Installing new computer, need to save old data

3 computers on a Windows network, wifes Old CPU going bye, bye, my wife needs to save emails and some docs and get them to the new computer. I assume if I have to I could do it with a box of floppies, but what is the best way to do so on the network?

Please be gentle.

thanks.

JB

 

The simplest way is to copy the files to one of the other computers on the network assuming "File and printer sharing" is enabled on them.

You copy them to another computer either by dragging and dropping using the right mouse button or copying and pasting using the right mouse button.

I recommend using Copy rather than Move because if you make a mistake or something goes wrong during the transfer, the original will still be available to try again.

If she's using Outlook Express, the address book will have a .wab file extension, preceded by either her user name (might also appear as "default.wab" (without the quotes). You can find out the location of the .wab file in Outlook Express>Tools>Options>Maintenance tab>Store Folder button.

Email is stored in .dbx files; each .dbx file having the same name as the folder that appears in Outlook Express. For example, inbox.dbx, sent items.dbx, etc. Copy them to one of the other computers.

Her documents are most likely in her My Documents folder. Just copy them over to the destination folder on the other computer.

When I do what you're planning, I make a new folder on the destination drive and name it "Files From X" (where X is the name of the computer I'm getting the files from). That puts them all in one place, easy to find when it's time to get them all back onto the new computer.

 

If you do what Miz suggested and make a folder then, just copy over her profile folder : C:\Documents and Settings\username.

That way you will get all e-mails, address book, internet favourites, printer settings, desktop shortcuts, my documents, any third party software settings and a whole host of other stuff that is stored in the registry.

You will need to be logged on as another user to get her registry stuff (a file called ntuser.dat) as it will be in use if she is logged on and won't copy.

When you install her new machine you can copy back any stuff you need.