Transferring Software And Settings Between Laptops

My Providers just purchased for me a new laptop, and it should soon arrive. I have flash drives I left at my mother's house. I can use them to transfer software, but how do I transfer settings?

 

You cannot transfer either software or settings. Everything needs to be installed from scratch.

 

Oh. What is the fastest way to transfer GBs of downloads from one laptop to another?

 

If you were to Google this you will come across numerous ways to do this but, tbh, as you can only install one software at a time I would recommend sticking with the simplest which is to copy your installation files with a flash drive. You might also want to download later versions in many cases.

 

Okay. Last time I checked, I had over 20GB of downloads--I clicked Properties and canceled a little after the 20GB mark. I should still be able to do the copy, as I have 64GB flash drives--some empty.

 

I recommend you don't copy them all at once but one at a time, checking if there is a later version each time. You don't want to clutter the new laptop up with old or rarely used software.

 

Uhh...there are too many of them to copy one at a time. If I copy them one at a time, though, I can remove unused items.

 

Truthfully, if you do a lot at a time, you will have issues. So you don't save any time by trying to copy all at once because you'll spend days troubleshooting.
Of course, sometimes you have to learn the hard way before it makes an impression. I learned by doing lots of things the wrong way over the decades.

 

Plodr: I would be copying the .zip files and installers I downloaded containing the programs, not the installed programs. I really wanted to copy the installed versions, though. I believe I can copy most of my emulators as installed, as I think they put their settings in .ini files.

 

TimW: neither laptop is a Lenovo laptop. Can I still get the Migration program? If so, where?

 

It seems the best method is to use a flash drive. Apparently, I have to reinstall everything. Is there a way to transfer Registry settings? I know about RegEdt32 and exporting keys. Which settings should I copy?

 

I might or might not get a USB network cable soon. If I don't, I still have a free 64GB flash drive I can use.

 

TimW: I downloaded the program. Can it transfer via flash drive?

 

I just tried to run the program, and it said it doesn't transfer programs, and I'm not willing to buy the commercial version. So, for now, via flash drive is the best approach.

 

It is an Acer laptop, but I don't know the model. It has two USB 2.0 ports and a USB 3.1 port, though.

 

It is still being shipped--I didn't get it yet.

 

One more question: how do I transfer my browser settings to the new laptop? I don't remember my passwords.

 

A browser is a program. Programs are NOT TRANSFERABLE.
Determine the browser passwords by opening privacy and security and looking at them. You'll se username and there is a button to show passwords. Write them down or using the snipping tool to save a screenshot. Print out the screenshot.

Install your browser(s) on the new laptop. You can transfer favorites/bookmarks. I do it by backing up bookmarks. Copying to a USB stick and putting the stick in a new computer after I have the browser installed and selecting import bookmarks. Go to each site in your bookmarks and type in the password for that site.

 

The fastest way to transfer GB of data? You can copy it to a USB key and move it, but since the new PC is USB 3, you'd definitely want a good USB 3 key, you won't see the speed copying from the original machine (unless it is USB 3), but copying back to the new one should be a lot faster. Be aware not all USB drives are created equal, some are made very cheaply and you'll notice when copying file they are very slow..very slow. Another option is to network them, save the time of copying to and from.
Here is a breakdown, but there are factors such as the cheaply made controllers on a USB drive I mentioned earlier, or weather you have a Gigabit network card in the system.
USB 1.0 (12 Mbps)
Ethernet (100 Mbps)
USB 2.0 (480 Mbps)
Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps)
USB 3.1 (10 Gbps), then USB 3.0 (5 Gbps)

Transferring program settings: What is the original OS? MS use to have a tool for migrating, might be out there somewhere. You can read more here: https://www.howtogeek.com/413193/how-to-migrate-a-windows-user-to-different-windows-10-pc/ one tool they mention https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/transwiz.html another to look at is Fab's Auto BackUp

Another tool if you have a decent Internet connect is https://ninite.com/ select the software you want, download it, run it and it will install all your selections without your interaction.

My work uses PC Mover, it's expensive but works, we have the USB cable, USB drives and I usually use a wired network, seems best over all (my opinion).

 

I also want to network some computers, so I can use the USB network cable to transfer the information. Where can I get the USB cable and software? I want to network Win10 to WinXP, Win10 to Win98 and WinXP to Win98 but only two at a time.

BTW, you said PC Mover is expensive. I'm not willing to spend more than $50 for a transfer that will probably take place only once for the next few years.

 

Please don't network XP and 98 to a Windows 10 computer! Those old OSes should not be connected to a modern system.

 

plodr: understood. Than you for the warning!

TimW: I don't know the model #, as I didn't look at it on the advertisement. I should get the laptop next week and will know then.

BTW, I know how to use RegEdt32. If I want to transfer all my software, which settings do I need to export then import?

 

The laptop came yesterday, but I didn't get it in my hands yet. I am reformatting a 64GB flash drive now, as it broke. It will be used to transfer the software. BTW, the format just finished, but it took a while.

 

I had two broken flash drives and reformatted them. It worked. I tried to copy all my downloads to them. Both times, it took forever. Then, during the copy, both flash drives broke. :'( The first symptom as an I/O error, forgot which. The second symptom was that the target folder couldn't be found. The third symptom was that the drive either didn't appear in This PC or appeared with no information and a default icon. The fourth symptom was, when I tried to format the drive, Windows responded saying that there is no disk in the drive. I need to repair these drives then copy my downloads to one. How do I do that?

 

No, but I want to prepare the files to transfer first.

 

I thank you for your advice. I decided not to get the network cable, as it will be used only once. How else can I transfer the data? BTW, how can I fix the broken flash drives?

 

Forget the broken flash drives. You need something like this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/WD-Elements-Portable-Hard-Drive/dp/B06WLL85ZJ

 

No. I'm waiting to get the software ready to transfer to the new laptop first.

I am at my mother's house right now and found a small flash drive, but it's only 16GB. It can still do the job, but only a little at a time. Any tips on how to avoid breaking this flash drive like I broke two others?

 

I still don't have possession of the laptop. I probably can ask for it, though. But I have to go home first. I'm at my mother's house right now.

 

PC Mover from Laplink works well you do have to pay for a license I think it is around 30.00 dollars saves you from having to reinstall all of your software and it moves your files and settings, as well as all email and folders doing that manually, takes a long time

 

It's too late for that. I already have the laptop up and running.

 

I pitched that before he got the laptop - another thing is the program is a one use, so you can only transfer one PC, then you have to buy another license.