New Computer - Moving Files

[KHolleger Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close KHolleger]

I just bought a new laptop. How can I easily moved everything from my old desktop to the new laptop?

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I like using a large USB Pen drive. Just transer evey thing to the USB hard drive then plug it into the the new lap top and the files are there for you to save.

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

The USB pen drive suggested by Frank really does make transferring files easy. Simply plug it in to the old PC and you will see a new 'Removable Drive' in Windows Explorer. Drag and drop files onto that drive then plug it in to the new machine and reverse the process.
Remember that all you need to transfer is your own data files. Programmes will have to be installed from the original disks. In most cases you can't simply copy a program directory from one machine to another.

[mshatty Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close mshatty]

If you have too many or too large of files to do the thumb drive, take out your old hard drive and get a exterior HD case for it. It will be a USB connection and an electrical connection. You can then transfer all of your files easily. Also, you will have an exterior harddrive.

A case for the harddrive should cost about $25

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. That way not only will you copy everything, but when the process is complete the new computer will be configured like the old one. Desktop will be the same, bookmarks will be the same, file structure the same, etc.

To access the wizard, select the Accessories group under Run Programs, then look inside the System Tools folder.

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

Does the new laptop have Vista as the operating system? If so I'm not sure that Files and Settings Transfer Wizard will work.