Question : How to transfer desktop xp system to laptop xp system

I have a desktop PC and a laptop PC.  The laptop PC has a much higher specification and the desktop PC and I want to transfer most of my files settings and programmes across to the laptop PC so that I can use it as the primary computer for my work.

the desktop PC is running windows XP professional.  The laptop PC is running on Windows XP media entertainment edition.

I have a full system backup using Norton ghost so I can recover anything from the main desktop PC to the laptop.  My question is to what extent can I copy the system from the desktop to the laptop PC?  For example can I only copy the files and folders?  Or can I copy the files folders and settings?  Or can I copy the files folder settings and programmes?

  At first I thought I could just copy across the user folder because this seems to have everything associated with a user in one place.   However I don't know whether I can do this if the system (computer system) is on a different computer?  To what extent can I transferred the desktop PC system to the laptop PC?

Answer : How to transfer desktop xp system to laptop xp system

You can't image one to the other as the Hardware Abtraction Layers will be completly different. You cant transfer the programs either - you will have to re-install them.

On the plus side you can transfer tour documents and settings - there are two tools that microsoft provide for this, the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/mgrtfset.mspx
And http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306186

or the more complex user state migration tool http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/usermigr.mspx