It can be a daunting proposition. You have a brand spanking new desktop or laptop PC but all your files, folders, settings and software is still on your old machine.
One option, assuming the operating systems on both machines are the same, is to manually copy data from the old PC to the new one using physical media like floppy or optical discs, flash memory drives or an external hard drive. Alternatively, you can connect both machines to a home network and transfer data and settings that way. Either way, the process is tedious and the chances are, you will miss some key files or settings since many Windows applications in particular store key data in obscure places like the system registry or in profile files.
But there are other possibilities. First, check whether your new PC comes with a “migration utility” – a software program that helps new owners automatically move key files and data from an old machine. For example, Lenovo’s ThinkPad machines come with a ThinkVantage tool called “system migration” that helps new owners transfer personal data and application settings by connecting the new and old machines with an Ethernet cable or a local area network.
Even if your new PC does not come with dedicated migration software, don’t despair. Windows XP actually comes with a built in basic migration tool called the “Files and Settings Transfer Wizard”. Similarly, Microsoft’s soon-to-be-released Vista operating system comes with a new migration utility called “Windows Easy Transfer” that moves user accounts, files and settings from your old computer to the new one. However, these tools are fairly basic. If you want more control over the migration process, there are several third-party software products worth considering. Among the best is Detto Technologies (www.detto.com).
Detto’s IntelliMover, which costs $50 online, is a drag-and-drop file transfer utility designed to make it easier to move e-mails, photos, files and settings from one PC to another using a supplied USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable. As the name implies, Detto’s Move2Mac, which also costs $50, does much the same for users switching from a PC to a new Apple Mac.
Generally, however, if you want to reinstall your favourite software applications – assuming they run on your new machine and operating system – you will still need to dig out those old software CD Roms and track down the licence keys. There are, however, several migration utilities that also allow users to transfer software applications. Eisenworld’s PC Relocator Ultra Control, available for £70 in the UK from distributor Avanquest (http://www.shop.avanquest.com/uk/prod.php?pid=349) provides the ability to select specific software applications as well as data, settings, e-mail and internet settings for transfer. However, my favourite is Laplink’s PCMover (www.laplink.com/pcmover). The latest and extensively re-written version of this software package, which costs £37 (www.avanquest.com) aims to move selected files, folders and settings including internet settings like Favourites, cookies and dial-up settings, and all your software programs from an old PC to a new one, no matter which version of Windows they are running, in three steps.
First you install PC Mover on both machines and connect them over a local area network, wireless network, a special Laplink USB cable that is supplied in the boxed version, or an optional Laplink parallel cable. Then you follow the steps detailed in an easy-to-follow transfer wizard to start the transfer. Finally, when the transfer is complete – which could take some time if you have a lot of data and programs to move – you restart the new PC and hopefully everything will have been automatically transferred. Generally, I found PCMover works well, particularly if you follow the instructions carefully and allow PCMover to automatically determine which programs, files and settings can be transferred.
Most of your existing programs including Microsoft Office, WordPerfect Office, Adobe Photoshop, QuickBooks, TurboTax, PC Games and Intuit’s Quicken should work perfectly after you transfer the associated files and registry settings to the new computer with PCMover which does not alter the original PC files. However, as Laplink’s developers acknowledge in their website FAQs, sometimes you will find that a program will not work on the new PC, in which case you will need to reinstall the program from the original disks or contact the program manufacturer for assistance in getting it to work on the new computer.
Sensibly, PCMover also includes an “Undo” feature to restore the new PC to its original configuration, should you hit real problems. Generally, however, PCMover is a real time saver that can make upgrading to a new PC much less painful.
Paul Taylor tackles your high-tech problems and queries at www.ft.com/gadgetguru
