I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Broadback explained on 20/11/2016 :
I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Remove the HDD from the old PC and plug it into the new one, you can
then copy files and directories across as and when you find you need
them.

"Broadback" wrote in message news

I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Something like this maybe:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/CiT-3-5-inc.../dp/B00647A4KY

On 20/11/2016 12:54, Broadback wrote:
I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Usually by installing the hard disk from your old pc into the new
one and giving it a new reference. If it was C: in your old
computer (with everything chucked into a single drive) then
it will be D: in your new computer.

Problems arise when the old disk used the parallel ATA interface
and the new one only allows for serial ATA.

Then there is the problem of creating partitions on the new
computer. Years ago Partition Magic and its sister product for
backups, made this a doddle, but there doesn't seem to be much
out there now that can resize and create partitions on the fly.

Does Win10 have this functionality built in these days ?.

On 20/11/16 13:12, Andrew wrote:
On 20/11/2016 12:54, Broadback wrote:
I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Usually by installing the hard disk from your old pc into the new
one and giving it a new reference. If it was C: in your old
computer (with everything chucked into a single drive) then
it will be D: in your new computer.

Problems arise when the old disk used the parallel ATA interface
and the new one only allows for serial ATA.

Then there is the problem of creating partitions on the new
computer. Years ago Partition Magic and its sister product for
backups, made this a doddle, but there doesn't seem to be much
out there now that can resize and create partitions on the fly.

http://gparted.org/

FWIW I disagree with removing the original HD and using that as the
source of the data to transfer. Assuming the desktop computer is working
ok, I would copy the files to memory stick(s) or another external HD in
a case via USB. If anything goes wrong when removing the original HD or
connecting it up you're screwed. You've quite possibly lost the data. It
would be a rare occurrence, but then who doesn't believe in Sod's Law?

Also it instils the idea of creating backups on external media. How many
times have we heard "You have got a backup, haven't you?"...

--

Jeff

On 20/11/2016 12:54, Broadback wrote:
I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Using your backup of the data. That way you know know you have the data
on your new PC and on the backup media before you touch the old PC.

And you also find out if you really do have an up-to-date backup that
can be read

--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

"Robin" wrote in message
...
On 20/11/2016 12:54, Broadback wrote:
I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Using your backup of the data. That way you know know you have the data
on your new PC and on the backup media before you touch the old PC.

And you also find out if you really do have an up-to-date backup that can
be read

If you want to play it safe, make a *new* backup (rather than a series of
incremental backups over time) to be sure that all the files are good copies
of what's on the old PC. It's one thing to make sure that the list of
pathnames and the timestamps match but that doesn't check that the contents
of the files match.

I suppose to be really sure you'd back up the PC to the backup drive then do
a WinDiff between the two. Then copy that backup to the new PC and WinDiff
the backup with the new PC. If you're paranoid!

This assumes that you use backup software that creates an copy of the
files/folders (as if you'd done a normal copy), such as MS SyncToy, rather
than using a package that merges all the files into one huge backup file
that needs proprietary software on both PCs to write files to and to read
files from the single backup file.


I must admit I usually remove the hard disc and connect it to a USB-SATA
interface and copy the data that way - but I can see that there is a very
remote possibility of damaging the filesystem on the donor disc.

It's a shame that hard discs don't have a write-protect switch so you can be
sure that when you are reading from a HDD its contents won't be accidentally
changed in any way.


There is another way. Share the drive (or some folder and its subfolders) on
the old PC with read-only permission, then copy from \\oldpc\sharename to
c:\users\newuser\pathname - maybe using backup software such as SyncToy so
you can break off and resume the copy process without having the hassle of
answering all the "file already exists" questions if you resume the copying.
Do this over Ethernet rather than wireless, as the latter will be much
slower...

In article ,
Broadback wrote:
I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

If they are both PCs, Windows makes it pretty easy for them to be on a
Home group or whatever. Make the files you wish to swop shared, and simply
copy them. Obviously removing the HD and installing it in the new machine
will give quicker transfer speeds - but not everyone will find this easy.

Or you could get a portable storage device and copy them to that. Then
copy to the new machine. You'll have an additional backup that way.

