I have a 10+ year old computer that has served me quite well and is still working.I bought a new one recently and am getting used to it (Windows 10, other program UI's, etc) What is he best way to transfer data from the old one to the new? I know I could drop stuff to a thumb drive and physically move it over. I do not use any cloud based services so that is out. I do not believe that I can connect the USB from one computer to a USB of the other (can I?) ...but this is essentially what I want to do, but not sure how each others' "C" drive would be recognized. I guess I would like to have some sort of direct wired connection between the two in order to transfer.I do have a 4T external hard drive, but that is, for all intents and purposes, is just a larger thumb drive in terms of transfer method. I am not some IT wizard in terms of technology and if it going to be big production or if there is a chance of screwing up the new one I will eventually take the time to archive to the external drive and then piece-meal the restoration to the new one as needed.The new one is quite a performance improvement over the old! I especially like the solid state hard drive, Xenon and 64GHz ram along with all the other goodies. Only regret is not dropping a little more jack to step up the video card again. I intend to use it fro AutoCAD, REVIT, Sketch-up and Lumion.

Network them together and simply Drag-and-Drop. On older vintages of Windows you could use a twisted pair network cable and transfer that way, but I doubt that Windows 10 would allow that.

Well first there is a USB/USB cableAnd if you can connect them both to a common router you may be able to do a lan transfer.On older laptops the Hard Drive is generally a real hard drive. remove it and plug it into a Shell (any computer store) and plug it into the new drive (done this) Finally I would indeed use a thumb drive.. and have a few times.

Buy a data transfer cable, $20 delivered.It’s a special USB cable. Amazon, Walmart or Best Buy.

d3500ram wrote:I do have a 4T external hard drive, but that is, for all intents and purposes, is just a larger thumb drive in terms of transfer method. I am not some IT wizard in terms of technology and if it going to be big production or if there is a chance of screwing up the new one I will eventually take the time to archive to the external drive and then piece-meal the restoration to the new one as needed.Unless you have more data than the external drive will hold, I think this is the best idea. When complete, the external drive will be a backup.

Big Katuna wrote:Buy a data transfer cable, OK... am researching this option. How hassle-free is it?Will I see on one computer monitor of the opposite's hard drive in order to visualize the drag from the old in order to drop to the new?Old computer= Vists OSNew computer= Windows 10

How to transfer data from one laptop to another...?

56 Replies

AsheGuy
Explorer
Aug 07, 2018
RayJayco wrote:
If both have ethernet port, just get a $5 crossover cable.

Or a usb drive or network them. Many ways...
(PS I didn't read the whole thread, just answered the question...)
Obviously. :)
RayJayco
Explorer
Aug 07, 2018
If both have ethernet port, just get a $5 crossover cable.

Or a usb drive or network them. Many ways...
(PS I didn't read the whole thread, just answered the question...)
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Aug 07, 2018
AsheGuy wrote:
rockhillmanor wrote:

I backed up all the files to an external hard drive. Only thing is this last time it put it in zip files don't know why? I sure as heck hope I can open those and get them onto the new computer.
Zip files are just a compression technique. In Windows 10 right clicking on a zip file will list an option to unpack it in the resulting menu.
X2

But why not make a second non zip copy to another external drive?

Just saying zips and hard drives can fail.
AsheGuy
Explorer
Aug 07, 2018
rockhillmanor wrote:

I backed up all the files to an external hard drive. Only thing is this last time it put it in zip files don't know why? I sure as heck hope I can open those and get them onto the new computer.
Zip files are just a compression technique. In Windows 10 right clicking on a zip file will list an option to unpack it in the resulting menu.
rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Aug 06, 2018
Thanks for all the tips.

Looks like if you are using Chrome it's easy peasy to transfer saved passwords.

I'm using firefox on a real old version of Vista.

Can't complain, this ole Toshiba has done me well for 'many' years. It's just getting ready to give up and give me that blue screen again and I'm scared I won't be able to get around it like I have in the past few weeks. This ole Toshiba is the longest lasting laptop I have ever had.

I backed up all the files to an external hard drive. Only thing is this last time it put it in zip files don't know why? I sure as heck hope I can open those and get them onto the new computer.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Aug 06, 2018
Generally windows sharing involves permissions and passwords. The procedures have changed including recent W10 changes. The first challenge becomes finding accurate and complete information for your OS versions.
AsheGuy
Explorer
Aug 06, 2018
fj12ryder wrote:
If you're connected to the same router and both of them are Windows 10, it should be a piece of cake to do.

It's certainly doable but far from a piece of cake. Microsoft seems to keep making it more difficult in Windows to simply share folders/files with other computers on your own network.
d3500ram
Explorer III
Aug 06, 2018
Bill.Satellite wrote:
Sorry if this seems like a hijack but I think it's the same topic. I would like to transfer all my pictures and documents to another computer but my only USB port is dead. Someone mentioned networking them together and doing a drop and drag. We are both Win 10, is that a pretty simple procedure? We already connect to the same router at home.

Not a hijack at all... I am glad you asked!
I have both my old and new computers connected wirelessly to the same router and I would like to know more about this method as well, so let those who know chime in more about this.

My router is new as well, it was purchased about a week before I got the new machine so it should be relatively competent to do the task if this method is a valid data transfer option.

fj12ryder wrote:
If you're connected to the same router and both of them are Windows 10, it should be a piece of cake to do.

What if the new computer is Windows 10 and the old one is Vista.... can it still be done this way?
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Aug 06, 2018
If you're connected to the same router and both of them are Windows 10, it should be a piece of cake to do.
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Aug 06, 2018
Sorry if this seems like a hijack but I think it's the same topic. I would like to transfer all my pictures and documents to another computer but my only USB port is dead. Someone mentioned networking them together and doing a drop and drag. We are both Win 10, is that a pretty simple procedure? We already connect to the same router at home.