Transferring Programs & Files to new XP Machine

Well, I'm awaiting a new Dell 9200 and will want to put most of the programs and files I have on it.

I've copied My Documents, Desktop, Program Files, etc. to CD's and I'm wondering if just loading them into the new machine the programs/files will be usable?

I don't use Outlook, address books or stuff like that. I'm hoping the CD's will put my Favorites on the 9200.

Or, do I really have to use the Transfer Wizard on my XP CD? I would like to avoid doing it that way.

Thanks for any suggestions or help...

 

The best tip you'll get - copy only your personal files to the new system.

Perform a new install for any programs that you want to keep. Do not copy any old program files forward and do not use the transfer Wizard.

Good luck.

 

surferdude2--

Could you elaborate on that? I have seen it recommended quite often.

ToroGuns--I agree with surferdude2 that you can only transfer personal files using a CD. You cannot transfer anything involving the Registry (like installed programs) that way. There are programs for transferring more, like PC Relocator (formerly AlohaBob), but I think it best to stick to transferring just the personal items to such an advanced PC.
I did it just a few months ago. Worked fine. I transferred individual personal items from the old PC into "New" folders on the new PC, and then dragged and dropped them into the appropriate places on the new. If the old PC is not running XP, almost all the folders like My Documents, Favorites, etc. are in different places on XP, and you want to use the folders that XP has already set up.
P.S. It is OK to transfer set up files for programs, but you cannot transfer the installed program by just copying from a CD.

 

That's just me and my belief in the two axioms, "Garbage In, Garbage Out" and "KISS." I feel it's best to keep a new system clean from any influence from the old. I realize it may take longer or require more expertise but I think the extra effort will pay off most of the time.

The natural order of computer systems is chaos. It takes longer to get that way if we start clean. I like to know what I'm dragging aboard. I trust me more than I trust the Wizard.

 

OK, just finished exporting favorites and cookies to 'my documents' and then burned them to a cd.

So I guess I will have to download and install all my programs again, but first a question... I've saved most of the setup.exe programs to 'my docs' and have burned them to a cd. Will just clicking on them in the new computer install them or will I have to go to Snapfiles and do it all over again? I have all the time in the world to do this, so it's not a problem, but would like to avoid it.

Once again, thanks to everybody on this forum who have helped me over the the last few months!

 

PeteC--My memory is not so great anymore, but I do not think I exported/imported Favorites, Cookies or anything else (except possibly email folders) when I made the transfer. As mentioned, I transferred the old files into New folders on the new PC (so I would not have duplicate folder names) and then I dragged and dropped the individual old files out of the New folder into the appropriate folders on the new PC. I did not just substitute the old folder for the new.