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Old 12-03-2010, 12:19 PM   #1
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Another computer type thread..........

My Dell is dying a slow death, (5 years old). I already have gotten the blue screen of death a couple times, and no amount of RAM or diagnostic tricks will make it run better, so I am getting a new one within a month.

Is there an easy way to transfer any of the stuff saved on the old hard drive to my external without a lot of BS?

Thanks,

FD
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Old 12-03-2010, 01:06 PM   #2
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Some possibilities
- network machines together and copy over
- remove drive from old machine and install in new as a 2nd drive
- remove drive from old machine and borrow or buy a usb drive adapter
- copy data to a usb drive or thumb drive (depending on amount of data)
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Old 12-03-2010, 01:29 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by misanman View Post
Some possibilities
- network machines together and copy over
- remove drive from old machine and install in new as a 2nd drive
- remove drive from old machine and borrow or buy a usb drive adapter
- copy data to a usb drive or thumb drive (depending on amount of data)
Networking two computers together is as simple as connecting them with an ethernet crossover cable and sharing the old drive. Or if you have a switch (most of the little consumer routers have a four port switch) just plug the new computer into an unused switch port and share the old drive. On the new computer the old shared drive will just appear as another drive that you can copy from.

But you should already have an external backup (external usb drive, thumb drive if you can find one large enough, CDs or DVDs though those are kinda clunky, or a service like Mozy) of your old drive and you can selectively restore from there.
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Old 12-03-2010, 01:31 PM   #4
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FWIW, once you get set up with new, try wiping the drive and installing linux/Ubuntu on it. I'm amazed how smoothly this runs on limited HW. My little netbook runs fine on 1GB and its puny ATOM 1.6GHz CPU.

I'm in the process of trying out the Chromium browser (from what I understand, this is the true open-source version of Googles Chrome browser). I really like how streamlined it is, they get all the 'junk' off the display so I can actually use the limited vertical space on my laptop, yet easy to use with a little practice.

-ERD50
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Old 12-03-2010, 01:47 PM   #5
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Make sure you copy all the viruses, spyware, malware, ad-trackers and keystroke loggers over to your new computer so you don't miss a beat....
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Old 12-03-2010, 02:12 PM   #6
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If the old PC is still working (even poorly) just plug in a flash drive and copy what you need.
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Old 12-03-2010, 02:13 PM   #7
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- copy data to a usb drive or thumb drive (depending on amount of data)
That's what I decided to try, after noticing a usb 640Gb drive for $70 on sale from Amazon. My HP desktop from 2006 is still working okay, but I don't expect it to last more than another year or so. I do have my system backed up on DVDs, but I think a usb drive will lessen the trauma of moving all my stuff to a new computer, when the time comes.
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Old 12-03-2010, 02:14 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by FinanceDude View Post
My Dell is dying a slow death, (5 years old). I already have gotten the blue screen of death a couple times, and no amount of RAM or diagnostic tricks will make it run better, so I am getting a new one within a month.

Is there an easy way to transfer any of the stuff saved on the old hard drive to my external without a lot of BS?

Thanks,

FD
(emphasis mine) Do you mean, to your portable external USB hard drive? Drag and drop?
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Old 12-03-2010, 02:32 PM   #9
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Is there an easy way to transfer any of the stuff saved on the old hard drive to my external without a lot of BS?
How does this thread differ from this one and my response?

http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...ml#post1002908
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Old 12-03-2010, 02:59 PM   #10
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How does this thread differ from this one and my response?

http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...ml#post1002908
I didn't get around to suggesting Linux in that one? Do I win a prize?

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Old 12-03-2010, 03:21 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by FinanceDude View Post
My Dell is dying a slow death, (5 years old). I already have gotten the blue screen of death a couple times, and no amount of RAM or diagnostic tricks will make it run better, so I am getting a new one within a month.

Is there an easy way to transfer any of the stuff saved on the old hard drive to my external without a lot of BS?
How much "stuff" do you need to transfer? You might be able to copy it to DVDs/CDs more easily than you think without getting too fancy.

