What is the easiest / BEST WAY to transfer data from your old PC to the new PC? (laptop, desktop)
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I'm constantly copying and/or moving files between my laptop and my desktop. On occasion I've sent myself an email with the file(s) attached from one and picked it up on the other, but usually, like grannynancy, I use a flash drive - that's the easiest way for me. Sometimes I'll use the "move" command and other times just a straight "copy" (ie with "move", the file picks up and leaves and goes completely to the new location without leaving a copy of itself as opposed to "copy" wherein it just makes a copy of itself which goes to the new location, thus I still have the file on both computers.)
When I upgraded to a new computer and I wanted to transfer a massive amount of files from the old one to the new one, I removed the old hard drive (a couple of screws and detaching the connector - how simple!) and purchased an external enclosure. I plopped the old drive into the enclosure and attached it to the new computer with the included USB cable. In some cases I actually moved files from the old to the new (using either the "move" command or the "save as" command) or I just kept the files stored on the external hard drive and I use them from there.
I did try the cabling thing between two computers once, and for me it was a disaster - I just couldn't get the two computers to talk to each other. Flash drives, without a doubt, are the easiest and simplest way for me to move files.
I've used the Windows Files and Settings Transfer Wizard several times. I chose to make a folder on the old machine's hard disk, put the transfer files there, then either move the hard disk or copy the files to a USB drive, take them to the new machine and run the Wizard to place the files where they need to be.
It's not perfect, but it works pretty well. As I recall, it didn't transfer a few details in the email connection settings and some of the stored passwords didn't make it. Overall, I had the stuff moved and the new machine in use in an evening.
I'm in a 'lazy' mood so look for QUICK REP ONLY from me with NO comments !
I haven't had to deal with this type of issue for 8 yrs, so it's making my brain ache to figure out the correct way to proceed ?! I now realize that I really should back up my old computer before I do the data transfer . How do I find out if my old pc will take a flash drive? How do I decide between buying an external hard drive or a flash drive for transfer and back-up purposes? Alright, I just checked out Amazon for flash drives and my head is REALLY spinning from all the choices !!! Please let me know how to choose one?!
For anyone that's actually done the USB cable method, I am trying to understand if I have 2 desktop pcs, but only 1 monitor, will it still work? I get the impression that I will have to go back and forth, plugging and unplugging the monitor to the old and new pc to make it work !! Does this make sense???
For anyone that's actually done the USB cable method, I am trying to understand if I have 2 desktop pcs, but only 1 monitor, will it still work? I get the impression that I will have to go back and forth, plugging and unplugging the monitor to the old and new pc to make it work !! Does this make sense???
No, you won't have to plug and replug anything. I had a gizmo that I called a "Spider" - in real life it was a Belkin KVM Switch like below.
My two computers, my one monitor, my one keyboard, and my one printer hooked into it, and with a keyboard key that I designated I could switch from one computer drive to the other and back again. I'm not very computer literate, but I could set up the "Spider" and use it easily.
As for USB capability on your old computer, if you've not had to deal with this for 8 years, I'm guessing the computer is that old? If so, it probably does have USB ports, but they might not be the 2.0 (my computer is old, and the two USB ports on the front are 1.0, but the four in the back are 2.0).
grannynancy's link to USB FAQ is worth using to see if your computer has USB 2.0 or lower.
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) and I know that the Computer store can do it for me 
, but has anyone here ever used PCMover 
? 
if she was computer literate, but not a computer GEEK 
??!
Thank you for all your responses!
so look for QUICK REP ONLY from me with NO comments 
!
. How do I find out if my old pc will take a flash drive? How do I decide between buying an external hard drive or a flash drive for transfer and back-up purposes? Alright, I just checked out Amazon for flash drives and my head is REALLY spinning from all the choices 
!! Does this make sense???
