Buying a new computer is a lot like redecorating your
home. The whole point is to personalize your
surroundings to make home more “homey.” The same
goes for buying a new computer, whether it is an all-
in-one PC, a laptop, or an Ultrabook™. The minute
you get it home, the first thing you want to do is
transfer files from your old computer, so you willl
have everything you need right at your fingertips.
Want to transfer large files at 125MB/s, more
than doubling the average USB and wireless
connection speed, and with no risk of the
transfer being interrupted?
There are multiple options for transferring files
between PCs or Laptops, and your first instinct may
be to turn to your USB memory stick or wireless
network. But if you need to transfer files quickly and
efficiently, and the two machines are in the same
vicinity, by far the fastest method is the trusty old
Ethernet cable.
If you are not sure where to start, we have the help
you need on how to transfer files from PC to PC,
how to move your music from computer to computer,
the importance of file sync, and how to erase a hard
drive so that you can get rid of your old computer
without fear that someone will discover your
passwords, bank account information, or private
journal entries. Read on to learn more.
HOW TO TRANSFER FILES IN WINDOWS 7* OR
WINDOWS 8*
Windows offers a cool program called Windows Easy
Transfer*, which makes the transfer of files from
your old computer to your new one a snap. All you
really need to do is find the right process for your
operating system, and you are set. Users of Windows
7 and Windows 8 will both find helpful information to
make the process super easy.
HOW TO MANUALLY TRANSFER FILES
If you prefer the idea of manually transferring your
files, and you have an external hard drive big enough
to store all of your MP3s, photos, and video files,
you can perform most computer upgrades simply by
connecting your old computer to the external drive,
clicking and dragging your files, then transferring
them from the external drive onto your new
computer.
TRANSFERRING YOUR FILES FROM A MAC* TO
A PC OR TO A MAC
You can take the same approach as with manual file
transfers above by connecting your external hard
drive to your new computer with a USB cable and
manually moving the files over. Alternatively, if both
computers have FireWire*, you can transfer files
without the need for an external hard drive.
TRANSFERRING PROGRAMS TO A NEW
COMPUTER
Sometimes your data is not all you will want to
transfer from your old computer. You may also want
to move over some of your favorite programs and
applications. The only complication is that you may
have to upgrade those programs and applications for
compatibility with your new computer. If you
use Windows Easy Transfer* to move your data from
one computer to another, you will also get
recommendations on which apps and programs you may
want to install on your new machine.
ENSURING DATA SAFETY
Do not forget the importance of backing up your data
if you are storing all of your files locally on your
computer. If you are using personal cloud storage,
then you are ahead of the rest. Without a good
backup in place, you could lose everything, and then
how fun would your Sunday afternoons be? Not very.
If you have an external hard drive, backing up your
data on a nightly basis can be as easy as performing
file sync in Windows Sync Center *. To find it, just
click the Start button and type “sync center” into the
program search field. By following the wizard’s
instructions, you will be able to set up scheduled
syncs so that the data on your computer is backed up
on a regular basis.
If you own a Mac, you have a variety of choices and
platforms for backing up your data, depending on
what version of OS X* you’re running. Options range
from the iCloud* to programs like Time Machine* and
Time Capsule*.
HOW TO WIPE A HARD DRIVE
Remember, moving files off your old computer does
not entirely get rid of them. One of the best ways to
clear off your hard drive (or “wipe” it) is to use a
third-party software program that will remove all
traces of information that existed on your hard
drive. This makes it possible for you to hand your old
PC down to someone else without having to worry
about remaining bank information or passwords. Just
look for “data destruction” software programs, many
of which you can find for free online.
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