--
*Why is it called tourist season if we can't shoot at them?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 20/11/16 12:54, Broadback wrote:
I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Stick the old disk in the new computer, and copy.


--
How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think.

Adolf Hitler

On 20/11/16 13:27, Jeff Layman wrote:
If anything goes wrong when removing the original HD or connecting it up
you're screwed.
What could honestly go wrong?

You drop it in a cup of coffee? The dog chews it?

I suppose I should have listened to you on the 100+ times I have done
this...oh hang on. That was even before the days of USB....

--
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's
too dark to read.

Groucho Marx

on 20/11/2016, The Natural Philosopher supposed :
What could honestly go wrong?

You drop it in a cup of coffee? The dog chews it?

I suppose I should have listened to you on the 100+ times I have done
this...oh hang on. That was even before the days of USB....

I agree. This is what I have always done, since the days of (massive
full height) 10Mb HDD's. Never a single failure.

On Sunday, 20 November 2016 15:42:16 UTC, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 20/11/16 13:27, Jeff Layman wrote:

If anything goes wrong when removing the original HD or connecting it up
you're screwed.

What could honestly go wrong?

You drop it in a cup of coffee? The dog chews it?

I suppose I should have listened to you on the 100+ times I have done
this...oh hang on. That was even before the days of USB....

People love to invent reasons why one can't do things.


NT

On 20/11/16 15:45, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
on 20/11/2016, The Natural Philosopher supposed :
What could honestly go wrong?

You drop it in a cup of coffee? The dog chews it?

I suppose I should have listened to you on the 100+ times I have done
this...oh hang on. That was even before the days of USB....

I agree. This is what I have always done, since the days of (massive
full height) 10Mb HDD's. Never a single failure.

Once I even got a non functioning disk to start working long enough to
get the data across.


--
Karl Marx said religion is the opium of the people.
But Marxism is the crack cocaine.

On 20/11/16 16:03, wrote:
On Sunday, 20 November 2016 15:42:16 UTC, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 20/11/16 13:27, Jeff Layman wrote:

If anything goes wrong when removing the original HD or connecting it up
you're screwed.

What could honestly go wrong?

You drop it in a cup of coffee? The dog chews it?

I suppose I should have listened to you on the 100+ times I have done
this...oh hang on. That was even before the days of USB....

People love to invent reasons why one can't do things.



Its the snowflake generation again.

Meanwhile you are more likely to be killed by a bomb today than at any
other time since WWII.


NT



--
"The great thing about Glasgow is that if there's a nuclear attack it'll
look exactly the same afterwards."

Billy Connolly

On 20/11/16 12:54, Broadback wrote:
I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Arrange two access paths to the Internet (ADSL, 4G). Install strong
client security software (AV, AntiMalware). Reach out to the cloud
(public, private), enforce 2FA/certificates for access, and keep your
data on neither device.

--
Adrian C

Broadback wrote

I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Depends on how things are organised on the computer you are replacing.

If you are running a reasonably current version of Win, the files
and settings migration wizard does a decent job of doing that.

If you are running an ancient version of Win it gets more complicated, but
still possible. I wont bother to spell out how unless you say thats the
case.

If you are running linux its also not that hard, but again not
worth spelling out the detail unless you say that is your situation.

On Sunday, 20 November 2016 16:21:34 UTC, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 20/11/16 16:03, tabbypurr wrote:
On Sunday, 20 November 2016 15:42:16 UTC, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 20/11/16 13:27, Jeff Layman wrote:

If anything goes wrong when removing the original HD or connecting it up
you're screwed.

What could honestly go wrong?

You drop it in a cup of coffee? The dog chews it?

I suppose I should have listened to you on the 100+ times I have done
this...oh hang on. That was even before the days of USB....

People love to invent reasons why one can't do things.

Its the snowflake generation again.

For once I don't think they're to blame. There are no shortage of threads in here telling me I can't do what I've already done. It seems to be inherent in human nature.

Many of the responses in this thread are built upon the idea that one can't do the simplest most obvious: plug the hdd in. Of course one can.


NT

NY wrote
Robin wrote
Broadback wrote

I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Using your backup of the data. That way you know know you have the data
on your new PC and on the backup media before you touch the old PC.

