Transferring my files

  • Thread starter Thread starter Newtechie
  • Start date Start date
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Newtechie

I just got a new laptop and I would like to transfer my files from the old
laptop to the new laptop.
Would it be easier to get a USB cable to do it? I have a compact flash USB
cable that I think would work.
I'm not worried about the settings - just the files.

I was reading somewhere that SyncToy from Microsoft could do this easily but
I'm not familiar with how
that works. Anyone know how to use this program?

Thanks in advance,
newtechie
 
Compact Flash USB cable - no such thing. There are either a USB flash drive,
or a USB cable. SyncToy is something else
(http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx).
You want Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. Start -> Programs -> Accessories
-> System Tools -> Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. You can use this with
a serial cable, and internet connection, floppy disk, CD, or a removable
drive (don't know if you can use the USB cable, but if you're referring to a
USB flash drive then you can use that under the 'Floppy or other removable
media' setting.

-Dan
 
My bad - I didn't know the proper name for it but I believe its called a
Sandisk CompactFlash reader and its connects to my usb port. I use it to
transfer pics from my digital camera. I was thinking i'd be able to use
this to transfer the files to the compact flash card and then to the new
laptop but I guess I can't.

I'm gonna read up on SyncToy because it looks like I'll be able to use that
as well. Thanks for your response.

newtechie
 
The thing you were trying to describe is called a Card Reader.

You can use this in conjunction with a Flash Card out of a camera. This will
work fine. Just insert your Flash Card, go to Start -> Programs ->
Accessories -> System Tools -> Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. Choose Old
Computer if you are on your old computer. Choose Floppy drive or other
removable media and choose your Flash Card from the drop down list. Hit Next,
and from there follow any prompts that it displays. Then on your new computer
run Files and Settings Transfer Wizard and choose New Computer and follow the
prompts again (make sure that your Card Reader is plugged in to the new
computer and the Flash Card is inserted in it).

SyncToy is more for automating and streamlining the process of moving large
batches of files from somthing like your Flash Card with lots of pictures on
it, to a different folder on your computer. So you probably don't want to use
SyncToy to try to move your files.

-Dan
 
Newtechie said:
My bad - I didn't know the proper name for it but I believe its called a
Sandisk CompactFlash reader and its connects to my usb port. I use it to
transfer pics from my digital camera. I was thinking i'd be able to use
this to transfer the files to the compact flash card and then to the new
laptop but I guess I can't.

I'm gonna read up on SyncToy because it looks like I'll be able to use that
as well. Thanks for your response.

newtechie
Click to expand...
You can use a Compact Flash card in a card reader just as you would use
a USB flash ("thumb") drive (or, if you're old fashioned, a floppy disk)
to copy files from one computer and then load them into another. But
you may not want to, because the camera may have formatted the card in
some proprietary way that might get altered if you write to it from the
computer.

Synctoy -- as the name imples -- is used to synchronize files between
two computers, usually over a network connection. It involves reading
the files, figuring out what's new and what's different, and then
copying over the new files and overwriting the changed ones -- in both
directions.
 
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