EaseUS Todo PCTrans supports indirect transfers now

Martin Brinkmann
Sep 19, 2014
Backup, Software
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9

Most users who buy, build or get a new PC want to move data from the old one to the new. This includes personal files such as photos, videos or music but also applications, application data and customizations.

While it is possible to transfer plain files easily to the new PC, for instance directly over a network connection or by using storage media such as external hard drives or DVDs to do so, it is not as easy to move applications to a new PC.

Well, there is one exception to that and that is if the programs are portable since they can be transferred just like regular files then.

Software like EaseUS' Todo PCTrans Free comes to the rescue if installed software needs to be moved to a new PC.

Previous version of the application required that you connected both PCs to the same computer network to transfer files. The limitation to direct transfers was a problem for some users, for instance when the devices were not in the same location or if for whatever reason they could not connect to the same network.

This changes with today's release of EaseUS Todo PCTrans 8.0. The new version introduces indirect transfers which means that you can burn data to an image on the source computer and load it from that image again on the target computer.

A screen is displayed to you on first start where you can make that choice. You cans till select to transfer data on a local network directly if both PCs are connected to it but if that is not the case, have the option to create an image file instead to use it for that purpose.

easeus todo pctrans free

The program displays a second prompt if you select the image file option. Since it does not know if you are running it on the source or target computer, you need to make that choice on the next page.

If you select the option to create an image file, the usual options to copy user data and applications are presented to you. The free version is limited to two programs still which may not be enough in most cases.

As far as I can tell, the user data transfer is not limited in the same fashion.

You do need to get the image file to the target PC. Depending on its size you may be able to burn it to disc or copy it to an external drive or USB device in order to do so.

The transfer of applications includes all data that is required to run it on the target system. It worked really well during tests and while it is likely that it won't work for some programs, I did not run into any that would not work on the destination PC after the transfer completed successfully.

Verdict

The option to create a data image instead of allowing only direct transfers of data improves EaseUS Todo PCTrans significantly.

The free version is quite limited however in terms of apps that you can copy over to the new PC. Two is a low number and usually not sufficient in most cases.

Summary
software image
Author Rating
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Software Name
EaseUS Todo PCTrans Free 8.0
Operating System
Windows
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Comments

  1. Charles Robinson said on September 23, 2014 at 5:07 pm
    Reply

    Hi Martin,
    Sometime in the past you furnished info about EaseUS Todo Backup. Last May I bought/installed Todo Home Backup 6.5. I created a System Backup, an Outlook Backup, and began to automatically create weekly differential backups. This month I replaced my HD, loaded up the HP “factory” Windows 7 64bit Home Premium, and applied all the bunches of Windows Updates. I 1st ran the Todo Outlook restore and it ran OK but because of a Todo software “bug”, the “modified date” on every email got changed to the date Outlook was backed up (May of this year). That meant that MS Outlook Archive process did not function correctly because Archive looks at the email modified dates in deciding what can be archived. EaseUS agreed to fix this problem in a future release. Then I tried to use Todo differential to restore my files. The 1st minor differential restore ran OK. The 2nd restore of several of my files broke Windows in a couple of ways. I started over from scratch and the same problem happened. EaseUS support was unable to help me resolve the problem, although they did try – and they said they will provide me a free copy of Todo 8.0 when it is released. As they have been unable to duplicate my problem in their lab, I don’t know how they will find a fix for the problem, but maybe…

    So, I was left with 2 options:
    1. Start from scratch with the original factory Windows (from 2009) and apply all updates, and then copy/paste my files from my external HD to my C: drive.
    2. Full Todo System Restore from the System Backup file created last May.

    I did the Todo restore that ran OK, but I discovered that Windows Control Panel “Programs & Features” was missing bunches of products that were really installed. Todo support said that they would fix this problem in a future release.

    All the above is an fyi.
    But because I can no longer trust Todo Home Backup 7.0 I’m wanting to know what backup/restore product I should use to replace Todo Home Backup. Is there a forum or other source out there which could recommend the best one?

    .

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on September 23, 2014 at 6:17 pm
      Reply

      Hi there, I’m sorry that you had a bad experience using the backup software. A good starting point may be this recent comparison here on my site.

      https://www.ghacks.net/2014/08/08/best-free-drive-backup-programs-for-windows/

    2. Declan said on September 23, 2014 at 5:47 pm
      Reply

      Charles, I feel your pain. I’ve had that same problem with not just Todo, but with Macrium Reflect, GFI, and AOMEI as well. I have yet to find a backup program that really worked. After keeping my fingers crossed, it has always been necessary for me to go back and copy/paste the files back in their place, including App settings and .pst files, but only after having to reinstall each app individually. That’s what prompted my question to Martin above. Maybe just my bad experiences, but it seems backup apps delude us into thinking everything is going to be fine because the backup process goes smoothly. But the restore is when everything falls apart. Your experience with file change dates is the most common I have experienced, although I’m sure other people have had different results.

      Thank you for bringing this up, it’s been on my mind as well. Perhaps Martin or someone else can shed some light on this, or direct us to a forum or other place to discuss this.
      Declan

      1. Charles Robinson said on September 23, 2014 at 5:51 pm
        Reply

        Wow. I wasted my money on Todo. I had hoped it would be a good replacement for MS Backup – which I’ve had trouble with in the past.

  2. Peter CM said on September 22, 2014 at 10:20 pm
    Reply

    So — how does this compare to Windows Easy Transfer? I gather Easy Transfer transfers only settings, not applications, but having to install apps isn’t a huge deal to me; having to replicate custom settings/configurations and appdata most definitely is. Just curious.

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on September 22, 2014 at 10:57 pm
      Reply

      Well you can use this one whenever you want to move apps from one PC to another. Its biggest selling point is that you can move programs and their configurations to another system.

  3. Declan said on September 20, 2014 at 7:15 pm
    Reply

    Actually, it would be two main ones anyway, the others are not as necessary up front and can be loaded at a casual pace.
    Declan <<<<<<<< releasing a sigh of relief.

  4. Declan said on September 20, 2014 at 6:27 pm
    Reply

    Martin, That’s very interesting.
    I just purchased a new laptop as a replacement for one I’ve been using for a few years. I really don’t want to reload all the apps I want one by one. And I don’t want to go the other way and make a full disk image and then uninstall the ones I don’t want. This seems to be a way to simply move over the ones I want without having the headache (or heartache) of a brutal new install. Will this work for that? I’m sure many folks are in a similar situation, or at least will be after Santa visits in a couple of months.

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on September 20, 2014 at 6:43 pm
      Reply

      Yes that works. Remember though that the free version is limited to 2 apps.

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