Moving data from Windows RT

[adamnmurad]

Hello,

Right now, I currently only use Apple devices, but I find the Surface to be very intriguing. Based on what I'd use it for, I actually think the RT would be a better fit for me than the Surface Pro. But, my question is, if I decide I want to move to Windows 8 or a Surface Pro (or just a new Surface RT) in the future, is there a simple process to pull all my data and settings from a Surface RT/Windows RT device? One of the things I like best about Apple is how simple they make switching, and I know Microsoft has a similar utility for regular Windows, but I haven't seen anything about pulling everything off the RT. Thanks!

 

[Sin]

What specifically are you looking to pull off the RT? Most of my setting are associated with my Windows Live account so every Windows 8 machine share quite a few settings right off. Obviously the installed applications are not there automatically, which would pretty annoying, but I can install easily enough from the store. I store most documents on my SkyDrive, so those are available everywhere and my media is on my SD card, which can easily be switch from device to device. My email, calendar, and contacts are all on my Live account, so no need to backup.

 

[Omni]

Windows easy transfer is on Windows RT and that backups up just about everything. I've not used it though.

 

[adamnmurad]

Basically, I know I'm not going to have the Surface forever - if I like it, I'll probably upgrade from it to some other Microsoft/Windows product at some point. With iOS devices, when you get a new one, just typing in your iCloud credentials results in your device being completely cloned - all the files, settings, apps, and associated app data are there such that you can pick up right where you left off (even to the point that the last song you were playing on Spotify is on pause and the last pages you were viewing on the web browser are still open). Apple offers similar functionality for Mac with Migration Assistant and Microsoft does for PCs with Windows Easy Transfer (a help page I saw said that Windows Easy Transfer doesn't with with RT, though).

On the other hand, migrating from one Android device to another is a nightmare. You type in your Google credentials and some but not all data and settings get transferred, you download apps on the new device and the associated app data is nowhere to be found, there's no one folder that *everything* is kept in when you realize you need to go hunting for it on your own device, etc.

I know some folks are more technically proficient than I and others are more OK with the fact that just not everything you have on your old device gets transferred to your new device, but...assuming I want the process to be simple and 100% complete, is this a feature Windows RT has? Thank you for your help!

 

[adamnmurad]

Windows easy transfer is on Windows RT and that backups up just about everything. I've not used it though.

Are you sure? This ( Transfer files and settings from another PC - Microsoft Windows Help ) article I saw suggested that was not the case if you look at the second note at the bottom. If RT does indeed have Windows Easy Transfer to pull data from the Surface RT, that would be exactly what I'm looking for, though! (So, please tell me the linked article's wrong!)

 

[Sin]

Files and favorite are connected with SkyDrive which is an amazing cloud storage solution. Email is again typically on my web email accounts so it's always available from all devices. As for app data, it will depend on if the developer has integrated SkyDrive or not.

 

[adamnmurad]

Files and favorite are connected with SkyDrive which is an amazing cloud storage solution. Email is again typically on my web email accounts so it's always available from all devices. As for app data, it will depend on if the developer has integrated SkyDrive or not.

Thanks! I do have a Outlook.com account that I use for e-mail/contacts/calendar. It sounds like, between my Microsoft.com/Outlook.com account and Skydrive, the vast majority of my stuff would be pretty easily transferrable. If I were to get a new device, I'd need to reinstall the apps themselves, but most all of my other data should be on Skydrive or automatically populate based on my Outlook.com credentials - would you say that's an accurate description of the situation?

 

[Omni]

I'm using a surface rt now and I do indeed have Windows Easy Transfer. The catch... it only transfers files and not settings. Most settings as others have said though are linked to your account anyway.

 

[adamnmurad]

I'm using a surface rt now and I do indeed have Windows Easy Transfer. The catch... it only transfers files and not settings. Most settings as others have said though are linked to your account anyway.

Thanks! Since I do understand that most settings travel with your microsoft.com account, that's awesome news.

 

[pallentx]

With iOS devices, when you get a new one, just typing in your iCloud credentials results in your device being completely cloned - all the files, settings, apps, and associated app data are there such that you can pick up right where you left off (even to the point that the last song you were playing on Spotify is on pause and the last pages you were viewing on the web browser are still open).

Are you sure about that? is that new? For sure that was not the case a year or so ago. The owner of our company eventually had two iPhones and three iPads. (He wanted ATT and Verizon versions, one at home, one at work, and was playing around with the new mini). Anyway, entering his Apple ID did NOT sync the devices. We had to configure email accounts and reinstall apps on each device. On the Surface, your email accounts will all be configured when you log in with your Microsoft ID, your Skydrive files will all be there, photos, etc. Local media files like Photos, Video, Music will need to be transferred, but that task is MUCH easier on a real Windows device. You can map a network location and drag and drop, or just put them on a SD card.

 

[adamnmurad]

Are you sure about that? is that new? For sure that was not the case a year or so ago. The owner of our company eventually had two iPhones and three iPads. (He wanted ATT and Verizon versions, one at home, one at work, and was playing around with the new mini). Anyway, entering his Apple ID did NOT sync the devices. We had to configure email accounts and reinstall apps on each device. On the Surface, your email accounts will all be configured when you log in with your Microsoft ID, your Skydrive files will all be there, photos, etc. Local media files like Photos, Video, Music will need to be transferred, but that task is MUCH easier on a real Windows device. You can map a network location and drag and drop, or just put them on a SD card.

Yup! I'm not sure if it's new, but I've had to use it recently to replicate a broken iPhone and it worked perfectly. If you've previously set an iDevice to backup to iCloud, you can take a new or wiped iDevice, log in with the same credentials, select the old device from a list of previously backed up devices, and everything will download. Your iPhone or iPad will then have every single bit of data that was on the previous device, with the exception of apps that are no longer sold/downloadable from the App Store.
This is just a backup/restore solution, though - it doesn't keep the two devices in sync going forward, although that would be an awesome feature.

One question - when you say the task is much easier on a real Windows device, do you mean easier on Windows 8 than Windows RT, or easier on Windows RT than Apple?

 

[pallentx]

I mean easier on Windows than iOS or Android or other mobile devices because you can drag and drop between folders, map network drives, right-click rename files, mount SD cards, etc.