alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Is there a way to transfer the stuff I want to keep off my old one?

Mine is only 256k RAM and 80GB hard drive.

I fancy one with photo card readers, 160GB or higher HD, 2GB RAM, TFT screen, etc.

Any advice gladly received, Alcazar

StickyMicky

how many things do you want to swap over?

usb flash drives come in crazy sizes now, i was looking at 8gb ones for 20quid the other day!!

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

Take the drive from the old machine and mount it as a slave in the new one. You'll boot from the new drive, but be able to access everything on the old one.

If the case is too small to allow this, do it with the cover off for long enough to copy the files.

If you are building the new machine yourself, make sure Windows is loading and running before connecting the old drive!



M

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

EEK! That sounds complicated

I was hoping for something more along the line of, "Buy yourself an XYZ cable and away you go."

Alcazar

spectrum48k

there's a files and settings transfer wizard that may be of use to you in Windows XP ?

start > all programs > accessories > system tools > files and settings transfer wizard

Bodgit

if you buy a vista pc you purchase a usb cable to connct the 2 pc's and that transfer the data for you.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Well that's what my youngest said, but I tend to treat what my lads say about computers with the utmost caution.

Alcazar

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

IDE to USB connection - cheap and easy ! Drive shows up like any other !

I wouldnt bother throwing it in the new PC

ide to usb, Cables Connectors, Drives Storage, Desktop PC Components items at low prices on eBay.co.uk

mykp

if you have a router / hub, and ethernet ports in each machine then you can use the transfer wizard if both machines are connected together via ethernet.

Its quite effective as well except if your new machine has vista, it will transfer all your old email to vista mail! even if you have outlook installed on the new machine.

mykp

just thought, you could use a cross over ethernet cable, if you have ethernet ports

BOB.T

Bung your existing HD in a case and plug it into your new pc via USB

The added bonus being that you can bin your old PC without the worry of anyone getting at your HD

(Assuming you can't just plug it in inside your new case )

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Well this sounds interesting So it'd be an 80GB external HD then?

Would a local computer shop know what I'd need/be able to put it in a case for me?

Alcazar

PeteBrant

Thats what I would go for too - And it means you can keep a copy on the external drive so you have a back up. (by definition and "external drive " comes with its own case and power supply)

(i)Plug in external drive through USB cable into old machine
(ii)Copy stuff from old machine to external drive
(iii)Plug in external drive to new machine
(iv)copy stuff from external drive to new machine
(v)Stand back, light your pipe, and admire your handywork.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

OK, what happens if the OLD drive is using XP, (which it is), and the NEW drive comes with Vista?

Alcazar

Ghetto Dude3

should just swap the tasty files across
i was going to suggest the "plug it in the new machine" thing but was thinking that the new pc might not have the ide stuff built in (sata only?)


if you can get va cable to convert the ide drive into usb then go for that IMO

unless its more expensive then a cheap usb pen stick?
you might use this cable once, you might use a decent usb stick more then once?

this all sounds overcomplicated now

ChrisB

Nothing much.

PeteBrant

No problem at all - A file is a file.

Just to clarify - we are talking "files" here - like photos and word documents and spreasheets and the like - Not actual programs like "Microsoft Word" etc.


The files you can transport. The programs you can't.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Ah.........so I'd lose my "special" version of MSWord, then?

Wouldn't it just stay on the "external" HD, though, and be available for use there?

Gawd, why are computers so complicated?

Alcazar

PeteBrant

Correct - Unless you have the installation files on a CD or saved on the computer.

Any program you have "installed" on the old machine will have to be "reinstalled" on the new machine, and to do that you need the orignal discs, or, the original setup programe stored on your external drive.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Well that's putting me off having a new one then.

I've not heard owt good about Vista, and my youngest reckons that the 2007 Word is crap.

Alcazar

BOB.T

Sal's dad has just bought a new PC and we did exactly this, we even got the case from PC World! It's dead easy to do, it's just a case of a few screws and a couple of wires (which you can't get wrong). There's no installation or owt. As you say, you effectively end up with an external hard drive.

John's new PC came with an IDE connection (it runs SATA) and spare power leads but there was nowhere to mount the HD so we used the external case.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Its not crap its just ... different

PeteBrant

Vista is great and Word 2007 is marvellous.