Backup files to external hard drive then load it onto new laptop?

I am getting a new laptop this Christmas and I plan to copy all the files from this PC to my external hard drive which I will then store on my laptop to make it my main computer. Now the first thing I thought was using the Windows Backup and Restore program where it puts everything into a folder entitled my computer's name and organizes it into .zip files which come in different parts.

My new laptop will have Windows 7 Home Premium and I expect it to have the same application that my Vista uses, will I be able to automatically unload everything onto my laptop from my external hard drive using the program or do I need to do it manually?

The files are mostly documents, videos, and pretty much anything that the application allows you to backup.

Don't use the Windows Backup and Restore program. That may play an act on you. Use copy/paste or that: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/89196-context-menu-add-copy-folder-move-folder.html