Best way to move all to new computer

[ThingsGottaChange]

I'll be getting a new computer soon and am wondering what is the best way to transfer everything from old to new. Would an external hard drive be the best way? If so, how much does quality/price matter if I probably only use it for this? I'm looking for really, really, easy. If there are any programs out there, I would love to hear them, too. I do have Windows easy transfer on my current Vista. Anyone used that? I'm nervous as hell just thinking about doing all this!


Thanks a bunch

[Old and In the Way]

1. I had to do this about 3 months ago for my business PC.

I got a new external HD - 120 GB and had my business files in a single folder on the old machine. All my other stuff was in a separate folder (sub-folders for music, pics, docs, etc). I copied the 2 folders to my new hard drive. I also copied my Outlook mail and archive files to the new hard drive. That was it. Got my new computer and copied them back over to the new hard drive. Only had to reinstall Microsoft Office and relocate my Outlook files to the proper location on the new computer C: drive.

If you're like me you probably got all kinds of utilities that you use and want on you new machine (Firefox, Malware, ccleaner, etc). Go to www,ninite.com and select all of the goodies you want and the software will be bundled in a self-extracting file. Copy the downloaded file onto your new machine and execute it.....all the software packages will be automatically installed.

When the install is complete, I set up a back-up utility (I like FBack-up) to make copies of my data files on my new c;drive over to the hard-drive. Since the data is already on the external hard drive, you won't have to do a complete new back-up if you simply link to the folder locations where the same files already exist.

On edit-

if you only plan on using once to transfer the files and don't care about long term back-up needs, check the properties on the file folders in question to be transfered...it will tell you the file sizes for each folder...add it up and factor an extra 5GB of space just for padding. Say is comes to 15 GB (10GB total data + 5 GB padding)....see if you can borrow someone's hard drive to do the task...it shouldn't take more than a couple hours total to transfer. Personally, I'd invest in a new hard drive....60 GB should be < $70 which may or may not be more than you need, depending on your file needs. I use 3 external hard drives to back up my business data (12 years worth = approx. 50GB) plus 50 GB for personal stuff.

[ThingsGottaChange]

5. Great info

Thanks for all the info! Especially the link for ninite.com. That sounds great. I have used Firefox from day 1 and have never had to make a new profile. The Firefox stuff really scares me. Don't think I could remember how to do all that again! Have the usual stuff Malwarebytes, ccleaner, etc. that need to be moved or reinstalled. I don't have much in the way of personal "files", though. Thank Gosh. Thanks again for all your input!

[Chan790]

11. External HDDs are the way to go.

I did this exact thing about 5 months ago.

I was looking smaller but when I got to the store and realized I could buy a Seagate 1TB external HDD for about $80 with tax on-sale, I went with it. I didn't even move everything back to the internal drive on the new computer...I just redirected all the paths in Win7 for "My Documents", "My Pictures", etc. to the external drive. I use the same drive for my system backup and system restore. It's my home-based business computer, my entire business is on that HDD. If my building ever catches fire, I can grab that book-sized drive and everything I really need is on there. All my client-data, all my work-projects, the installers for my work-software. It's a good thing too because that's actually why I came in here today. I'm having a computing issue. The new computer has suddenly in the last day developed cooling and energy-management issues and keeps randomly killing the power to protect the internal HDD and chipset.

If I need to buy another new box or replace this one on warranty, I'm already prepared.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

13. Now it's time...

...to start thinking about backing up your backup.

Most better HDDs (i.e. Seagate and WD) last about 3 years with everyday use. Sometime in the first year of life would be ideal to begin planning a redundant method that also incorporates independence. The easiest would be a second drive that you backup to on alternate weeks and leave somewhere else; neighbor, family member, safe deposit box...

[Old and In the Way]

14. I agree....I lost a years worth of business files when my hard drive crashed about 10 years ago.

I learned my lesson then....I now have 2 external everyday hard drives that back-up completely every other day to each drive...and a 3rd one that I back-up quarterly and keep off-site. I've lost 2 hard drives in the past 10 years since employing that strategy, but it hasn't affected my business files at all.

[hobbit709]

15. I keep at least 3 backups of anything I want to save.

My most critical stuff is saved on a 30Gb SSD that I keep in the cabinet. My video and music files are on my main computer, my backup computer, my HTPC in the living room and on an external drive. I also have two flash drives that have lmy passwords and information like that on them.
As far as C: drive goes, I keep absolutely NO data files on it. I have separate partitions for each type of data. If I plug in a couple of flash drives, I get all the way to drive letter T:

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

17. Excellent advice from you both...

Personally, the main pc here has 4 HDDs: two 320s in RAID 0 that act as C: and recovery, a 320 that holds some odd user files and another 320 that is only for backups. The portable backup is 160 2.5" HDD with USB connections. That I carry with me to my clients location. Another backup is on the single drive 1TB NAS. The 4 drive NAS is fully populated with 3 640s in RAID 5 and a single 2 TB. Useful data, passwords and applications are saved on both boxes via straight copy and are p/w protected. The 2 TB holds mostly media files.

