[XP] File and Settings transfer wizard problem - how to extract -dat files?

Factual Questions
1

I just re-installed XP Pro after my bad turn with the sucky Media Center Edition. Of course, I had backed up everything important using the wizard (which has worked well before). Not this time though. After formatting the HDD and installing XP, I only get “This is not a valid file” when I try to restore 6GB of files from My Documents (including contacts from OE, all pics, all music).
I’ve tried googling, but I can only find references to extracting .dat when it comes to media files. Using that software (of which we don’t speak around here) didn’t help.

Any doper with a good idea on how to retrieve all the things I’m missing?

2

Did you update the new installation to SP2 with all the latest patches before running the wizard?

I had the same problem with the wizard on a new XP Pro reinstall but updating to SP2 fixed it.

3

Failing that, something like FASTConv may or may not work (never tried it). And Google has more links.

4

Everything is updated, all drivers, SP2 and everything essential from Windows Update.
I’ll check the link.

5

This isn’t going to help your problem, but could I ask you what you didn’t like about Media Center Edition? I thought it was a superset of Pro and had everything that Pro had and more, so what caused you to switch back?

6

To make it short. Here’s my pit thread about the ordeal.

8

Obvious spambot reported.

9

But the bot has a good point though.

Anyway, I’m not sure why but *.dat file are kinda general purpose files, an you give some more info where the files belong?

And also, not to threadshit on you but it’s the year 2012. What in the freaking world are you doing running windows xp? Win7 came out three years ago already and it’s now considered a dinosaur. Seriously think about how much your time is worth in trouble shooting all these bullshitty problems with outdated garbage, and how much cheaper it would be to upgrade to a newer dinosaur…

10

Eh… that thread was from 2006. Haha. I think his *.dat problems may be a thing of the past, much like XP.

11

Y’know, a Windows XP thread should be a dead giveaway…

12

Oh shit I just read the pit post… Daaaaamn dude, I’m sorry. Yeash…

13

Lmao. Ok xp was groundbreaking at the time :rolleyes: he’s excused :smack:

14

Oh my god. 3 years already?! I still admire my transparent taskbar because it feels so shiny and new. Damn, technology moves fast these days.