#114 - Moving up, Moving on - Best way to transfer files.

With many customers moving on to new PCs, we struggle with the best way to move our data AND programs to the new PC.

Let's look at moving data issue first. Where you store your data is the main issue here. Hopefully you have organized your files in your My Documents folder. If you have done this then its not to bad to move the My Documents folder to your USB flash drive or an external hard drive. If you look at your My Computer you should see your flash drive or external hard drive as your E: or some other drive letter. Now double click on C:, double click on Documents and Settings, double click on your user name (might be Owner or Administrator), then click once My Documents. You can now click on the copy this folder item in the File and Folders task left side panel. It will prompt you for the copy location and you can find your E: (or whatever letter ) and click on it.

The problem in moving files happens when not all your files are in My Documents. You may be storing your Quicken or Quickbooks files someplace else. If you aren't sure where the files are stored, go into that program and do a Backup to the My Documents folder and you'll be covered.

Moving Programs to a new PC usually requires taking the original CD and installing it on the new PC. You then have to restore the data from your My Documents. YOU CANNOT JUST COPY THE FOLDER of the program to the new PC. You can't do this because most programs install their files in MANY locations on your PC, not just the Program File folder. There may be some other setting files you might need to restore, so you might have to contact the program manufacturer.