Transferring to new computer?

[Peter G]

Apologies if this is a much asked question - I've searched.

Just about to take delivery of new super dooper desktop with XP pro already
installed.
I will immediately network to my oldish, also XP Pro machine, and of course
would love to simply copy all the junk on my boot drive without reinstalling
loads and loads of software, finding the keys and passwords (all legit) and
upgrading updates and indeed updates to updates! When I only had a 12gb boot
drive before and now will have much more than 160gb available, transferring
a bit of redundancy, (tho' I know not ideal), would be worth the days of
headaches and thumb twiddling.

Any suggestions or shortcuts?

cheers

 

[R. McCarty]

Run Files and Settings Wizard to capture as high a percentage of
setup/user data as possible. The majority of 3rd party apps aren't
covered, so some re-installation will be required.
Of course there is another option which is image your existing XP
instance and clone it to the new computer. However, this would
cause you some headaches with drivers and apps that are supplied
with the new machine's image.
No real easy way to do a 100% migration from one machine to
another without some planning and maybe a half-day of touch up
work on it.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Apologies if this is a much asked question - I've searched.

Just about to take delivery of new super dooper desktop with XP pro
already installed.
I will immediately network to my oldish, also XP Pro machine, and of
course would love to simply copy all the junk on my boot drive
without reinstalling loads and loads of software, finding the keys
and passwords (all legit) and upgrading updates and indeed updates to
updates! When I only had a 12gb boot drive before and now will have
much more than 160gb available, transferring a bit of redundancy,
(tho' I know not ideal), would be worth the days of headaches and
thumb twiddling.
Any suggestions or shortcuts?

Although there is software that claims to do some of this out there - you
would be MUCH better off reinstalling the software you need.
That's part of getting a new computer - house cleaning. Plus - install as
you NEED the stuff. Of course - install everything you KNOW you will need
soon first off - but then wait on all the other junk! You'd be surprised
how much one can build up things they never use on their system - not to
mention some of the stuff you have you may have downloaded for free and
there may be better versions out there now - better to look.

Technically - if you bought the machine from a decent company - you may only
have to install August's Microsoft Updates. Worst case - should only have
to install those AFTER SP2.

I install at least 3 machines each week and I even try - if the customer is
moving from an older machine - to install the provided software on there for
them - but I would not imagine (unless the machine there are replacing just
had minor problems and is just as new as the one they are getting) trying to
transfer applications over. Settings using F.A.S.T.? Sure - but not
applications.

To put it more succinctly - Windows is not a Macintosh - you cannot just
copy things where you want it and expect it to work - disappointing - yeah -
but a fact.. If you do use one of the application moving programs out there,
you are taking your chances on having to rebuild the new system from scratch
and install everything anyway.. Everything PLUS actually.

You are better off locating everything and finally organizing it now than
you are trying to magically move all of the settings/programs/etc and leave
behind the crap from years of use...

Move Me claims to do what you need..
http://www.pcnet-online.com/downloads/moveme.htm

Aloha Bob's PC Relocator does as well..
http://www.alohabob.com/products/pc_relocator/index.asp

One of the more popular apps on these newsgroups for it..
COA2
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1556307,00.asp