Today, I decided to ditch my old computer (powered by - and therefore as fast as - a ferret in a fart-powered car), and upgrade to a brand new one with all shiny buttons and stuff. And now I’ve hit my first problem - I didn’t really think this purchase through.
Trouble is, all my essential information is on my old computer - work files, e-mails, contact lists, pictures and sound files I’d like to keep.
I’m also a bit of a luddite when it comes to computers. So, I’m asking someone more knowledgeable than I (which don’t narrow it down a whole heap)…
Is there an easy (and inexpensive) way to bung across all this stuff from Old PC to New PC?
Oh - and without simultaneously transferring all the junk I’ve accumulated over the years like shareware, half-uninstalled programmes and the kind of stuff I wouldn’t want my mother to find on the HDD when I pass on Old PC to her (ahem)?
If they aren’t big files, copy them to a floppy disk & put them on the new computer. Thats what I did once. Or you can get a cheap cd writer & put it in the old computer & make a cd of your old files & put them on the new one. If you want, there are software packages that do this for you at the store.
The easiest way is to take your old hard drive and plug it into one of the empty drive slots on the new PC. Then just select the files you want to copy and bring them over.
It’s not that hard but its tough to explain how without pictures. You should have instructions somewhere with the new PC on installing a second hard drive or floppy. If not you can find them on the Internet somewhere.
You really should just move the old hard drive to the new computer and leave it there. You will keep finding critical things that you need and no longer have access to if you don’t.
It is not really hard to move a hard drive. You just need a small screwdriver and a pair of tweezers.
I won’t tell you how to do it here but it shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes tops. The only tricky part is that you have to set the jumper pins on the back of the drive to “slave” because it will be the secondary drive. Go to your drive manufacturer’s web site to get detailed instructions including how to set the jumpers before you even start. The other steps are straightforward.
If both PCs have Ethernet jacks, connect 'em with an Ethernet crossover cable. (Or two regular cables and an Ethernet hub) They should see each other, at which point you can drag and drop stuff through your mini-network.
Another way to move stuff is to email it to yourself. Unfortunately, this can be painful on a 56k dialup connection.
And of course, there’s the great-grand-daddy of ways to move things between two PCs: LapLink. They’ve got something called “PCsync” that comes with the necessary software and an assortment of cables. If both PCs have USB, you’re all set. Cost is about $75
Finally, if you don’t want to email stuff to yourself or buy PCsync, you can most likely plug the old PC’s hard drive into the new PC just long enough to transfer over your desired files. Even if you need to temporarily unplug the CD-ROM drive, this is a quick and dirty way to go - just plug it in, boot up, and your old drive will probably appear as “D:”
My New PC has an ethernet connection, but not the old one. I did install a new HDD into my Old PC all on my little ownsome, so I’m not averse to taking the cover off and tinkering around… (but configuring it was a pain in the ass!) Sounds like that may be my best bet - thanks! You’re right - there will be programmes on there I’d miss if I ditched it completely…
So, I’ll transfer all the important stuff from Old C: drive to Old D: drive (the current Slave), and then just stick Old D: drive into New PC - simple!
I’m hoping there’s room in there… by the looks of things, New PC has 3 HDD’s (although I’m hoping it’s just one actual box, split into 3 sections - does that sound feasible??)
Thanks for the help again. (Why go to the trouble of looking something up when there is the SDMB?)*.
*I may make that my new sig.
My New PC has an ethernet connection, but not the old one. I did install a new HDD into my Old PC all on my little ownsome, so I’m not averse to taking the cover off and tinkering around… (but configuring it was a pain in the ass!) Sounds like that may be my best bet - thanks! You’re right - there will be programmes on there I’d miss if I ditched it completely…
So, I’ll transfer all the important stuff from Old C: drive to Old D: drive (the current Slave), and then just stick Old D: drive into New PC - simple!
I’m hoping there’s room in there… by the looks of things, New PC has 3 HDD’s (although I’m hoping it’s just one actual box, split into 3 sections - does that sound feasible??)
Thanks for the help again. (Why go to the trouble of looking something up when there is the SDMB?)*.
*I may make that my new sig.
I’m assuming a windows box, and that your new computer came with an operating system installed. One problem with just moving your hard drive over with old applications on it is that they will not be in the registry. Some programs will work fine, others will be buggy, and some won’t work at all. To be sure of being able to use your old programs, you will have to reinstall them under the new operating system.
“The easiest way is to take your old hard drive and plug it into one of the empty drive slots on the new PC. Then just select the files you want to copy and bring them over.”
If you don’t know what you’re doing you could overwrite important system files…
There are fine software solutions for this that do it safely. e.g