused by the warnings about those files not being copied. I now think that was a red herring. The real problem is with the new computer.

There is something kind of obvious that I should have corrected first. The new computer has not had it's copy of xp validated yet (I need to call Microsft and tell them I am retiring the other computer), I have passed my grace period so I get the warning everytime I boot up. Could it be that the Files and Setting Transfer Wizard is disabled until I do that?

[Krispy Kritter]

It shouldn't be (though I've never used it). The error you were/are seeing indicates the old computer can't access/read the files because they are in use. This would seem to indicate the problem (?) is on the old computer and not the new one.

The purpose of the wizard I suppose is to help you transisition from an old pc to a new pc. However, since you have to reinstall of the software and tools on the new pc again anyway, it isn't that much more work to just set everything up again on your own. Doing it yourself would at least prevent XP from copying a bunch of files and data that you don't use or need onto your new pc.

[presto]

At this point I wish I hadn't bothered with the Transfer Wizard. It would have saved time if it had worked. The main thing is to transfer all my Outlook emails. I'm not sure how to do that but my step is to find that out.

[Krispy Kritter]

Within Outlook, click on File, Import and Export. Then it is just a step by step process. Export to a File / Personal Folder File (.pst) / then choose what you want saved (anything from a single folder to all of your folders), and choose a location to save the file. Then you copy that file to your new pc, start Outlook and Import. You should then have all of your folders/emails.