Copying Old Hard Drive to New PC

Now that Windows 7 is out and it seems to be getting good reviews, it is time to replace my Dell Inspiron 8500 Laptop with XP wich is over five years old. I am very nervouse about what, how much and how I should go about moving my files to the new computer. What compatiibility problems will I run into? My main concerns are my quicken and financial information. Is there a step by step system available to follow?

EDITOR'S NOTE: This should help: http://askbobrankin.com/transfer_programs_from_xp_or_vista_to_windows_7.html

I just replaced an Emachine with a Compaq presario. I have a ton of mucic and pictures on the Emachine but the motherboard crashed. How can I save my stuff?

EDITOR'S NOTE: Easiest way would be to convert the Emachine hard drive to an external drive. See http://askbobrankin.com/convert_internal_hard_drive_to_external.html

Tax time! 1993 compudyne with windows 3.1 and pfs
Window works version 2 (spinnaker) would not execute monitor or printer - took computer to repair shop they copied hard drive onto one disc-
When I insert disc to browse shows all files - but can not open files -reads gobly gook- went to windows for download, ends at win 98 - HOW CAN I OPEN THESE FILES? did see an ad for "file helper"
converts old files? not convinced that this is my only option. Please help...clock is ticking....THANK YOU!!

Bob, what I need to do is copy info from 7 outdated computers' old IDE hard drives onto a new external teradrive. I've been told I should get a dual SATA docking station. Do I need one of these to do the copying? Shouldn't I get a SATA/IDE docking station? OR, better yet, is there a way to use a docking station and a USB cable to hook up to those old computers via USB to get the information off their hard drives? Will the old computers need power so I can access the hard drives?

EDITOR'S NOTE: Tiffany, it might be simpler and less expensive to buy an external IDE enclosure kit. Then you could hook up the SATA drive and each of the IDE drives (one at a time) to copy info from them. No need to boot up the old computers, and better not to!

I have to transfer data from my old removed XP laptop hard drive to a newly installed hard drive. Please help me to do this step-by-step.

Hi Bob,

I have a Dell Optiplex GX260, WinXP Pro, 80gb HD. I have a new 160gb HD to put in and want to transfer the C: drive from the original 80gb HD to the new and faster 160gb.

What jumper settings do I put on the new HD so that it will be Master after the copying?

I have Partition Magic 7.0 which doesn't tell me anything about the IDE jumper settings needed to accomplish this. I have heard that this is possible, never done it myself. Usually I just put in a new HD the same make, model of what came with the system. I didn't do that this time but now want to add storage by adding a new HD and also making the C: drive on the new HD and boot from that.

If you could share with me the jumper settings for this, great. Both HDs are Western Digital.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I would install the new drive as a slave, make a full backup image on it, then power down. Remove the old drive, set the jumpers on the new drive to master, and restart.

Hello Bob!

I could use your help. I had an old windows95 machine that recieved a new hard drive and a programming upgrade about a year and a half ago. Was running XP with SP3. I recently received a newer P4 system that already had a Primary drive running XP Home. My OLD system was a Gateway, and my newer system is an ABIT AG-8V motherboard.

I placed my OLD drive into the newer system, but I can not run any of my programs on my old drive. How do I get the programs and files and data off, and transfered to the newer drive? This is the first time I'm attempting something like this ,and didnt want to have to spend BIG bucks to do something that anyone can do at home with the right instruction.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Sounds like you placed the OLD drive into the newer system as a secondary disk. You have two choices: Re-install those programs from the install CD, or use a program to help. Take a look at the Transfer Wizard in XP, it might do the job. See http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/expert/crawford_november12.mspx

I have a q.?i have a gateway labtop that the screen broke on it,i used to just hook up a house monitor for a screen and use it like that and it used to load up fine.but now it doesnt load up.the hard drive light doesnt even light up.i cant even switch the screen on anymore to see whats going on.so i was woundering if i could just hook up that gateway hard drive to my dell labtop to see whats going on with it and maybe fix it.is that possible?i mean will it work going from a gateway to a dell???and is it a good idear to do so?thanks

Norton no longer offers Partition Magic.

MY old pc completely crashed, I was unable to do a transfer files programs from my hp pavillion xp to new pc dell optiplex 320 windows xp cause it was in operational. a friend helped and placed my old hard drive on my new pc, he thought id be able to transfer everything from E hard drive to my new pc but i cant get it to transfer using the wizrd from old pc to new pc.