I'm picking my new laptop this afternoon and I want to know if I need to buy additional cables or anything while I'm down there.

I want to transfer all the programs and files from my old computer to my new one. I see that Microsoft XP has a file transfer wizard, but will this transfer stuff like my Firefox (and all the bookmarks), Google desktop, Adware, Adobe and such? What about my subcription programs like my internet, anti-virus and i-tunes - will I be able to transfer them, or will I have to re-subscribe? How is the transfer done? Do you burn discs or can you hook the two machines together? I just want my new machine to work sort of like my old one (only better) and I don't want to f'ing around loading software all night.

The cheapest and fastest thing to get is a cross-over network cable, so you can hook this between the two PCs network interfaces. then you need to (share) the whole C: drive (C$) with all full access rights of the old PC. Then you can pull over anything you desire.

Original Programs:
On the New PC you will need to reinstall your legacy programs to emulate the old PC, i.e internet packages, anti-virus, bookmarks etc. Settings and things of that nature may need to be reconfigured unless the settings for each program are stored in a .ini format. Yes once you install the original program on the new PC, you can copy whole directories from the old to the new. Sometimes this grabs configuration settings with them.

Browser:
The simplest way to do this is locate all your IE (internet explorer bookmarks), copy and paste them to same directory on new PC.

You will need to re-install all the software on the new PC. Can't copy software like you could in the old days. You need to install from scratch so start looking for those CDs.

Documents, spreadsheet and stuff you can just copy over.

Have fun!

I just noticed something and after careful reading, that is so darn funny...
Hell...even a stupid hillbilly like me can read German slang



ACHTUNG! Alles touristen und non-technischen peepers!

Das machine control is nicht fur gerfinger-poken und mittengrabben. Oderwise is easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowen fuse, und poppencorken mit spitzensparken.

Der machine is diggen by experten only. Is nicht fur geverken by das dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseenen keepen das cotten picken hands in das pockets, so relaxen und watchen das blinkenlights.

I've used File & Settings Transfer wizard a couple of times and it has worked successfully. As It's been some time but I think having the machines on a network or using a transfer cable is required because of the volume of stuff that has to move. It transferred programs, data files, bookmarks ... everything.

Dont bother with the cross over cables, get a one gig memory key for the file transfer!
If you are not going to use the old laptop anymore, be sure to de authorize it from iTunes you one get 5 total and one full reset per year...

if your going from XP to XP it's a breeze with a crossover cable. however, as stated above, you must reinstall all your non-OS programs as they made entries into your old laptops registry. that isn't something you can just bring over to the new laptop nor would you want to. they tend to get gummed up with B.S. like spam popups, virii, and other memory wasters.

it's always nice to start new, fresh and clean.