How do I get everything I need from old pc?

I've just got myself a new(ish!) pc and am now needing to know how to go about transferring what I want from the old one, onto the new one - things like photos, my mobile phone picture saver, etc., etc. Will all the things in My Documents need transferring too - this has also got shed loads of bits that I need to keep!

Can someone please help me step by step as to what to do - I've only ever set up a pc without needing to transfer anything before, so this is all new to me.

I'm not very pc literate and tend to have learnt what I do know, thru trial and error.......lol.....

Thankyou SO much xx:wave

 

Knowing your Operating System would help. Also if they are Desktop or Laptop machines.

If XP:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...18-CBDB-47C0-B7C2-77C4CC37A450&displaylang=en

http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/fast.php


Or, if you have a CD burner, grab any user files and copy them back into the "new" user(s) directories.


I copy the user specific, not system common, files from;

C:\Documents and Settings\%_%_Users_name_%_%\Desktop

C:\Documents and Settings\%_%_Users_name_%_%\Cookies (if the user wants them)

C:\Documents and Settings\%_%_Users_name_%_%\Favorites (if the user wants them)

C:\Documents and Settings\%_%_Users_name_%_%\My Documents

C:\Documents and Settings\%_%_Users_name_%_%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book?????????

If using MS Outlook Express
C:\Documents and Settings\%_%_Users_name_%_%\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{445BA***************************} \Microsoft\Outlook Express\*user*.dbx files

If using MS Office Outlook
C:\Documents and Settings\%_%_Users_name_%_%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\*user*.pst files

C:\Documents and Settings\%_%_Users_name_%_%\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Themes (if applicable)

C:\Documents and Settings\%_%_Users_name_%_%\Recent (if they want it)

C:\Documents and Settings\%_%_Users_name_%_%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

C:\Documents and Settings\%_%_Users_name_%_%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

And any personal files which ~may~ have been saved to the root directory. ( C:\ )

 

there is a files and transfer wizard, but i think you need a special cable to hook them up? it would probably be best if you had an external h/d to x-fer all your stuff. just try remember where you have stuff saved at (ie - desktop, my documents, my music, my pictures, ie favorites, c:downloads, etc. etc) that is what dan was pointing out. if you need more specifics then just ask. g/l - sos

 

Aside from connecting them with a cable, burning CDs is generally best, if you can. Then comes external USB drives, but I've worked with many older computers that can't use them. If you have to use floppies, usually some files are too big, and need to be spanned across several disks, which WinZip can do fairly well. It often takes a lot of floppies, or you can reuse them after the data is on the new PC.

I sometimes install my old drive in a new desktop unit temporarily. However, it is possible to damage the new unit while installing the old drive, so this is probably not for most people. You only need to find and use 2 cables in the case, but components may be loosened and the cables are easily damaged.

As far as software goes, it's generally best to just reinstall them on the new PC from the install disks. (I think legally, you're supposed to uninstall most software from the old PC first, or check the license.) You will need to reset the options afterwards, unless the program has a way of transferring them.

If the operating systems or applications are different, some files may not work after transfer. Then you have to find converters.

I keep the old PC around for a while, until I'm sure all of the transfer worked. I sometimes do transfers a bit at a time, to make sure each works with the new system. I still maintain for business use an old mid-80s IBM PC-XT: The first IBM PC to have a hard drive, I think. I had transferred the files to newer ones, but they kept developing problems, and were soon too new to run the old stuff well, but the old one is still going just as it used to, which is still more than is needed. (It's not on the Internet.) However, modern computers generally don't last that long, and it's good to be current.

 

Hi Guys,
Thanks for your replies! I've just got 98se on this pc (desktop) - the newer one will be on XP.

I feel a lot 'safer' putting what I want to save, onto cd, then transferring it on - plus, knowing if I boo boo it up trying to put it onto the new pc, I know it won't have been lost as it's still there on the shiney circle!!

I know you've set out how you copy your files, but could you possibly go thru that from beginning to copying - in laymans terms. I've copied things to cd/floppies years ago, but I can't remember how I did it and I'd really like to be able to try and get this done in one go - as in, not have to keep switching pc's around so I can retrieve more bits!

Thanks so much guys for helping - I live way out in the sticks and there's nobody near enough to help me sort this.

