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Mavis Offline OP
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I just picked up a new computer today. I've got it up & running, but haven't transferred any files over yet. I have been trying to transfer my files & pictures to a CD or DVD but my old computer is on its last legs and it hangs up in the process - so I'll have to try to make a direct transfer. The problem is that I'm not sure how to do that. Would a direct connection through USB ports do the transfer or should I use more of a cable connection? Do I have to make them a network for the computers to recognize each other? I'm not sure how to do that either, although many years ago, I had 2 computers on a network - I just can't remember how I did that. Any hints or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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We do everything through a network here at our house so for us we'd simply put the new computer onto the network and everything would see each other.

For you, go out and buy a crossover network cable. It's a cable with the regular network plugs on either end but the cables "switch sides" in the middle. Then they can talk with each other.

You can't do that with USB cables, those aren't meant for that.


Lisa Shea, Low Carb and Video Games Editor
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If the old computer has an USB port you can also transfer the files to a USB thumb drive or external hard drive and the copy to new machine. Best part is you get a backup of your files at the same time!

You can get a USB thumb drive at any office supply store for a reasonable price - I just got a 4GB for about $30.


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Mavis Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: Lisa Low Carb Ed
We do everything through a network here at our house so for us we'd simply put the new computer onto the network and everything would see each other.

For you, go out and buy a crossover network cable. It's a cable with the regular network plugs on either end but the cables "switch sides" in the middle. Then they can talk with each other.

You can't do that with USB cables, those aren't meant for that.


Thanks Lisa. I was pretty sure I had one of these cables here because I did this many years ago, and I just finally found it. I think I connected it to the network then becaus my daughter and I were already connected, but now there is only one person and one compter (well 2 now - LOL) in the house.

It was when you started reminding us all to back up our computers that I first tried and my computer froze every time I tried, so I really hope I can move things over to the new one.


Mavis
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Thanks Allison. I think I'll try the cable method first since I've now found a cable. Hopefully that will work because I have tons of stuff to transfer and I'd need several of those little thumb drives. The biggest chunk of what I have to move is pictures and I take a LOT of pictures. The DVD I tried to use was 8GB and that would have only taken about 1/2 the pictures if it had worked. After I get things moved over, I'll put them on the DVD from the new computer. smile


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My hubby (the computer person here) said if you are really worried about your computer crashing in the middle try this;

Take the hard dive out of your old computer and out it into an external USB hard drive case and plug it into the new computer - then it works just like an extrenal hard drive and you can copy over to your new hard drive.

He's had to do this when recovering info from frying computers that people REALLY needed.


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Mavis Offline OP
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That sounds kind of complicated to me Michelle - but it sounds like it would work great.


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Let us know how the cable works! We can talk you through other options if you need to.

And definitely, back up!! It is so important to back up regularly. I am sure every one of us here has horror stories about losing important data!


Lisa Shea, Low Carb and Video Games Editor
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The cable didn't work. I guess it was more of a network cable, since that was how I transferred the files last time. I went out to buy the "easy transfer cable" that Vista wanted to use, but the guy at Best Buy suggested the 4GB flash drive that Allison mentioned. It was $19.99 compared to the $59.99 that the cable was and he said that I would probably only use the cable once because the next computer might need something else - LOL.

So - I got the flash drive & it is working fine. I've got all my pictures transferred, all my articles and other documents. I've got a few other things I want to try to transfer too, and then I will backup everyting from the new computer.

I've never used a flash drive before, but it is certainly easy to use. smile


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That's great to hear! Flash drives are always useful smile


Lisa Shea, Low Carb and Video Games Editor
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