Moving to new PC & OS - hints wanted

Hi,

I have just taken the plunge and purchased a new PC with a new operating system.
From: A 100 Mhz Pent which was upgraded over the years from DOS to Win 3.1 to Win95 to Win98.
To: A Pent 4 with XP pro.

What's the easiest way to move NS7 to the new system without missing a beat? I want to take my ISP settings, my bookmarks, and my Email settings and old message files.

Here's where I pray that the answer is easy. You know, copy files X, Y, & Z to the new PC after installing on the new unit.

 

Hi Cal,

Following are steps to use when transferring the Profiles from one PC to another:

Install Netscape 7.0 on the new computer, and run it once in order to create a profile.
Use the same name as the existing Profile on the old PC.

With Netscape closed:
Open Windows Explorer on the old PC
Click on C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\profilename\xxxxxxxx.slt
NOTE: these files are hidden by default
Back up the Profiles folder to your storage media

If you're going to back up on CD, then you should use your Zip program to zip the folder first. Otherwise the file attributes will be changed to "Read Only ". I have yet to determine why this is so. I should add that I have been told this is not necessary for Windows XP, you might want to do it anyway, as an added precaution.

If you have no Zip drive or CD-RW drive, and you have to use floppy disks, these are the files you should copy:
bookmarks.html
cookies.txt
custom.dic
prefs.js
user.js
abook.mab
Mail files (Inbox, Sent, etc., without the msf extension)
Mail Filters (rules.dat)

On the new computer, close Netscape and open Windows Explorer
Copy the files from the floppy disk to the
C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\profilename\xxxxxxxx.slt Folder.
Windows will prompt that these files already exist, and will ask if you wish to overwrite them. Select Yes to answer this question.

If you have storage media other than floppy disks, then simply copy the entire Profile folder. That will include the Mail & Newsgroups. You can then replace the entire Profiles folder on the new PC. I would also suggest copying the Plugins folder, although it may be necessary to reinstall some programs.

As for moving NS7 to the new system without missing a beat... well, what can I tell ya'. Life is never simple, but hopefully this will work. Some folks have no problem and it does go without missing a beat. Others have to move components manually, which is definitely doable. All in all, you can do it!

Post back if you have more questions.

Ramona

 

Pretty Good . . . but

Hi Ramona,

Your answer was great. I was 90% + sucessful following them.

There's only one thing I'd really like to move over to the new machine - my old -email.

My mailbox seems to be set up correctly but there's none of my old mail. I haven't used the XP machine to get mail, because I thought the process would override any new mail.

Thanks for the assistance and here's hoping you have the answer for this one too.

 

Hi Cal,

Did you copy the Mail files (Inbox, Sent, etc., without the msf extension) to your new Mail Folder, and they aren't there when you open Netscape?

If so, post back and we can do it another way.

Ramona

 

Hi Ramona, javascript:smilie('')
smile

Remembering something I've heard you tell others on occasion and something I've told others over the years, I decided to reboot and copy everything once more!

As the elderly folks often yell in large halls in my part of the country, "BINGO!"

Thanks to your advice, this part of the move went really well. Again thanks.

The only item I'm still looking at is a cosmetic one. On the left side of the Toolbar are buttons for Mail, AIM, Home, Radio, My Netscape, and Search. They were not there in WIN98.

I've played with the toolbar settings in Preferences, but nothing changes. Any ideas?

 

Hi Cal,

Congratulations on your success!

If you're talking about the Personal Toolbar from which you wish to rid yourself of those pesky buttons:

Preferences|Navigator:
Enable All the buttons that you want to get rid of... yes you heard me right. In addition to the ones you want to get rid of, also enable "Toolbar Search "

Next:
Disable everything....
Close Netscape
Open Netscape (this shouldn't be necessary, but do it anyway, just to make me smile )

Those Buttons should be history...

Ramona

 

Ramona, you da woman!

How you ever came up with that one will keep me up tonight!

Why didn't I think to enable everything I wanted to disable?

And - just to make you smile, I closed NS after your procedure. Lo and behold, the deal's done.

Again, thanks!