 

*puts thinking cap on* it's been a while since i've used 98. i don't know if you can "right click" and send to the cd drive then copy? or if you have to open your program to copy to cd? either way, i'd play around a bit.

if it were me i'd copy what i want to cd (instead of moving). sometimes when i move stuff (maybe the stuff is too big), i get an error. what i do nowdays, is i copy stuff, and when it's good, i move the stuff that i copied to a different folder (ie - moved stuff), or delete it if i know for sure it was good.

it would probably be better if you used cd-rw's, so you can reuse them later, but not necessary.

i still have a 98 comp, and have been slowly getting stuff off of there (via a zip drive - i think they are crap - disks go bad alot, or maybe it's my drives?). anyway, i don't have a usb port on there (but that would be way easier).

either way, it's going to be a slow process, i wouldn't be in to much of a hurry, as you might forget stuff. g/l - sos

 

Hi SOSAMAN,
I've just had a quick play around on odd bits, but when I right click it's only doing the 'Send To' on the 'A' drive.
There's USB's on this old pc - is it possible to connect them both up and me take the info that way - am I now getting above my station sounding like I know what I'm on about???? I'd still like to get everything onto a cd - I lost thousands of photos a couple of years ago and I'm paranoid now of losing stuff on here.

Would a regular cd be too small to copy, lets say, everything from 'My Documents', or would each folder from that need to be copied seperately?

 

You'd need a special cable, called a 'lap-link' cable or simply a 'USB data transfer cable'. I'm pretty sure both PCs have to be running Windows XP, so one with 98 and the other with XP isn't going to work. Burning to a CD is ideal (use CDRWs if possible so you can erase and reuse them when the job is done).

A regular CD holds 700mb; a CDRW holds 650mb. Right click on My Documents and click Properties to find out how big the folder is. If the Win98 computer has a CD burner, you can use one of several free CD burning applications, some are available here at Major Geeks. Windows98 doesn't have built-in CD burning like WinXP, so here's a few free programs for CD burning that are compatible with Win98:
Express Burn http://www.majorgeeks.com/Express_Burn_d4573.html
MicroBurner http://www.softpedia.com/get/CD-DVD-Tools/Data-CD-DVD-Burning/Silentnight-Micro-CD-Burner.shtml (this is free but has a 'nag screen')
BurnRight http://www.kiwialpha.com/burnright/index.htm
EasyBurner http://www.majorgeeks.com/EASY_Burning_d5392.html
They're all free and compatible with Win98....

 

DLB is on the right track here with his suggestion for a USB cable. You can get an inexpensive USB 2.0 to IDE cable complete with an independant mains power connector which will allow you to use your old drive as an external device and transfer data as needed. I've been using one for data transfer from old drives for some time and it is very efficient. Mine is a Skymaster brand but there are other brands available as well.

 

if you don't have an external h/d, do you have a thumb drive? nowdays, you can get a thumb drive for about $35 for a 4 gbyte, or so. even a 1 gbyte would be good. since you have usb ports that might be alot easier, and/or faster to getting your data off. now, when you plug in your thumb drive (in xp, vista) it will install the drivers, 98 i don't think it will. you might have to d/l the drivers from their website (or sometimes it's on the flash drive), to install on your 98 comp for it to work.


http://www2.pny.com/support/support_single_faq_viewer.aspx?ArticleID=960&RootSectionID=1057
http://www2.pny.com/support/support_single_faq_viewer.aspx?ArticleID=970&RootSectionID=1057
http://www2.pny.com/support/support_single_faq_viewer.aspx?ArticleID=969&RootSectionID=1057
http://www2.pny.com/support/support_single_faq_viewer.aspx?ArticleID=980&RootSectionID=1057

just some stuff to read about it. if your able to use a thumb drive (or external h/d), it would be alot faster than burnng to cd. either way, the end result would be the same. g/l, sos

 

I've just checked the size of My Documents and it says the following:-

720MB (755,796,322 bytes) (759,545,856 bytes used)
Contains 1,821 files, 147 folders.

I don't know what a thumb drive is, sorry - all I have is what's in the this wooden box with Noahs name stamped on the side of it......(that's meant to be a poor joke by the way!)

I might be able to lend a usb data transfer cable from someone at the Air Cadets that I help out at if push comes to shove - would still like to initially try to upload onto a cd tho, but would also like to try just transferring one or two small things via a cable, just for practise for any future attempts.