And you also find out if you really do have an up-to-date backup that can
be read

If you want to play it safe, make a *new* backup (rather than a series of
incremental backups over time) to be sure that all the files are good
copies of what's on the old PC.

But that assumes that he has got something that can contain a full
backup of the computer being replaced. Plenty dont have that.

It's one thing to make sure that the list of pathnames and the timestamps
match but that doesn't check that the contents of the files match.

I suppose to be really sure you'd back up the PC to the backup drive then
do a WinDiff between the two.

Any decent backup app will verify the backup after its done.

Then copy that backup to the new PC

That assumes its running the same version of the OS,
rash assumption. And even if it is, you can't necessarily
just restore the full backup to the new computer if the
hardware detail is rather different, as its likely to be.

and WinDiff the backup with the new PC. If you're paranoid!

This assumes that you use backup software that creates an copy of the
files/folders (as if you'd done a normal copy), such as MS SyncToy, rather
than using a package that merges all the files into one huge backup file
that needs proprietary software on both PCs to write files to and to read
files from the single backup file.

But those have their own verify systems.

I must admit I usually remove the hard disc and connect it to a USB-SATA
interface and copy the data that way - but I can see that there is a very
remote possibility of damaging the filesystem on the donor disc.

It's a shame that hard discs don't have a write-protect switch so you can
be sure that when you are reading from a HDD its contents won't be
accidentally changed in any way.

There is another way. Share the drive (or some folder and its subfolders)
on the old PC with read-only permission, then copy from \\oldpc\sharename
to c:\users\newuser\pathname - maybe using backup software such as SyncToy
so you can break off and resume the copy process without having the hassle
of answering all the "file already exists" questions if you resume the
copying. Do this over Ethernet rather than wireless, as the latter will be
much slower...

Makes more sense to use the files and settings transfer
wizard if its a reasonably current version of Win.

In article , messageboards@j-
towill.co.uk says...

I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Spend some time & think about what you have on the old
machine.

You have data - files you have created - and a range of
applications.

Copying your data files across should be fairly easy -
most of the methods mentioned here should work.

The applications are more of a problem since they need to
be installed on your new machine - not just copied across.

Have a look at all the applications you currently have.
(There might well be some you no longer want or need)
Make a list of the wanted ones.

If your new machine has a newer OS (e.g. Win 10) then some
older applications might no longer work.
Google Win 10 compatibility for any questionable ones.

Check you have the installation discs - or if free
downloads - make a note of the download addresses.

This way you should end up with a 'clean'[1] install on a
new machine which should be better in the long run than
cloning your old HDD.

[1] You might have to remove all the cr@p bloatware that
PC manufacturers like to stick on their machines.

On 20/11/2016 19:25, Tim Streater wrote:

I just plug the new machine into the LAN and during the setup process
it asks if I want to migrate accounts from other locally-connected
machines. Simples.


This is running Windows???

On 20 Nov 2016, Jeff Layman grunted:

On 20/11/16 13:12, Andrew wrote:
On 20/11/2016 12:54, Broadback wrote:
I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Usually by installing the hard disk from your old pc into the new
one and giving it a new reference. If it was C: in your old
computer (with everything chucked into a single drive) then
it will be D: in your new computer.

Problems arise when the old disk used the parallel ATA interface
and the new one only allows for serial ATA.

Then there is the problem of creating partitions on the new
computer. Years ago Partition Magic and its sister product for
backups, made this a doddle, but there doesn't seem to be much
out there now that can resize and create partitions on the fly.

http://gparted.org/

FWIW I disagree with removing the original HD and using that as the
source of the data to transfer. Assuming the desktop computer is working
ok, I would copy the files to memory stick(s) or another external HD in
a case via USB. If anything goes wrong when removing the original HD or
connecting it up you're screwed. You've quite possibly lost the data. It
would be a rare occurrence, but then who doesn't believe in Sod's Law?

But the OP has already got his original HD backed up anyway (hasn't he); so
no problem if Sod did do his stuff...


--
David

On 20/11/16 20:09, Adrian Caspersz wrote:
Have you ever disconnected something, reconnected and found it
irretrievably dead?
NO.


--
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as
foolish, and by the rulers as useful.

(Seneca the Younger, 65 AD)

On 20/11/16 21:53, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 20/11/16 20:09, Adrian Caspersz wrote:
Have you ever disconnected something, reconnected and found it
irretrievably dead?
NO.

