never quite done this before so I want to get some tips, advice. We have a machine running XP with a bunch of shit we want to transfer to a new machine running 8. We also have a new Toshiba 2TB Canvio Desk external HDD we want everything backed up to. Never used Win8 before now. What is the best way to do this? I can’t seem to find any concise easy to follow steps in my cursory search.
Thanks for any help.
It’s really as simple as plugging the HD into the Windows XP computer, copying your “shit” to it, then plugging it into the Windows 8 computer and copying the “shit” back to the built-in drive. XP and Windows 8 use the same HD format, and USB HDs are compatible with virtually everything with a USB port, so.
What part are you having trouble with?
What exactly is your “bunch of shit” that you want to transfer? If it’s just data, that’s easy. As Blakeyrat said, you just plug the HD into one computer, copy the files onto it, plug the HD into the other computer, and copy them off.
If you want to transfer programs, that’s a bit trickier. You are much better off re-installing the programs. Most programs these days have all sorts of things like DLLs and registry entries that they use, so you usually can’t just copy the program’s folder from one machine to another and have it work. Copying a program’s data from one computer to another depends on that program. With some programs you can just copy the data and that’s it. With other programs though you’ll find oddball things like they have some stuff related to the data stored in the registry. It all depends on how they wrote the program.
Data can just be transferred, applications will need to be reinstalled, and settings can be migrated using Windows Easy Transfer (which can also transfer data).
Thanks all. I figured it wasn’t rocket surgery but just wanted to make sure.
I’d do it like this:
Copy the files from the XP machine to the HD (leave the original files on the XP machine as backup)
**Move **the files from the HD to the new PC (leaving the HD empty)
Set up File History on the new PC, using the HD as removable backup
Argh! Did something wrong or skipped something. BTW I’m using NTI Backup for the software. I did a full backup which showed as complete. Hooked up the new PC and ran restore, but only got a few files.
So what I’d like to try is just physically hooking up the old to the new with a USB cable and doing it that way, but again, never done it so not sure how. Where in XP to I initiate the transfer?
One more question. Should the transfer automatically select all photos and videos, etc, or do they need to be in certain folders?
It sounds like you’re over complicating it a bit.
Your documents and photos on the XP machine should be in a folder somewhere like: C:\Documents And Settings[your name]\
Your documents in Windows 8 go into a folder somewhere like C:\users[your name]\
Just plug the USB drive into the XP machine, copy the whole Documents And Settings folder to it.
When this is complete, plug the drive into the Windows 8 machine and browse the contents of the folder on it, **moving **bits and pieces to the relevant documents/pictures folder as appropriate.
If you COPY from XP to the drive, then MOVE from the drive to the Win8 machine, You’ll know when you’re done, because there’ll be nothing left on the drive.
OK, I’ll try that tonight. Thanks
I meant to say: left-click and drag to copy. Right-click and drag to move (a menu will appear)