I've just bought myself a pack of ten CD-R - each holding 700mb, 52 speed, so I'm hoping that these will be ok? I'm just going to download one of those links for burning that DLB has left for me.

Can I just say a huge thanks to you lot for helping me - I'm by no way started/finished yet - PLEASE, keep checking back on here cos I will definately be back (sooner than you think!!) :banghead

 

Ok, I downloaded Express Burn, burnt a copy of my mobile phone bits and it said it was all done. Feeling pretty chuffed, thought I'd next do a copy of my pictures. I've got it set on data cd, clicked add file and it takes me to the mobile phone file that I'd previously used. I click it back thru onto my documents/my pictures, click add and it won't do anything - where have I gone wrong?
I know it's got to be something simple I've not done, but I've sat back, stared and logic just seems to be flying way over my head........help!!

 

ok, i've never used that software, so i can't answer that. once you've copied the data to a cd, you might have to finalize the cd for it to be read in another cd drive/comp? i'm sure someone will come along and correct me if i'm wrong. when you put the cd into the other comp does it work, or not? if you right click the drive, can you select open? this is why (well, not the only reason) we suggested cd-rw's as they are re-writable, vs cd-r's. anyway, not a big issue (unless you get bad burns that aren't readable).

now that i've re-read your response. maybe you might have to drag the files to that folder (your cd drive - ie. drive, etc)? or see if you can right click and send to that drive? or maybe the files are to big to fit on the disk? in your other post you said the folder was 700 mbyte (below), which is to big to fit on your cd. are you trying to do the whole folder at once? have you switched disks? more details plz.

plz, post a screen shot if you still have trouble, so we can see what's up.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=26019 <-- Taking Screenshots

a thumb drive is basically an external h/d but alot smaller. it's about the size of a bic lighter (regular size), however thumbdrives do vary, i've seen some about the size of a min bic or smaller. anyway, maybe you can ask your friends and maybe borrow one? you just have to find the drivers from the manufacturer. i only suggested this option as it would have been quicker (if the drivers work).

i'm fixin' to call it a day, however help is always here. let us know how you do. g/l - sos

 

Will have to call it a night myself too - the few bits of grey matter that I have have switched themselves off!

I'll have another look tomorrow and if need be, post a screenshot of what I'm getting!

Thanks again SOS.

 

Invest in a "Flash Drive" (Thumb Drive) you won't regret it!

I have a 2gig and an 8gig, and I use them for everything...

Transferring files between computers, to me, it is much faster than LAN hookups without the hassles too.

Most computers; just plug 'em in to a USB port and the operating system should find it, however... as Dan mentioned, you "may" have to download the driver for it to use with 98se. (I'm not sure) XP finds it very well though.

Hope this helps,
Doc

 

I can't see anything that says 'Close Session', but at the minute, I'm part way thru burning what I want off My Documents - head working now and I realised what I needed to do to burn a new cd off......

Going to ask at Cadets in a bit to see if they've got one of these data cables to have a bash at trying that too. I've not got the other pc even plugged in yet - it's to go here where this one is sitting, hence me wanting to try n make a head start on getting some of the bits I want off this one cos I don't want to end up realising I've missed something big and have to re-set the other one back up again. I won't be getting rid of this old one until I'm 200% sure I've got everything I need tho.

Time to go, will look in later and see if there's any other bits I need to know!

 

What I've done is delete all the files I didn't want copying (and there was quite a bit!) and it's all fit onto the one cd. I think I've just about done all the things I want - the pc will still be here, so if I have forgotten anything, I know I can still find it later.

Oh well, I'll be switching pc's later then, yipppeeeee!!!

You guys have been ace - it's nice to know there are folks 'out there' who have the patience to help us folks who aren't that smart (but SOOOOOOooooooo wish they were!! lol)

Cheers to you all - I'll post back when I've got it all done!

 

Just a few lines to say I'm on the new(er) pc and bar one or two bits, managed to get all the bits I wanted from the old one, put on here!

The only thing I've left to do for now, is re-install that link for the cd burner (lol, now I've sussed how to use it!).

Cheers you guys, I know I'll be back with more 'HELP me' questions at a later date - so don't you all get moving too far from your screens ehh? lol

 

Good to hear. Congrats....