Marvellous!

--
Adrian C

In article ,
lid says...

On 20/11/16 20:09, Adrian Caspersz wrote:
Have you ever disconnected something, reconnected and found it
irretrievably dead?
NO.

Not yet.

Then you have all that fun ahead of you.

On 20/11/16 23:29, Sam Plusnet wrote:
In article ,
lid says...

On 20/11/16 20:09, Adrian Caspersz wrote:
Have you ever disconnected something, reconnected and found it
irretrievably dead?
NO.

Not yet.

Then you have all that fun ahead of you.

Don't be silly.

As I said, I have to have swapped out 100+ HDDs in my time and never has
a working one failed to work again.

RAM or other statically sensitive ****, perhaps.



--
If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will
eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such
time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic
and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally
important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for
the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the
truth is the greatest enemy of the State.

Joseph Goebbels

In message , Broadback
writes
I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Quietly ignoring the doom mongers, and assuming (1) you are using
windows and (2) you mean data only, just set up your new PC as you like
it, instal your favourite programs then copy data across using a USB
stick. That way, assuming the stick is big enough, you will also copy
the various folders, sub folders etc. Windows will update any ini files
it doesn't like.

Alternatively, copy across using a home network.

--
Graeme

On 20/11/16 20:48, Lobster wrote:
On 20 Nov 2016, Jeff Layman grunted:

On 20/11/16 13:12, Andrew wrote:
On 20/11/2016 12:54, Broadback wrote:
I am considering replacing my desktop computer. what is the best way of
transferring data from my old one to the new?

Usually by installing the hard disk from your old pc into the new
one and giving it a new reference. If it was C: in your old
computer (with everything chucked into a single drive) then
it will be D: in your new computer.

Problems arise when the old disk used the parallel ATA interface
and the new one only allows for serial ATA.

Then there is the problem of creating partitions on the new
computer. Years ago Partition Magic and its sister product for
backups, made this a doddle, but there doesn't seem to be much
out there now that can resize and create partitions on the fly.

http://gparted.org/

FWIW I disagree with removing the original HD and using that as the
source of the data to transfer. Assuming the desktop computer is working
ok, I would copy the files to memory stick(s) or another external HD in
a case via USB. If anything goes wrong when removing the original HD or
connecting it up you're screwed. You've quite possibly lost the data. It
would be a rare occurrence, but then who doesn't believe in Sod's Law?

But the OP has already got his original HD backed up anyway (hasn't he); so
no problem if Sod did do his stuff...

Not from his OP - there was no mention of a backup, hence my cautionary
approach concerning the HDD, and the (snipped) paragraph about creating
backups.

--

Jeff

On 22/11/2016 08:17, Jeff Layman wrote:

Not from his OP - there was no mention of a backup, hence my cautionary
approach concerning the HDD, and the (snipped) paragraph about creating
backups.


A new computer is an opportunity to test the backups in anger. An
opportunity that shouldn't be missed.

Take the latest backup and restore all the data onto the new machine and
check it. Then start the backups on the new machine and check them
before you do anything to the old machine.

dennis@home wrote
Jeff Layman wrote

Not from his OP - there was no mention of a backup,
hence my cautionary approach concerning the HDD,
and the (snipped) paragraph about creating backups.

A new computer is an opportunity to test the backups in anger.

There is no anger involved.

An opportunity that shouldn't be missed.

Not much point when an hard drive is involved in the backup destination.

Take the latest backup and restore all the
data onto the new machine and check it.

Then start the backups on the new machine and check
them before you do anything to the old machine.

Rather pointless now.

On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 09:46:40 UTC, dennis@home wrote:
On 22/11/2016 08:17, Jeff Layman wrote:

Not from his OP - there was no mention of a backup, hence my cautionary
approach concerning the HDD, and the (snipped) paragraph about creating
backups.


A new computer is an opportunity to test the backups in anger. An
opportunity that shouldn't be missed.

Take the latest backup and restore all the data onto the new machine and
check it. Then start the backups on the new machine and check them
before you do anything to the old machine.

yes that's the sort of way I'd go about it, depending on how old the old PC is.
But I;m a Mac person so what I;d do would be to connect the two computers together using an ethernet lead to a hub then go to migration assistant and use that, which will transfer all users files over and network setting etc... and anything and everything else unless you choose otherwise.

