Transfering data from one PC to another?

[Flame]

Alright, this is driving me nutso (new word for today). I have a laptop, I am trying to transfer everything from it (including 12,000 e-mails) to my new super-pc. I am using the little transfer wizard that Windows XP has, and transferring the data to a external hard drive, then taking that hard drive over to my new PC, plugging it in.......... but then have a problem, it doesn't recognize anything is on the hard drive!!!

WTH? I see like 8GB of dat. files, but it doesn't recognize anything it can use. I've tried 4 times now, no luck. Anyone done this before and have any ideas?

Man, I just need to hire Techman to come live with me for a while.......... :toasting::peace!::notworthy:

[cgsigns_jamie]

Does the data show up when connected to the laptop?

[Replicator]

1. Load "True Image" on both machines.

2. Make image of laptop.

3. restore image on new super computer.

Good Luck !

[PartyMatt]

Buy a big USB flash drive for anything under 32 GB. Go CD-R or DVD-R for anything bigger. I've never had much luck with any kind of backup software.

[jimdes]

BestBuy Geek Squad . . . for when you dig a hole too deep

[3CGraphics]

use your site - ftp whatever from the laptop up to the site, and download it to the PC (if you have a fast connection)

[Border]

You can take copies of your inbox, sent, etc folders from the laptop and copy them to the storage directy on your new computer (via bouncing them to that external hard drive along with other files you want to transfer) and then when you open your mail program, all your email stuff should be as it was before on the laptop. Just overwrite the old file on the new computer.
I've done it several times in the past.
If you use Outlook, they will be a file with a .pst extension. If you use Outlook Express, you will be looking for a .dbx file extension (like inbox.dbx, sent.dbx or inbox.pst for example).

An easy way to locate the file is to open your mail program and go to the preferences area and select something to the effect of "change my store folder location. Then you'll be able to see where it is stored with a little effort and a lot of :beer.

Good luck!

[chopper]

is the old machine XP and the new one vista?
lots of XP stuff is not recognized by vista...
//chopper

[signage]

How are the hard drive formated? fat or NTFS? are they both the same?

[GK]

How are the hard drive formated? fat or NTFS? are they both the same?

I was just gonna say how is the external drive set up? Many of the WD an Maxtor drives come formatted with FAT32 partitions and require you to reformat to NTFS if thats how you want it. If you can hook them both up to your home network go to the address bar and type

\\COMPUTERNAME\c$ (file://\\COMPUTERNAME\c$) in the address bar which will allow you to log onto your old computer. From your old computer just drag and drop all of your stuff onto the new one in the shared drive.

The variables would be the "computer name" and the c$ (c being your drive you wish to connect to)

[njsigns]

here's an easy solution - I've used it before, it's pretty flawless

http://www.laplink.com/pcmover/

Gene

[choucove]

As GK mentioned above, really the easiest way of transferring data is by networking the computers together very simply and quickly and then it's just a matter of dragging and dropping files from one folder (from your laptop) to another folder (on your desktop.) No need for additional software packages, extra installations and backup compressed files that won't be recognized by different versions of Windows Backup Utility, and no need for additional time with an external hard drive.

The easiest way to view the computers together is again as GK explained, where you will have both of the computers connected to the internet at the same place either via a router or switch, and can then type in \\<computername>\<driveletter>$ and this can be typed in either in the Windows Explorer window, or just by going to the Start menu -> Run, and then type in the same phrase.

[Goofball]

Here is what I do everytime I get a new computer.....I bought an USB to USB....plug one computer to the other....and away you go....just send the files you want.....go to my computer.....click on your drive where everything is stored.....click on the folder you want to copy....right click one time.....select send to...and send it to your USB.

Bob

[Checkers]

You may also need to look at the file properties to see if there are security/ownership rights that need to be converted on the new computer.

Checkers

[rockz12]

Buy a crossover cable for 10 bucks and network the two.

[Cadmn]

Laplink is great used it several years when in a shop as the tech