files and new computer

Rahh

Rahh

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jan 14, 2005
Messages
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*easy noob question but I'm curious how you all go about this*

Got a new computer and just was wondering what the easiest way would be to copy everything over from my last computer to the new one? Just some files like stuff in my documents folder, not the OS.
 
USB Memory stick, or burn to a CD. If it's not a lot of files, you could email them to yourself. Or if none of the above work for you, then remove the drive from your old system and slave it to your new one.
 
You could also network them together and transfer files across.
I find using firewire (if you have that option) to be fast and easy, or you could use a cat5 crossover, usb crossover (cables are expensive though), or just thru your router/hub if you have one.

Other than that.. the options mentioned previously.

Have fun

D.
 
you can also just take the old HDD place it in the new computer (make it a slave to something else like an optical)

then disable simple file sharing
and take ownership of files and folders
and copy what you want from its partition to one on the new HDD

that advantage of burning is you get backups
the disadvantage of networking is its slow without a gigabit setup if the data transfer is large (but you can leave it overnight if you like)
the advantage of swapping the HDD is its a prime time to scan it from the new install for malware, that large transfers are done at internal IDE speeds, the disadvantages are basic ESD and HDD handling cautions (don't zap it and treat it like nitro), having to move it from to and back
 
Considering 99% of the people on here have broadband and home networks, I'd say that's the most common way of transferring data. It's easy, quick, and doesn't require moving any physical parts.
 
given the propensity for 200GB HDDs I wouldnt be so sure :p

But then Ive almost got a functioning Gigabit LAN myself, got the switch just need a few more NICs
 
I have windows xp on the hard drive in my old cpu. If i were to move it over and make it slave would there be any conflict with OS's?
 
Not if you configured the BIOS to boot off the existing drive.
 
correct, as long as you arent booting to that drive, you'll be fine.

 
which if you do the physical configuration correctly you shouldnt even need to worry about
the computer will look to the Primary Channel Master Device first as a boot HDD
if your secondary channel Master Device is an Optical and the new HDD is its slave the boot order will not change.

If your booting from an SATA however, you need to verify that the boot order hasnt changed in the BIOS

The BIOS Scan order if my memory serves is
Primary Master
Secondary Master
Primary Slave
Secondary Slave
PCI Devices

and booting to SATA is a BIOS switch, that can be tripped back to IDE is a device gets added

I think :p (because BIOS vary)

BIOS options typically are FDD, CDROM, HDD0, HDD1(ect), SCSI (PCI)
and a Boot Manager of somesort is incorporated for many SATA, being a different bus

IDE is a sub bus of the PCI bus
sometime SATA is in the Boot Order, sometimes its SCSI and sometimes its approached with a Boot Manager submenu of its own
 
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