File Tranfers-new computer

**Scotty** · 26 September 2006, 04:38 PM

Hi,
I am purchasing a new computer (Wednesday pick up day).
I want to transfer all files on old computer to new one using XP's file transfer wizard, will I have to re-install all my programs or will transfer wizard accomplish this?
I presently have two Drives C:-windowsXp and G:\-where I keep my program files and data files. I intend to keep one G: drive as data drive and use the drive on new computer as main drive.
Jim

**Soquili** · 26 September 2006, 05:24 PM

Hi Jim,

The file transfer wizard only copies files. You will have to install the programs for them to update the registry so they will function.

**Availor** · 26 September 2006, 05:44 PM

When I bought my laptop I had the same problem:
There is a usb cable called Link Adapter. I bought it for 30$. You plug it into bother your computers with USB and can always transfare data easily.

I found it to be a fast solution for me.

**Scotty** · 26 September 2006, 05:52 PM

Thank you all for the fast response...I will get back after Wednesday (get Computer then) and let you know how it went.
Jim

**Intbel** · 26 September 2006, 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by Availor

When I bought my laptop I had the same problem:
There is a usb cable called Link Adapter. I bought it for 30$. You plug it into bother your computers with USB and can always transfare data easily.
I found it to be a fast solution for me.

DON'T use this if one PC is using XP and the other is using 'doze '98.
I found this out the hard way ....

**BlueFlare** · 29 September 2006, 05:17 AM

Temporarily attach the old drive to the new computer and copy the files you need.

**matelot** · 04 October 2006, 02:49 AM

On almost the same topic - I recently lost my Network Connections and thus was unable to get on the www. This was the 2nd time this year. First was in March and I was surprised in that I had thought that Win XP Pro was the way to go. After several days on the phone to India, it was decided that I would receive a new XP Pro cd. Following instructions I was able to overwrite the original windows (or at least the parts that mattered). and was back on course again until 5 days ago when the very same thing happened. This time I wound up dealing with MS techs in Nova Scotia. After 3 days following different solutions it was decided that I should install a 'parallel' windows, nothing else was going to work. It was strongly suggested that the reason the 'Repair' facet of win installation would not work was because my hard drive was failing! (A 300 gb and only 9 months old!!) and, just as stongly that I was badly infected no matter that I have Windows Defender; Norton and a modem and router complete with integral firewalls.
In one of the MS responses it was suggested that I also download/install WindowsOneCare which would get rid of ALL infections, tune up my system and also definitely stop all future infections. This I did and, following the 'cleansing' I followed MS tech instructions, used OneCare to backup my system and installed a 'parallel' set of Win XP Pro. Great, now I could get to the www but my drive partitions were all altered and the system could only see 1 cd drive.
Now it was time to 'restore' my backup. OneCaredoes not have a lot of instructions on how to do this but I tried the commands several times but each time my Windows Task manager reported '......not responding'. Back to the telephone and Micro Support! Now, after 5 days they want to get me off their 'slop chit' so, instead of waiting for an analysis of the log, they gave me live help and took over my desktop to 'more efficiently effect this'. That was yesterday and following their instructions I was to use Winzip, select ALL the files in the backup and extract them to a folder 'Backup Temp' they created on my desktop. First I 'explored' the Temp folder and found it contained C D E F. No colons, just the letters. I assumed that the extracted files would be deposited in the Temp folder (as directed) and they would be dispersed to the C D E and F subs as per their origins. Now I find that I cannot open more than 1 zipfile at a time in/from the Backup sooooo, I was faced with opening each zip one at a time. In doing this I got the opprtunity to 'view' the contents before extracting and decided that I could well do without zips 2 thru 15.

Now, I find that I have only extracted zip files 1, 16 thru 43 and my C: drive is full!! Examination of the Backup Temp reveals that 'some; files are shown in the C D E and F ((sub-folders(?)) Sooooooo, not knowing whether I am supposed to move the files from C to C: and D to D: and so on, I am awaiting further assistance from MS.

Before this I did not think I was stupid - just unlucky, now I am not sure.

matelot

**stlewis** · 04 October 2006, 09:19 AM

I would not copy applications etc - most computers are so full of old clutter that it is best to start afresh. Install your applications again, and then copy your work files.

Or consider keeping your old drive as a slave (internal or external) - wipe all the non-work files. I have always either partitioned a single drive - or added a second physical drive and pointed 'My Documents' to it - this means that, except for a few badly behaved apps (like Xara Webstyle

and Actinic) which insist on burying work files in the middle of program folders, it makes backup a doddle - just backup your work drive.

**-=Drifter=-** · 04 October 2006, 01:02 PM

matelot: what a nightmare and what a joke! You have my sympathies - I've been there with similar but different problems and custer-no-service is insane!!! Is it fixed now since you are obviously online or are you on another computer?

**matelot** · 04 October 2006, 03:33 PM

Thanks for the comments (stlewis & Bob) - I agree with the remarks about not copying applications - there simply is no point in it because unless they are re-installed they have no value and cannot be used as applications per se. I do not pretend to know all the idiosyncrasies of Windows (and often wish I had gone the Mac route), I teach 'computers for beginners' to Seniors and stress these kinds of things. BUT, having never used this new system (WindowsOne Care) which has a backup function embedded in it, I wondered if the backup would include the registry keys and thus the 'paths'. If so, I reasoned that I would simply have to re-install my programs such as Xara, etc. and I would be able to continue, (with my learning !!)........with my re-installations finding all the data without problems.

and yes, Bob, I do have a second system which I am using for this purpose. Even tho the other one is functional now I am still waiting for words of comfort (seeds before swine) from the OneCare techie.

I guess the reason for this saga is to alert others to the fact that OneCare is available and appears to be useful (tho it is a pay system after the first 90 days) and also that there is not a lot of direction with the unpaid version even tho it does not appear to be crippled in any way. And because it is a Microsoft product I thought THEY should know how to take care of their own(?)

matelot