I am more familiar with Mac to Mac transfers. One or two clicks on the included utilitiy, and off it went, transferring everything down to application preferences, browser cookies etc.
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Old 12-03-2010, 04:11 PM   #12
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I didn't get around to suggesting Linux in that one? Do I win a prize?
Yes ... Of course. Its in the mail.
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Old 12-03-2010, 04:13 PM   #13
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Make sure you copy all the viruses, spyware, malware, ad-trackers and keystroke loggers over to your new computer so you don't miss a beat....
This Post is worth higlighting. So pay attention.
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Old 12-03-2010, 05:44 PM   #14
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(emphasis mine) Do you mean, to your portable external USB hard drive? Drag and drop?
Yes.........
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Old 12-03-2010, 07:06 PM   #15
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If your new computer runs on Windows 7 there is an "Easy Transfer" utility that comes with Windows 7 that you should look into. You can transfer files, email setting and messages, user accounts, etc., but not programs, from your old computer to the new. It can be done over a network if both are connected to it or by using an 'easy transfer cable'.
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Old 12-03-2010, 07:06 PM   #16
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(emphasis mine) Do you mean, to your portable external USB hard drive? Drag and drop?
Quote:
Originally Posted by FinanceDude View Post
Yes.........
OK! Piece o' cake. I just did that very recently, since I received my new Dell laptop on Tuesday.

The way I handled it, was to make a folder on my portable external USB hard drive for files to be transferred. Then I copied my folders of photos, documents, and other files into it by drag and drop. You can do this now, before you even buy your new computer, at your leisure. Leave things in their original folders, using enough folder structure that you will know where they belong. DON'T FORGET TO COPY YOUR INTERNET EXPLORER FAVORITES FILE to this folder too. Also don't forget anything you might need from your desktop.

When you are ready to transfer files to your new computer, drag the folder from the portable hard drive to your new computer's desktop. Transferring so much will take time, so do it right before cooking dinner, or at bedtime, or when you have something else to do.

Piece o' cake! Now just put the photos, documents, and other data where you want it.

As for programs, I didn't copy them over. I downloaded freeware (like malwarebytes, open office, ccleaner, etc). Then I installed some more software from disks.

Doing all this was really fast. By the end of just one evening I had finished and had restored the original system configuration on my old computer so that it was ready to gift.

Now dealing with Dell's B*** was a lot more time consuming, so, setting up the computer so that it was ready for files to be transferred was more annoying than it had to be IMO.
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Old 12-03-2010, 07:07 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by FinanceDude View Post
My Dell is dying a slow death, (5 years old). I already have gotten the blue screen of death a couple times, and no amount of RAM or diagnostic tricks will make it run better, so I am getting a new one within a month.

Is there an easy way to transfer any of the stuff saved on the old hard drive to my external without a lot of BS?

Thanks,

FD
Quote:
Originally Posted by W2R View Post
(emphasis mine) Do you mean, to your portable external USB hard drive? Drag and drop?
Quote:
Originally Posted by FinanceDude View Post
Yes.........
AS suggested here, that part is easy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by misanman View Post
Some possibilities
- network machines together and copy over
- remove drive from old machine and install in new as a 2nd drive
- remove drive from old machine and borrow or buy a usb drive adapter
- copy data to a usb drive or thumb drive (depending on amount of data)
Note that any software you have (ie. MS Office) will have to be re-installed using (maybe) the original disks and codes. Do you know what you want to move and where it is stored?

Is there an easy way to say "make my new one like my old one"? Sorry, the answer is no.

If you need help moving profile info for the SW you re-install, tell us what it is and someone probably knows how to do it.
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Old 12-03-2010, 07:08 PM   #18
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If your new computer runs on Windows 7 there is an "Easy Transfer" utility that comes with Windows 7 that you should look into. You can transfer files, email setting and messages, user accounts, etc., but not programs, from your old computer to the new. It can be done over a network if both are connected to it or by using an 'easy transfer cable'.
Why not programs? That would make 'upgrading' a pain if you've downloaded and/or bought a bunch of stuff. Who wants to go through reloading and re-installing and reconfiguring all that?

edit/add; sorry - cross posted with others, but:

Quote:
Originally Posted by kumquat View Post
Is there an easy way to say "make my new one like my old one"? Sorry, the answer is no.
Well, the answer is YES. But you need to start out on another OS.

-ERD50
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Old 12-03-2010, 07:11 PM   #19
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Why not programs? That would make 'upgrading' a pain if you've downloaded and/or bought a bunch of stuff. Who wants to go through reloading and re-installing and reconfiguring all that?

-ERD50
Are you asking "what is" or "what should be"? If the 2nd, I'd suggest you talk to a Mr. Gates.
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Old 12-03-2010, 07:23 PM   #20
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Are you asking "what is" or "what should be"? If the 2nd, I'd suggest you talk to a Mr. Gates.
Bill Gates personally already gave up on perfecting Windows. He quit his last active job as Chief Software Architect in 2006, and has already ER'ed.

From Wikipedia: "Gates' last full-time day at Microsoft was June 27, 2008. He remains at Microsoft as non-executive chairman."
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