Shame on me for not having an off-site but that's in the works.

[pokerfan]

2. do you have a back up strategy?

because if not, external hard drives are great for backups. I use rsync to back up all my data at least a couple times a day.

That said, an external hard drive is a reasonable solution to move to a new computer. The first time you run rsync, it has to copy everything that you told it to so that takes a little time but the power comes from subsequent backups in that it only transfers files that are new, directories that have changes or delete files that have been deleted on the source drive. That typically takes just a few seconds.

I don't bother trying to clone the entire drive, just the data. The OS and programs as installed are just a pain to try to move to a new machine anyway and it never seems to work out. It's just easier to reinstall all that stuff from scratch. In your case, you will be moving to new computer with all that up and running anyway so it doesn't really apply. I recommend the external hard drive.

I don't know if you're using Firefox but there is a terrific extension called FEBE that makes a backup of your profile (your bookmarks, extensions, passwords, cookies, themes, etc.) that make moving to a web browser on a new machine incredibly painless.

[ThingsGottaChange]

6. Definitely want FEBE!!!

Can't thank you enough for that one! Not moving the OS. Finally going from Vista to Windows 7. rsync is another great link. Pretty sure I'll get the external hard drive. Seems the easiest, safest way to do this. Thanks so much!!!

[ChromeFoundry]

3. Try Windows Easy Transfer.... It's Free

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/windows-easy-transfer

Works over a network...

[ThingsGottaChange]

8. I will investigate this too.

I did read that you still have to do a lot of stuff yourself with this. Must read up on it some more.

And may I say, I absolutely love your sig line!!!

[CK_John]

4. I would look at using a 16GB flash drive for around 12.99 to 16.99 from

Target, Wally World, Radio Skack or even our local supermarket has them. (32GB run $20-40 )

Just use standard windows explore and copy folder/files from c: to flash drive. Just click and drag.

[ThingsGottaChange]

9. Hadn't thought of that

Will probably go with the hard drive. Never hurts to have an extra one. Thanks for the input!

[HopeHoops]

7. There isn't one. Still, and external drive is easiest.

In addition to all of your self-created directories, you also need to copy the data directories for programs that store it there (My Computer-> Master -> Documents -> whatever) and the e-mail and browser data directories (Thunderbird and Firefox in my case). Before you bother with that, make sure you install all of the software you have licenses for on the new machine. It Vista to Win7 should work for pretty much anything.

I've never tried "easy transfer" and probably never will. I'm an old-school geek.

On Edit: Win7 has excellent built in backup software. After you transfer everything, set up the external as the backup drive.

[ThingsGottaChange]

10. Thank you HH

Somehow Microsoft and easy just don't seem to go together. Classic oxymoron, imo. Good tip on installing licensed software. Will be sure to do that.

Will have thousands more questions as I get this going.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

12. Windows 7

...Home premium backup options are limited to local drives (SATA, USB...). If you get Win7 Pro you can use a network drive to back up/recover.

If you have a router, you could add an NAS (network attached storage) box. A decent one will be about $150 plus a hard drive.

Then the files could be, if you wanted, shared among several computers.

If you want the simpler USB route, I like the Blac-X < http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?S=1268&ID=1642 > just add a drive.

[HopeHoops]

16. It's not easy on any platform. Similar problems with all of them.

You still have to reinstall all of your software, apply the updates/patches/service-packs, and hunt down all of your personal data. If you use Thunderbird and Firefox, that's easy to do because you just drop the files into their new homes and voila - all of your e-mails and bookmarks are there! Either way, DO NOT delete anything from the Vista box until you are completely confident that you have it all moved to the Win7 box. I like to keep two copies of everything important (sometimes more). Disc space is pretty damn cheap now. You can keep the transfer folder on the external and STILL set it up to be your automatic backup drive.

Oh, and while auto-update is a royal pain in the ass on Vista, it seems to work quite well on Win 7. Keep us posted.

[ThingsGottaChange]

18. Wouldn't this work?

I just remembered I had gotten one to see what was on an old hard drive.

http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Unlimited-USB-2110-Adapter-Cable/dp/B000JJM2GW

Wouldn't I just pull up the old hd on the new and copy what I needed?

Or am I dreaming.......

By the way, you all have been great!!!