Looking to upgrade from Windows XP? Here’s how you can take all your data

Microsoft has announced a new tool that could help save countless headaches as Windows XP end-of-life draws closer.

The company will be giving away a migration tool to help people move to a newer operating system. For this Microsoft will use PCmover Express for Windows XP, a migration solution from Laplink, another Washington-based company. As reported, the tool will pop an alert up on your screen warning you of the impending April 8 deadline.

The version created by Laplink for Windows XP has been specifically designed for Microsoft to use as a give-away. One of the most popular operating systems even 13 years after its release, XP is set to receive a final update on April 8, after which there will be no long-term support from Microsoft, unless organisations have intimated the company about signing up for a life-extension programme.

 

PCmover Express will be available for download in English starting later this week via WindowsXP.com. It will also come in French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish initially and later on in it will be available in Korean, Chinese, Russian and Brazilian Portuguese. “As the end of support for Windows XP on April 8 nears we’re continuing to focus on ensuring customers are aware of the deadline and helping them to migrate to a modern operating system such as Windows 8.1,” Brandon LeBlanc, a Microsoft marketing communications manager, wrote on the company blog earlier this week.

Laplink’s website says the free utility will transfer files and settings only from a PC running XP to one running Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1. It must be noted that no applications or software you have installed will be carried forward. Of course, Laplink is also offering other premium tools for full-fledged migration to a modern OS.