Geek Switch: Migrating Files from an Old PC to A New One

You’ve decided that it’s time to upgrade your computing life by getting a new computer to replace your old sluggish machine. Now what?

Most of us cannot detach ourselves from all the files and programs that we have in our old computers and chances are, we will be multi-tasking between the old and the new computers which is actually very unproductive. You want to get rid of the old computer but you do not know how to integrate your old programs, files and settings to the new machine.

There are several things that you can do. You can transfer your files to your new computer using built-in utilities that come with your OS (operating system) or you can download free utility software that will help you migrate your files for free or you can just cut the chase and buy a utility software that will do the job effectively for you.

But first before you even decide on moving your old files to the new computer consider the tools that you need in order to establish a path between the two computers for the transfer of files. You have several options. First you can connect the two computers through your network (assuming you have your existing network), by connecting both computers to your network router’s Ethernet ports. The second method is to connect the two computers using the serial/parallel ports and of course you need a serial/parallel cable, but this connection would provide the slowest data transfer between the two computers. The third and the fastest method is to connect the two computers through the USB ports and of course, you need a dedicated data-transfer USB link which is available at most computer accessory outlets. Another method can be performed by utilizing external storage media that can hold ample amount of data.

To establish a path between the two computers you need to connect them using a data-transfer cable that you can plug into the USB ports of your PC. I got one from Belkin and indeed it makes the file transfer much quicker and easier. The data-transfer cable comes with its own software that will help manage the transfer of files and settings between your old and new machines. I think the software that comes with the Belkin data-transfer cable is provided by Laplink. Laplink also has its own version of the same migration tool. You can buy and download online, PCMover, a PC migration software by Laplink (a trade name) and with it comes an optional data-transfer cable that you may choose to be mailed to you after a few days. Either way, you get the same results. It’s a bit pricey at $45-$50 but it takes the guesswork out of the task of migrating files and settings between your old and new computers. I used PCMover to migrate files from my Windows XP laptop to my new Windows Vista machine. My new laptop that runs on Windows Vista does have its own utility software that can perform the migration of files but I don’t think that it migrates the settings as well. I didn’t try it because I just want to successfully migrate my files and settings in one sweep so I opted to pay for a software to do the task more easily for me. With the tool I was able to migrate 30 GB of data in six hours. The good thing about PCMover is it gives you a clear outline of what programs and files are sitting in your old computer, which ones are already existent in the new computer in a newer version, which files are candidates for transfer, which programs may not work in the new system.

All you need to do is to confirm which programs and files you want to migrate by simply selecting and deselecting. And in the event that there’s an error in the transfer, you can always go back to where you left off even in an aborted migration because whatever files you have migrated already, they will stay in the new machine. Of course, you can always undo the migration process using the same software.

I am a very impulsive person and impatient too. So what happened was when I first grabbed my new computer, I couldn’t wait to transfer my old files to the new computer and finally say “Hasta la vista” to the old one. So I went online and purchased the software that might just do an easy transfer of files. I got PCMover and paid more than $40, but they did send me a laplink (USB data-transfer cable) that arrived in the mail a few days later. One drawback with the purchase was that I wasn’t sent the unlock code right away and customer care wasn’t readily available to assist me. So I had to wait until I got the serial number through an e-mail before I was able to fully utilize the software capabilities. This software does what it promises to do and it’s easy for the average computer user. You can even download a trial version of this software but it doesn’t migrate your settings to the new computer. So what’s the relevance? Sometimes you want to keep the same look of your desktop and all other settings that are carried out at startup. If you use only the trial version, you can only transfer some programs and files and your settings are left out. But if you really don’t need to keep the old settings then just make use of the trial version.

So here are a few points to note if you are thinking about migrating your programs, files and settings from your old PC to a new one. (Or even if you are not.)

1. If you just got a new PC chances are you got the better ones with dual processors and probably with a Windows Vista operating system. If you have a computer that runs on Windows Vista, it comes with a utility that helps you migrate files but not settings from your old computer to a new one.

2. Before you migrate your files, decide on what method of transfer you want to use and make sure you have the necessary accessories (hardware) and the software. It is always good to plan ahead.

3. Before performing the migration process, decide on which files you want to keep and which ones you want to get rid of. In my case, I uninstalled programs that I know I will not be needing anymore. That way, I had a better view of the files and programs that will be moved to my new computer.

4. Make sure that your old system and files are free of malicious programs by first performing a system cleanup that includes running an antivirus software, a registry scanner, and an anti-spy software. You basically have to wash off the dirt from your old computer before you move your files to the new one because you don’t want to pass on the junk that’s been sitting in your old computer to your new machine.

5. Plan a good time to do the migration process knowing that it takes time to complete the process. Depending on the size of the data that need to be transferred it could take from a few hours to at least half a day to complete.

6. It also helps to do a little research before you even decide on which software to use to successfully migrate your files.

7. You always get what you pay for. If you get your software for free, the migration process maybe a little bit more challenging and painstaking. Have a good supply of patience and perseverance.

8. If you want an easy pass with not much mental work on how to do the migration process then be ready to pay with real hard cash for a software than can make the process headache free.

9. If you want to do away with the migration process, hire the geek squad. Stores like BestBuy offer a service wherein they do all the work for you when you purchase your new computer, and of course it’s at an additional cost to you.

10. If you are not even ready to get rid of your old computer yet, well, lucky for you. You’ll save a lot of cash. But you’ll have more wait times in front of your computer that could really be frustrating and probably you’ll speed up only one thing by dealing with your old sluggish computer—your aging process.

So it’s about time for an upgrade. Be a geek. But be a happy geek. Get it?