# Transfer data from one computer to another **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 16, 2010, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transfer-data-from-one-computer-to-another/564328 "2010-12-16T03:58:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transfer-data-from-one-computer-to-another/564328/1 "2010-12-16T03:58:31Z")
I want to transfer music and pictures from my old Vista machine to my new Windows 7 machine. Can I do it simply using a usb cable, or do I need to buy special software and/or cables? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transfer-data-from-one-computer-to-another/564328/2 "2010-12-16T04:07:42Z")
Start Button\>All Programs\>Accessories\>System Tools\> Windows Easy Transfer (In Win 7) ETA: I haven’t tried it but it seems a USB cable should be all you need. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transfer-data-from-one-computer-to-another/564328/3 "2010-12-16T04:08:22Z")
[http://www.errorbank.com/microsoft-windows/windows-7/qa-how-do-i-connect-my-netbook-to-my-desktop-with-windows-7-wired/](http://www.errorbank.com/microsoft-windows/windows-7/qa-how-do-i-connect-my-netbook-to-my-desktop-with-windows-7-wired/) If you don’t have a router and want to use the crossover cable method, they’re very inexpensive at [monoprice.com](http://monoprice.com). [http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword="Cat5+Ethernet+Crossover+Cable&x=14&y=14](http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword=%22Cat5+Ethernet+Crossover+Cable&x=14&y=14) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transfer-data-from-one-computer-to-another/564328/4 "2010-12-16T04:12:13Z")
Just get a thumbdrive with decent capacity. It will be more useful than a cable. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transfer-data-from-one-computer-to-another/564328/5 "2010-12-17T15:23:13Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > If you don’t have a router … If you do, networking the two computers together is highly recommended. Another very useful technique is to get an external HDD enclosure that accepts the drive from your old PC. You can then connect this to the new PC (typically via USB) and grab files to your heart’s content. When done you also have an excellent way to do backups from your new machine. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transfer-data-from-one-computer-to-another/564328/6 "2010-12-18T00:51:50Z")
I have used Windows Easy Transfer 3x now (XP-\>W7, Vista-\>W7, W7-\>W7), and it worked just fine. I put the file created on an external hard drive, then plugged the HD into the new computer, ran the utility again, and it brought over files and settings. You do have to reinstall programs. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transfer-data-from-one-computer-to-another/564328/7 "2010-12-18T00:58:55Z")
You should really have an external hard drive bigh enough that you can copy all those files to. You can use it for this file transfer, and it will also serve as a backup device. You do want to have a backup, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transfer-data-from-one-computer-to-another/564328/8 "2010-12-18T02:27:54Z")
> [@Alpine](#): > > I have used Windows Easy Transfer 3x now (XP-\>W7, Vista-\>W7, W7-\>W7), and it worked just fine. I put the file created on an external hard drive, then plugged the HD into the new computer, ran the utility again, and it brought over files and settings. You do have to reinstall programs. I’ve done these same versions and W7 on a couple of different machines. It works great. Even better you can transfer over all of your setting, internet explorer favorites, all the icons on the desktop, etc. As pointed out, your external disc drive then is also your backup drive. I use the Windows Easy Transfer about once a month just to make a backup. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transfer-data-from-one-computer-to-another/564328/9 "2010-12-18T20:53:18Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > I use the Windows Easy Transfer about once a month just to make a backup. I never thought of that! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transfer-data-from-one-computer-to-another/564328/10 "2010-12-18T22:19:22Z")
They do make special USB cables for file transfers (usually called easy transfer cables), but I don’t think you can just attach a regular male-to-male cable to both computers. The external hard drive is going to be faster than most Ethernet networking and certainly a heckuvalot easier to use. ETA: Is there any advantage to using Easy Transfer for backups instead of the built-in backup program?