transfering files

okay, so I am got a new computer for christmas, but i have all my files and everything important still saved on my old comp, just wondering how I can easily and effectively transfer my (word documents,music files, etc...) to my new comp? What's the best way to go about doing this?

 

Easiest way would be to remove the hard drive from your old machine and put it into your new machine as a secondary master then copy your files over to the new hard drive. When you have done that return the old hard drive to the old computer, or if you are junking the old computer then keep the hard drive in the new machine and format it for backup or downloads etc.

 

that sounds really complicated... I'm pretty new to all of this... any guides that could help me through that, or other suggestions? Thanks!

 

its a pretty simple thing to do depending on how confident you are and wether you bought a pre built computer as often is the case that if you remove the side panel you automatically void the warranty
but if you want to try theres plenty of us here who will guide you through it

otherwise does your old pc have a cd rewriter if so you can copy documents etc onto a cd then load them in your new pc

 

You can also use a direct cable connection between serial ports on each machine.

 

g1lga,

bb said he was new to all this: I think you'd better just lightly explain what you mean, or he'll have no idea. It shouldn't take much to lay that one out for him and it might be his answer.

 

thanks for all the suggestions guys, yes my old comp has a cd burner, guess I should probably just burn the files to a cd huh, sounds easy enough lol, do you guys think this way of transferring data will be effective? Hope the files will transfer from one comp to the other without any problems.

 

If its just data it should be no problem. If you are talking about transfering programs then theres a problem.

If you are just transfering .doc .zip mp3's or any kind of file that a program like word or zip produced then there is no problem just burn then on cd and load them up on any folder you wish on the other computer.

Be careful and make sure that cd is burned properly. and make sure you check it works on the other computer before deleting the originals.

To make it easier burn the folders with the files in them and not just the files that way they will remain just like you had them originally then you can load the folders instead of just the files

 

ya, it should just be basic files and data...but there are some programs I would like to put on my new comp without having to download them again, I still have their installation shortcuts on my old comp, could I burn those to a disk also or am I getting in over my head?

 

WHen you say installation shortcuts you mean the actual program right.

the actual file you downloaded from the internet is what I mean.

if that is the case then the answer is no problem. the file will be treated just as another file would.

if you mean a program you downloaded then installed then the answer is no
the program will write files in many places once you run it.

 

ya, I mean the actual file I downloaded from the net, thanks for ur help guys

 

You might want to look for a removable hard drive if all you want to do is move applications from one puter to another. They're small thingees that look like a mini-flashlight (small enough to go on a key chain) and plug into your USB2 port. They show up in Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer) as a seperate HD. All you do is (A) drag and drop the apps you want to transfer to the removable drive (B) take the removable drive over to your new 'puter,(C) plug it in to the USB2 port (D) find the drive in Windows Explorer and move the apps from the removable drive to the proper folder on your new HD. They hold up to 256 Megs (some newer ones hold 512 or more) and usually sell for about 40 or 50 bucks (with the mfgrs. rebate) at places like Best Buy or PC Club. Very handy devices

 

You're right Wise, my bad but it was my wifes birthday and I had to run out of the door. Next time I'll do better

 

I'm a little afraid we're just confusing you here, bb. Bill says you can move apps from one machine to the other, but he doesn't mean you can move INSTALLED apps from one to the other. Installed programs (like MS Office Apps or Quicken, ... that sort of thing) have a lot of entries in the registry that are put there when the program is installed. If you just move an installed program's folder (all of its files) from one machine to another, it won't run on the new machine, because it hasn't been INSTALLED, and the new machine's registry doesn't "know" it's there.

BUT, if you have the original INSTALLATION files for the programs ("the actual file I downloaded from the Net"), you can move those over to the new machine, and then RUN them to INSTALL the programs on the new machine. No problem. And a small USB drive would be really handy for that (as bill suggested) if you've got a lot of installation files.

That what you meant, bill?

 

Exactly right Wiz. Sorry BBrich, I didn't mean to confuse you. That's why WiseWiz is one of the best on MG for advice -- including advice on the correct way to give it.

 

I hope you meant via parallel.


Serial is limisted to 115kbps, twice the speed of 56k.

Imagine transferring several gigs that way.

 

thanks again guys, I understood everything you guys explained, except for g1lgam3sh's first post...I'm still scratching my head on that one j/k

 

how to use slave hard drive when puter first boots up?

Could someone please tell me what keys I should use to to use my slave hard drive when the computer first boots up? The mobo see's the slave and my primary hard drive also see's it. Also when I click on it in my primary hard drive to transefer files to it, it asks me if I would like to format this drive. Is this what it should be doing and should I format it? I have never used 2 hard drives befor so am a little unsure of what to do.

thx for your time....winterwolf

 

Re: how to use slave hard drive when puter first boots up?

Hello there, winterwolf, Welcome to Major Geeks!!

You may want to post your own brand new, specially made for you thread, so folks will better be able to help you. Just give it a nice title, and tell us what kind of Operating Sytem, and all your hardware specs, etc.

But, before you do that, read this!!

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/announcement.php?f=21

Have a good day, and once again, Welcome!

Eric