Transferring those files to your new PC

The Charlotte Observer  - Rod Turnham
Dec 2, 2007
Link to article

What's on your Christmas list this year? For a great many people, it seems to be a new computer.

If a computer lands under your tree, you'll want to transfer documents and programs from the old one to the new one, or share documents between them. The good news, and the bad news, is that there are a lot of options.

Before you choose, it's important to think through what you need. Will you be transferring only document files, or complete program installations? Will you be transferring only the few most-critical documents, or most of your collection? Will you be keeping the old computer? If so, will you have an ongoing need to transfer files in both directions?

If all you're transferring is document files, and the volume is less than a few gigabytes, the easy and cheap way to transfer is by using a USB thumb drive, or by writing the files to a set of CDs or DVDs. The USB thumb drives are very reasonably priced for gigabyte capacities, and would be your easiest and quickest option. Writing the files to optical media (CD or DVD) requires more of your time, but gives you a permanent backup copy.

If you don't already have one, you should find a 2 GB USB thumb drive for about $20. It holds about as much as three CDs, or about half as much as one DVD. The other advantage to the thumb drive is that it will be useful for years to come.

If you have a large volume (10 GB or more) of data files to transfer, you may be happier with a Belkin file transfer cable. Check it out at "http://xrl.us/bbj76." It is designed to be easy to set up and use, and would be a good solution for ongoing two-way transfers if you plan to keep your old computer. It retails for $39, but you can find it on the Internet for less.

IntelliMover (www.detto.com/intellimover-transfer-files.html) is a competing product that provides a network crossover cable with the software. This provides a very high-speed connection for the file transfer. It costs a bit more than the Belkin cable, and requires software installation, but the software gives you a lot of help in finding what you need to move.

These are no ideal solutions, however, if you need to move programs. Program installation procedures put pieces of the program's package in several different places, and may create settings in initialization files and in the registry. Some of these pieces wouldn't be picked up by even the most thorough file transfer program.

The cheapest option for transferring your software is to simply re-install it. If you have a lot of software to install, however, this will take quite a large investment in your time, assuming you can still find all the original software CDs.

LapLink has a product called PCMover (www.laplink.com/pcmover/) that is designed specifically for transferring programs from one computer to another. It works with a variety of connection options, including the previously-mentioned Belkin cable.

Another option is Windows Easy Transfer, a program that comes with Windows Vista, and can be downloaded from Microsoft (www.microsoft.com/downloads) for other Windows versions. You can transfer your whole PC, including all programs and data, using this program, with a variety of connection methods. A Windows Easy Transfer Cable is available to make a connection, but you can also use a network connection, removable media such as DVDs, or a USB-connected external hard drive.

Whichever option you choose, don't miss the opportunity to clean up by leaving obsolete documents and programs behind. Just be sure you've got some type of backup before disposing of the old computer.

If you dispose of an old computer, please do so responsibly. The best way is to find a local nonprofit organization that can make use of it. If your computer is too old for that, Mecklenburg County accepts old computers and other electronics at four recycling centers. Go to http://xrl.us/bbkck, and scroll down for the links to the full-service recycling centers.

Before giving away or recycling the old computer, be sure to clear the hard drive of all personal information. The best way is a program called "Darik's Boot and Nuke" (http://dban.sourceforge.net/). To use it, you download a floppy or CD image, create the media, then boot the old computer with it. It wipes out everything, reliably.

The down side of Darik's Boot and Nuke is that it is not friendly to the nontechnical user. Read the instructions. If it's too intimidating, simply remove the hard drive from your computer before you take it to the recycling center, and keep it on the top shelf in the closet you never use.

If my holiday shopping plans work out as I hope, perhaps in a few weeks I can tell you which of these options I chose for my own moving-in exercise.