But sometimes it's nice to start completely afresh with a new computer.
With this method I would recover the old files off teh old computer when I needed them or noticed they were missing,a s sometimes you don;t reslly need all the old installs of flash and others, just get the lastest.
Paid for software might be more risky though so be aware of serial numbers you might have lost track of and the like over the years.

In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
But sometimes it's nice to start completely afresh with a new computer.
With this method I would recover the old files off teh old computer when
I needed them or noticed they were missing,a s sometimes you don;t
reslly need all the old installs of flash and others, just get the
lastest. Paid for software might be more risky though so be aware of
serial numbers you might have lost track of and the like over the years.

You're going to selectively copy software from one PC to another?

--
*Just give me chocolate and nobody gets hurt

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 12:22:32 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
But sometimes it's nice to start completely afresh with a new computer.
With this method I would recover the old files off teh old computer when
I needed them or noticed they were missing,a s sometimes you don;t
reslly need all the old installs of flash and others, just get the
lastest. Paid for software might be more risky though so be aware of
serial numbers you might have lost track of and the like over the years.

You're going to selectively copy software from one PC to another?

Well I would but as I use Macs I'm not sure what your comment actually means.
It's especailly useful if yuo have old software which wonlt run on your new computers OS or hardware.

In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 12:22:32 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
But sometimes it's nice to start completely afresh with a new
computer. With this method I would recover the old files off teh old
computer when I needed them or noticed they were missing,a s
sometimes you don;t reslly need all the old installs of flash and
others, just get the lastest. Paid for software might be more risky
though so be aware of serial numbers you might have lost track of
and the like over the years.

You're going to selectively copy software from one PC to another?

Well I would but as I use Macs I'm not sure what your comment actually
means. It's especailly useful if yuo have old software which wonlt run
on your new computers OS or hardware.

I know nothing about Macs. But most programmes require you to install them.
Not just copy from one PC HD to another.

--
*Dance like nobody's watching.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 13:31:04 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 12:22:32 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
But sometimes it's nice to start completely afresh with a new
computer. With this method I would recover the old files off teh old
computer when I needed them or noticed they were missing,a s
sometimes you don;t reslly need all the old installs of flash and
others, just get the lastest. Paid for software might be more risky
though so be aware of serial numbers you might have lost track of
and the like over the years.

You're going to selectively copy software from one PC to another?

Well I would but as I use Macs I'm not sure what your comment actually
means. It's especailly useful if yuo have old software which wonlt run
on your new computers OS or hardware.

I know nothing about Macs. But most programmes require you to install them.
Not just copy from one PC HD to another.

Many do, many don't.


NT

In article ,
wrote:
On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 13:31:04 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 12:22:32 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article
,
whisky-dave wrote:
But sometimes it's nice to start completely afresh with a new
computer. With this method I would recover the old files off teh
old computer when I needed them or noticed they were missing,a s
sometimes you don;t reslly need all the old installs of flash
and others, just get the lastest. Paid for software might be
more risky though so be aware of serial numbers you might have
lost track of and the like over the years.

You're going to selectively copy software from one PC to another?

Well I would but as I use Macs I'm not sure what your comment
actually means. It's especailly useful if yuo have old software
which wonlt run on your new computers OS or hardware.

I know nothing about Macs. But most programmes require you to install
them. Not just copy from one PC HD to another.

Many do, many don't.

Surely with a brand new PC and therefore likely a different version of
your OS too, you'd want the most up to date copy of the simple (and likely
free) stuff that doesn't need an installer? So just download it again?

Trying to think of any paid for programme I have here you can copy willy
nilly. Sounds like a recipe for going out of business.

--
*What am I? Flypaper for freaks!?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 13:58:11 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
tabbypurr wrote:
On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 13:31:04 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

I know nothing about Macs. But most programmes require you to install
them. Not just copy from one PC HD to another.

Many do, many don't.

Surely with a brand new PC and therefore likely a different version of
your OS too, you'd want the most up to date copy of the simple (and likely
free) stuff that doesn't need an installer? So just download it again?

