"Transfer My PC"

[Elliebob]

Has anyone had problems installing the software to transfer settings etc from old to new computer?

We have just bought a new PC and paid extra for the transfer software, so that all the internet settings etc could directly transfer from old to new.  Part way thro' the installation onto the old PC it says that it cannot instal correctly and then the only option I get is to remove the programme.

So far I have copied files via flashdrive and CD but really want to avoid having to reset all the e-mail and internet.

Has anyone experience of this procedure who could help please, before I throw something at the screen?!

Ellen (and husband Bob who is even more fed up than me!)

[downside]

Hi Ellie

The main way of replicating a drive is to use a piece of software called 'DriveCopy'.  This usually entails having two hard drives in one PC.  Your old drive is the master and the new drive is the slave.  In order to duplicate two drives Windows has to be off-line or not loaded because Windows locks certain files and they cannot be copied when they are in use.  The whole copying process has to be done by loading a floppy disk into virtual memory or RAM and then the copying process can begin.

The problem with loading certain programs to another hard drive is that the Registries on both hard drives are out-of-sync.  The Registry tells Windows how to load programs and what settings to use, so if the two registries are different then you will experience problems.

Your new hard drive will probably contain different programs that you may want to keep, so overwriting it with the data from your old hard drive may not be an option.  If that is the case then you will probably have to manually load the old programs on to you new hard drive from the original CDs.

If you don't mind if the new drive is overwritten with the data from your old hard drive then there are free versions of DriveCopy out on the Internet.

downside

[snaggletooth]

I'm sorry to read that you paid extra for transfer software - Windows has it already built in.

I guess the new machine has Windows installed, so you don't want to alter that part of the software setup.

You will also install your main applications yourself in the proper way - so all that's left is the so-called "live" data, mainly settings and internet pointers.

The best way is to use a simple cable (about $20 in Oz) and the Windows Wizard. Rather than describe it in full, have a read of http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/expert/crawford_november12.mspx

Some of the terminology is a bit arcane, but once you learn the trick, you will find it a useful addition to your knowledge.

Paul
Australia

[Elliebob]

Thanks for your help Downside and Canberra.  We have actually transferred everything now and are up and running.  We did give up on the software and we will have to put it down to experience.

Ellen

[snaggletooth]

That's good news...

Paul
Australia