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Transfer old compute files to new computer

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PAUL161

PAUL161

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How do I all transfer all the files from my old computer to my new one? Do I use a usb port to port cable from the old to new? The new computer has a larger hard drive than the old one, so should be plenty of room. PJ
 
I'd say get a high capacity thumb drive, copy what you want transferred onto it, then into the new machine. And you then have a reasonable backup of the files to stow in a drawer.
 
Could get an external USB Hard drive if you have a lot to transfer. Also a good place to keep a second copy of photos and other files.

David
 
I was reading up on this a month or so back when I was starting to shop for a new laptop. I have yet to buy that new laptop so I have no first hand experience with what I am about to suggest.

Google for information and the process of using a crossover network cable between the two machines. As I understand it you use the crossover cable and configure a local network between the two machines. Using this network connection is supposed to be significantly faster than other file transfer methods. Again... I have yet to try it myself but this is what I was considering.
 
Some folks have issues transferring from old systems to new ones like 10.
Not sure if that got sorted out.
I have a new (to me) Sony VAIO laptop coming, ships Monday, I'll transfer what I need via USB as it's quicker, but my files are all on XP and going to....XP!
 
A crossover cable IS significantly faster, it equates to a peer-to-peer LAN for speed but again; a USB thumb drive means you get a backup for the time spent. Only issue would be the size of the data to be transferred.
 
Note that we're talking about an Ethernet crossover, not USB.
Using a crossover cable also means you need to convince the machines to network together, share folders and so on. Not always a trivial task (depending on your skill level etc)

Using a thumb drive or external hard drive may be slower in terms of Mb/sec; but IMO will usually be faster overall because its just plug n play at both ends. Saving a couple of hours in transfer time is no bargain if it takes 4 hours to set it up.
 
Last edited:
TR3driver said:
Saving a couple of hours in transfer time is no bargain if it takes 4 hours to set it up.
Click to expand...


:iagree: Precisely. Setting up the two machines to play nice with one another is simple if you're familiar with LAN configurations but can be a steep curve for a neophyte. And unless you can easily/quickly find a pre-made crossover CAT-5/6 cable, crimping one up and testing it becomes a chore.

I usually carry one in my bag with a lappy in case I've got to beat client machines into submission.
 
Thanks guys, as time is not the element, I think I'll use an external drive, copy all the files to it and then copy them to the new computer, simple and they will be saved for future use if needed. PJ
 
Just a thought - do you have the same applications and programs on the old as on the new?

The files you're copying over may not always be compatible with the software installed on the new computer.

TM
 
Do you really need to transfer the files?
i just had my old hard drive taken out of the old machine and installed it in an open bay in the new one.
you can also get an external housing for the old drive and just plug & play via USB.
 
GTP1960 said:
Do you really need to transfer the files?
i just had my old hard drive taken out of the old machine and installed it in an open bay in the new one.
you can also get an external housing for the old drive and just plug & play via USB.
Click to expand...

My old HD is 500 gig, my new machine has a 1 Terra bite HD. I could also make a new folder and copy them to the new HD, but I like the idea of keeping them on an external, just in case. If this new one goes South and I've had that happen before, I still have my files. Putting a lot of thought into this. PJ
 
If your new machine has an open bay, you can just add the 500g old drive (in addition to your new 1T drive.)
then it would be just another drive to work from on your new computer. (Call it "drive F" or something)

when you backup your new new machine to an external HD, the old 500g HD could easily be included in the backup.

that's what I did. Just integrated my old drive with the new system & backed up by he whole thing, like usual.
 
Guy - when you added that drive, did you have to set some toggles or DIP switches, etc. on the drive? Plug it into a specific ribbon cable, set to "secondary hard drive", or similar?

Did it automatically show up as a new drive when you rebooted? Or did it take some tweaking?

Tom M.
 
Well, that's above my head, I had the guy who does my computer stuff do it.
but there must not have been much to it, because it took him about 10 minutes to remove it from the old & install it in the new.
 
Usually any recent O/S (any beyond "98") the system should just "see" it and assign a drive letter. Any applications on the old drive will need to be reinstalled on the scratch (usually "C:") drive to open any proprietary files.
 
GTP1960 said:
Well, that's above my head, I had the guy who does my computer stuff do it.
but there must not have been much to it, because it took him about 10 minutes to remove it from the old & install it in the new.
Click to expand...

I think that's what usually happens. Things are so complicated these days, most of us can't do the work ourselves. So we go to the $65/hr guy.

Sounds like today's cars, eh?

Anyway, glad you got it sorted out.

T.
 
When I went to a new iMac, I had most of my documents on external drives already, so I just had to restore my internal drive files from the Apple Time Machine files from the old computer to the new one, and emails, contacts, preferences, and browser bookmarks all worked on the new machine just like the old one. But my external photo drive is 3TB, so I also have my internal drive and the two external drives backed up on CrashPlan, which has also helped me save files from time to time. And CrashPlan did not need to back up all the files on the new computer as they were already backed up from the old one. "Suspenders and a belt"
 
Code42 are a great bunch.
 
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