Transferring files and or settings to new computer

I have a new computer and I want to transfer some things like "My Documents ", "My Music ", "My Pictures" etc. to it and my local dealer said there are a couple of ways to do this which eliminate having to backup everything to dvd-rs. One is to buy an external data harddrive and plug it into my current computer and drag into it the folders or files I want to backup and then plug that drive into my new computer and drag the files into my new computer.

Second, buy a crossover network cable which connects my old and new computer together and use the Windows Transfer Wizard to transfer the files from one computer to another. Both computers are running XP Pro but I'm not really sure which method would be the easiest for me to to use. I was going to buy both but he was out of the external harddrive so for the time being I picked up a crossover cable. I've never used the Transfer Wizard before but I messed around with it just to see how it works but have some questions:

1. Do I set it to transfer both Files and Settings or just one or the other?

2. Since I'm really not sure what I'm doing should I let it choose what to transfer or should I try to pick and choose?

3. I have two harddrives, one has 98' (C Drive) on it and my newer one has XP Pro (D Drive). My brother set up my computer so that the 98' boots from the XP drive which now I wish he hadn't. I don't use the old 98' drive anymore (it actually won't even let me get to it now) since all my current files and programs exist on the XP Pro drive. When I tried the Wizard out just to see how it works I could see it was transferring files not only from my D Drive but also from my C Drive which I don't want. I tried unplugging the C Drive but my computer failed to boot so that won't work. How can I keep the C drive files or settings (or both) from being transferred?

4. Would the external data drive just be easier for me to transfer with, should I go try to run one down today?

5. When I eventually get things transferred I still have to reinstall all of my programs, right? I guess I'm a little confused to what actually be transferred. Thanks!


Mike

 

First you need to decide what you want to have from the old computer on the new. Do you have a lot of customizations on the old system that you would rather not have to re-do on the new? If not, transferring settings isn't necessary.

Whether to use the cross-over cable or burn to disk is purely a matter of choice. It does seem to me that if you have a burner in the old computer, buying an external harddrive just to transfer data is an unnecessary expense. If you put all your data files - documents, pictures, address book, music, email messages you want to keep, browser bookmarks, etc. - on disks, you can then transfer them to the new system. It's always a good idea to have data that you can't afford to lose backed up anyway.

Programs can't be transferred. Programs, with rare exceptions, put files all over the drive and entries all over the registry. Tracking all that down, burning it to disk and then trying to get it all back exactly right may not be impossible but I'd sure not try it.

 

Miz I don't have any custom settings that I know of so I guess I need to just transfer the files but do you know of a way so the Transfer Wizard doesn't transfer my C Drive? What happens if I just delete C Drive?

Also I have backed up some of my things on disc but not all of them, I've backed up My Pictures and iTunes but not all of my music. My thinking on the external drive was to use it to keep my pictures and my music backed up all the time not just for transferring files.

Anyway if you can figure out a way so I don't end up transferring my C Drive I may try to use the Wizard, if not then I guess I'm back to burning cd-rs as backup. Also my wife and I both have User Accounts so I would have to use the Transfer Wizard from each one, right?

Can you tell me how to export my address book from Outlook Express to an email so I can email it to my wife's Hotmail account. Do I understand right she could then email it back to my new computer so I could import it back into OE?

 

I've never used the File and Settings Transfer utility so I can't give you any details.

However, there are tutorials online that can. The one on this page looks good.

The address book is a .wab file which you could send as an attachment to an email message or you could just back it up to disk.

To find it, go to Start>Search>All Files and Folders, click on "More advanced options" and make sure system files, hidden files and folders and subfolders is checked. Then tell it to search for "*.wab" (without the quotes, with the asterisk and dot). There may be more than one so the one that is the largest file size is most likely the one with all your addresses. When in doubt, back up to disk every .wab file it finds.

Or you can use OE's Export utility to export the address book into a .csv (Comma Separated Value) file and either email that as an attachment or back it up to CD.

Whether you use the .wab or .csv option, when you retrieve it, use OE's File>Import to import either one back into OE.

 

There's also a program called AlohaBob PC Relocator (available on Dell's site for about $50) that will not only transfer files and settings, but detailed customizations and even programs so you don't even have to install your programs on your new PC.

Basically what you get is a new PC that is EXACTLY like your old one, except for the new hardware of course.

I've used this for the last 2 new computers I've bought, and it appears to work very well.

 

Well I guess everythings on hold for awhile. I just hooked hooked my new computer I bought from a local dealer (custom builds them) and it worked for a few reboots after installing dsl etc. but now it's in a continuous loop where it reboots but won't load windows. It lets me choose the last good loading of Windows but it reverts back to loop. I could at first get into Safe Mode but now it just locks up. I did a System Restore and it worked for awhile until I had rebooted a few times but now it's back to not loading Windows again.

I'm not happy after after waiting two weeks for it but I guess there's nothing I can do until Monday.

 

Miz when I use OE's Export Utility to export address book into a .csv it only shows one email address when it's done, are the rest hidden or have I done something wrong? I tried selecting all but it still shows just one address.

 

If you have addresses in groups...like folders...those can't be exported using OE's utility. Yes, I know, dumb but that's the way it is.

What are you using to open the .csv file? I just tried it and it opened in Excel...everything was there as far as I could tell.

 

Miz I guess I don't know what I'm doing and it seems like this should be so easy. The only thing I have on this old computer is Works 8 and maybe it won't open a .csv file.

Maybe I should try your first suggestion by searching for *.Wab on my drive. So you're saying to copy to a disc every file it finds to be sure to get the right one but excludings shortcuts, right? Then transfer them all to my new computer, open Outlook Express and import all of them. It won't mess anything up if by importing all the extra files?

Is the right *.Wab file going to look like a file that needs to be opened by another problem or a file that shows an opened book?

 

If there's more than one .wab file, the extras will probably contain no data so Importing them won't do a thing...good or bad.

Yes, .wab files have an icon that looks like an open book. It will open it its own "Address book" window so if it finds more than one .wab file, just open them to see if they contain any data...and to find the right one.

 

Sorry Miz I haven't got back to but I did get it to work. Funny all along I had the right file but it only showed one email address in it but once I imported the file all of them were there. Thanks!