Migrating Your Old Files and Settings to Your New PC

Have you ever bought a new PC, and then spent days and days trying to get your new unit configured the same way your old one was? Have you ever had to manually add all your favorites and contacts to a new installation? Have you ever searched all through your old hard disk, hunting for all the documents you created in the past few years that absolutely, positively have to be copied to your new system? Have you ever wished you'd just stuck with the old PC, because you'd spent so much time getting it configured just so?

Well, it isn't as hard as it used to be. There are now a number of easy ways to transfer all your files and settings from your old PC to your new one, so you won't spend an inordinate amount of time getting everything moved and configured.

Transferring Files Over a Network

If all you're concerned about is transferring your data files, the easiest thing to do is set up both your old and new PCs on a small network and manually copy the files from one machine to another. At 100Mbps speeds (for a wired network; 11Mbps for a wireless one), even the largest files transfer quickly. This is particularly easy if your old PC is already connected to the network; all you'll have to do is add your new machine to the network and you'll be ready to go.

If you're running a recent version of Windows and have adhered to Microsoft's folder management scheme, all your data files should be somewhere in the My Documents folder. Just copy this folder to your new PC, and you'll be ready to rock and roll.

Using a Commercial File Migration Program

An even better approach is to use a software program designed specifically for migrating your old files to your new machine. These programs find all your files and settings and automate the transfer process. Your part of the process involves clicking the mouse a few times; the migration program does the rest of the work.

Some of these programs require both your machines to be connected to a network; others provide the cables you need to create a direct connection between the two PCs. Make sure you understand the instructions before you buy.

When you're looking for a file and settings migration program, check out these products:

• IntelliMover (www.detto.com)

• PC Clone (www.synet.biz)

• Ultra WinLink (www.wincleaner.com)

Using Windows XP Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

If you're running Windows XP and if you just bought a new PC, you are then you might not need to make any additional purchase. Windows XP includes a new Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. This wizard lets you pick and choose which files and configuration settings you want to keep when you move to a new machine. It then copies those files, templates, and settings to a location on your network or to some form of removable storage (CD-R/RW or Zip disk), which you can take with you to your new machine. Then you run the wizard on the new machine, and copy your old files and settings to the new PC.

Using the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard is a two-part process. The first part involves gathering all the data and settings from your old computer; the second part is where you actually transfer those items to your new PC.

tip

The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard is also a good way to back up a single computer's key files and settings just in case something goes haywire with your existing PC.

Gather Your Old Data and Settings

Start by gathering what you want to keep from your old PC:

1. From your old PC, launch the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. If your old PC is running Windows XP, click the Start button and then select All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. If your old PC is running an older version of Windows, insert the Windows XP installation CD (included with your new PC), select Additional Tasks, and then choose Transfer Files and Settings.

2. When the wizard launches, click the Next button.

3. When the Which Computer Is This? screen appears, check the Old Computer option, and then click Next.

4. When the Select a Transfer Method window appears, select how you want to transfer the files over a home network, on multiple floppy disks, or from some other removable drive (such as a Zip disk). Click Next.

5. When the What Do You Want to Transfer? screen appears (as shown in Figure 18.1), select whether you want to copy settings, files, or both.

   Figure 18.1. Use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to copy all the important stuff from your old PC to your new PC.

   

6. If you want to select specific files and settings to copy, check the Let Me Select a Custom List of Files and Settings option. When you click Next, you'll be able to select specific items to copy.

7. The wizard now collects everything it needs to copy to the new PC. This takes several minutes.

   caution

   

   The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard only transfers files and settings from the currently active user. So if you have more than one user assigned to your old PC, you'll have to run the wizard again for each user of the computer yo.

8. You'll now be prompted to insert a disk in your disk drive, or connect to the network, or do whatever is necessary to begin the transfer. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the procedure.

Transfer Data and Settings to Your New PC

After you've gathered all these items, you have to transfer them to your new PC. Follow these steps:

1. Assuming that your new PC is running Windows XP, click the Start button and then select All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.

2. When the wizard launches, click the Next button.

3. When the Which Computer Is This? screen appears, check the New Computer option, and then click Next.

4. When the Where Are the Files and Settings screen appears, select how you've stored the files, and then click Next.

"Mike Sez"

If you're not sure what to transfer from your old PC, transfer everything! You can always delete stuff from your new PC if you don't need it; you can't recover something you didn't transfer, however. (And make sure that the files actually got transferred before you go deleting them from your old machine!

The wizard now transfers the files and settings to your new computer. If you're asked to insert disks, do so. Otherwise, sit back and wait for the whole thing to finish. When it's done you might have to reboot your computer, but then it will be up and running and looking and acting just like you're used to!