Copying Old Hard Drive to New PC
"When I buy a new computer, how do I transfer everything from the hard drive on my old computer? I enjoy the Tourbus and appreciate all the information you provide."
If you bought a new computer, or just a new hard drive for your old computer, you'll need to transfer the files. Here's how...
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Do You Really Want To Do That...?
There are several options, but first let's talk about NOT copying everything from the old hard drive to the new one. When you use a computer for a couple of years, it tends to build up what I call Cyber Sludge, and you really don't want that nasty old sludge on your shiny new hard drive.
In most cases, all you really need to copy are the personal files you have created, such as word processor documents, spreadsheets, photos, etc. You can use File/Export to dump your web browser favorites into a plain-text file, and the same applies to your emails and address book.
Various Ways to Transfer Files
To transfer to the new computer, you can burn a CD containing those files, or copy them to one of those nifty USB-connected portable hard drives (also called Flash Drives or Memory Sticks), or attach the files to an email and send them to yourself.
If you have a home network, it's even easier. Just make the hard drive in the old computer a shared drive, and you'll be able to copy the files to the new drive with drag and drop. Without a network, you can install the old hard drive in your new computer, and just access the files on it as your D: drive. If you're timid about popping the hood on your PC, you can take both to a computer repair shop and ask them to install the old drive in the new machine.
Copying the Entire Drive
Since that's what you asked about, yes... there are ways to copy your old hard drive, lock, stock and bearings, to a new hard drive. In the old days, you could use the XCOPY command from a DOS prompt to copy everything in one swell foop, but modern operating systems make this impossible. I recommend you use software specifically written to deal with all the intricacies of dealing with partitions, copying the Windows registry, and handling locked, hidden & system files. Two programs I recommend for this purpose are VCOM Copy Commander and Partition Magic.
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Posted by Bob Rankin on August 4, 2005 02:30 PM
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Article information: AskBobRankin -- Copying Old Hard Drive to New PC (Posted: August 4, 2005 02:30 PM)
Printed from: http://askbobrankin.com/copying_old_hard_drive_to_new_pc.html
Copyright © 2005 - Bob Rankin - All Rights Reserved
Most recent comments on "Copying Old Hard Drive to New PC"
(See all 32 comments for this article.)Posted by:
aaron
26 Feb 2009
I have vista on my pc a the moment but i want to wipe the hard drive Could i transfer all my programs and files to another hard drive and have a new OS on my new hard drive wil the programs work from my old hard drive as a slave drive?
EDITOR'S NOTE: No, you'll need to re-install those programs from the original media. Blame the Windows registry.
Posted by:
Dominic
02 Mar 2009
I have just taken my old laptop's hard drive out and placed it into an external enclosure to use with my new laptop, however when I connect it I find that it is very slow and that I can't copy anything off of it onto my new laptop's HD, whenever I try it just starts up saying - 'copying 24 (or however many) items, (however many) minutes remaining and just hangs there making no progress. I tried with just one mp3 file and the same thing happens, I end up having to disconnect the old HD or Windows explorer stops responding, what am I doing wrong?
Posted by:
Henry
09 Mar 2009
I replaced my old dell Optiplex for a newest Compaq, but I wan to use the old hard drive in my new computer because i have a lot of programs in it. I just connected the old hard drive to the compaq, but it does not recognize the drive. It does not do anything, it is like nothing conected, the new desktop just wait for any hard drive in a black screen.
I put the hard drive in the old desktop and it is working fine.
Do you know why is it happening?
Posted by:
Aldrich
01 Apr 2009
Do you have any advice on how to transfer all my files (incl. Win Vista) from an old HDD to a new blank one? I've tried Acronis and Windows Easy Transfer but they only make backup /or require my new HDD to have Vista already preinstalled. It is worth noting that my laptop vendor never gave me the OS (which is installed in the old HDD) and I have since lost the recovery disk he gave me.
Are there any freeware software that could help me facilitate said migration? Thanks in advance.
Posted by:
Don
14 Apr 2009
Hi Bob, I have a "lot" of word documents that are on an older Windows 98 desktop that I would like to have use of again . I parked the old computer four years ago and don't know if this or the older older system will be a problem. Didn't find any comments that covered my issue. I have XP professional on my newer system.
EDITOR'S NOTE: You should be able to open the Word documents from the Win98 machine on the XP machine with no problem.
Posted by:
Cathie
29 Apr 2009
(How to transfer programs from old hd to new)
Just purchased a HP Notebook/laptop. I have XP on my desktop.. Vista is on the Notebook. I own MS Office Word 2007 on the desktop & to activate it on my notebook, I have to buy it. Is there a way to just keep the hard drive and access JUST the old hard drive through my notebook? Has pics and other documents as well on the older HD. Obviously, purchasing the MSOW 2007 again is out of the question, and the info on the one I have I've no idea where it is (unless I can find the key on my old HD). I'm getting rid of the desk top. Thanks so much, Cathie.
EDITOR'S NOTE: You can use the old hard drive as an external drive, connected via USB. See http://askbobrankin.com/convert_internal_hard_drive_to_external.html
Posted by:
Richard
29 Aug 2009
I am trying to copy folders from my older PC running Vista 32bit to my new one running Vista 64bit. The new PC has a 60GB SSD as drive C and a 1 TB as drive F. The old PC has everything on one drive (C). I want to xfer folders etc from old drive C to new drive F using easy transfer, but it doesn't give me a drive choice. So how do I do this? SSD cannot hold all the data, nor do I want it all there anyways.
Thank you in advance Bob
Posted by:
Jill Hayes
07 Nov 2009
My Sony VAOI died, would not power up....Had to send it to Sony and they sent me a brand new computer. They sent me the hard drive from old computer since I couldn't back it up with no power on the old computer.
Now what is the best way to copy some of the hard drive info such as pictures and e-mail folders to my new computer when the old hard drive they sent me back is not inside a computer?
Please go step by step as I am not a computer expert by any stretch of the imagination.
Thanks!
Posted by:
Andy
16 Nov 2009
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
Posted by:
Steven
19 Nov 2009
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