Sometimes yes. Often not.

Trying to think of any paid for programme I have here you can copy willy
nilly. Sounds like a recipe for going out of business.

You use payware, other than the very occasional app that really doesn't exist free? It would explain your ideas on this.


NT

In article ,
wrote:
On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 13:58:11 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
tabbypurr wrote:
On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 13:31:04 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

I know nothing about Macs. But most programmes require you to
install them. Not just copy from one PC HD to another.

Many do, many don't.

Surely with a brand new PC and therefore likely a different version of
your OS too, you'd want the most up to date copy of the simple (and
likely free) stuff that doesn't need an installer? So just download it
again?

Sometimes yes. Often not.

Trying to think of any paid for programme I have here you can copy
willy nilly. Sounds like a recipe for going out of business.

You use payware, other than the very occasional app that really doesn't
exist free? It would explain your ideas on this.

Go on then. You are in the OP's position. Which programme you have
currently could and would you just copy from the old HD to the new?

--
*Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere may be happy.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 13:31:04 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 12:22:32 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
But sometimes it's nice to start completely afresh with a new
computer. With this method I would recover the old files off teh old
computer when I needed them or noticed they were missing,a s
sometimes you don;t reslly need all the old installs of flash and
others, just get the lastest. Paid for software might be more risky
though so be aware of serial numbers you might have lost track of
and the like over the years.

You're going to selectively copy software from one PC to another?

Well I would but as I use Macs I'm not sure what your comment actually
means. It's especailly useful if yuo have old software which wonlt run
on your new computers OS or hardware.

I know nothing about Macs.

That explains a lot.

But most programmes require you to install them.
Not just copy from one PC HD to another.

Which is why on the Mac yuo use migration assistant which can copy all the relivant files over to your new HD.
if on the otherhand you have a lot of crap installed perhaps programs or utilities you haven't used for years then why copy all that crap over ?.
It's a choice most computer users should make.
For most it would be an intlegent choice as to which is the best option.
I';ve seen PCs users takes days even a week to sort a new system out.

On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 14:18:11 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
wrote:
On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 13:58:11 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
tabbypurr wrote:
On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 13:31:04 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

I know nothing about Macs. But most programmes require you to
install them. Not just copy from one PC HD to another.

Many do, many don't.

Surely with a brand new PC and therefore likely a different version of
your OS too, you'd want the most up to date copy of the simple (and
likely free) stuff that doesn't need an installer? So just download it
again?

Sometimes yes. Often not.

Trying to think of any paid for programme I have here you can copy
willy nilly. Sounds like a recipe for going out of business.

You use payware, other than the very occasional app that really doesn't
exist free? It would explain your ideas on this.

Go on then. You are in the OP's position.

I'm not that's why I saod I use Macs.

Which programme you have
currently could and would you just copy from the old HD to the new?

Migration assistant on the Mac. On a PC I would even attempt such a stupid thing.
Most people update PCs when they no longer work properly they usualy buy a new PC with a new OS on it, you shouldn't try to copy the OS from one PC to another.

if I was a PC user I'd use a USB stick to transfer files over it would take time of course and quite a bit of time. It';s unlikely that programs could be just transfered say from an XP PC to a windows10 PC and work.

Any paid for software I did have I;d serch for the serial numbers or other install codes so I could have them to hand if needed. Something I've not yet had to do on a Mac.

On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 14:18:11 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
tabbypurr wrote:
On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 13:58:11 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
tabbypurr wrote:
On Tuesday, 22 November 2016 13:31:04 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

I know nothing about Macs. But most programmes require you to
install them. Not just copy from one PC HD to another.

Many do, many don't.

Surely with a brand new PC and therefore likely a different version of
your OS too, you'd want the most up to date copy of the simple (and
likely free) stuff that doesn't need an installer? So just download it
again?

Sometimes yes. Often not.

Trying to think of any paid for programme I have here you can copy
willy nilly. Sounds like a recipe for going out of business.

You use payware, other than the very occasional app that really doesn't
exist free? It would explain your ideas on this.

Go on then. You are in the OP's position. Which programme you have
currently could and would you just copy from the old HD to the new?

Lol. Newsgroups eh. GIYF. The term 'portable' is often applied, often not.


NT