For the Computer smarties on my list

[kelly_girl]

We're getting a new computer. Yay! The old one is 8 years old and needs to be retired.

What's the best way to get my fic, pics, music,and fanvids over to the new computer?

I need quick and cheap. I have some disks and I guess I can buy an flash drive. The CD-Rom is broke on this one so that's out if it was even an option.

Okay, once everything's off, best way to wipe the computer? Word, bookmarks, etc? We're not sure what we're doing with this one yet, but it may become's kiddies computer or we may just throw it out. Either way I want all info*coughproncough* off of it.

So basically I need a way to transfer stuff and then wipe the harddrive.

Oh and on a flash drive can I store fic, music and vids? All on the same one?

Thanks!

Comments

[pigglet27.livejournal.com]

external hard drive? How much space do you need?

[kelly-girl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I changed that to flash drive cause I don't think I need an external hard drive. I'm not sure how much space I need, but it's not a lot.

Hmm, seriously fic is the main thing I have a lot of. Fanvids i'd like to save? About 30? I have some tv eps but I'm just going to delete those since I don't rewatch them.

Pics I can put on photobucket so I'm not worried about those if I really want to save them.

[kernelm.livejournal.com]

If you don't have too much music/video to save, a flash drive should be fine. You can get a 4GB for less than $30. As for wiping stuff... if you're just worried about your kids it's probably enough to just delete everything.

[kelly-girl.livejournal.com]

Thanks, sweetie! I was thinking a flash drive would do it too, but I wanted to make sure.

[embroiderama]

If your old computer has USB you should be able to hook them up and use the Windows files and settings transfer wizard thing. I don't know anything about Vista, if that's what the new one has, but in XP you can find that under programs--accessories--system tools. I couldn't make it work with my old computer when I got this one because my old one was a little too old and didn't have USB, but it might be a simple way to go for you.

[kelly-girl.livejournal.com]

Ooooo, this one does have a USB. I'd started saving stuff to a flash drive a year ago when we were supposed to be getting a computer but we didn't and then hubby needed the flash drive for work. But I know it works so thanks!

[kelly-girl.livejournal.com]

Hmm, hubby says what if our old computer has a virus(it's running slow and stuff) would it transfer too or would it be detected and deleted? Flash drive sounds slower than this but it might be safer.

[embroiderama]

I really don't know! I think you choose what to send, so in a way it sounds similar to doing it with a flash drive safety-wise. But I've never actually made it work so I can't say for sure.

[kelly-girl.livejournal.com]

I'll double check because the USB to USB thing sounds the best. Thanks for that suggestion!

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

I had someone I trust ghost my old machine to my new one. The expense was the leads between the two machines and dinner for him and his girlfriend.

Ghosting creates an exact duplicate of one machine on the other. You can use it for a day or two before wiping the old machine.

Before doing it, run a virus scan, Ad Aware, and SpyBot on the old machine. Among them, they'll catch just about everything.

Don't try it without guidance, though. A new tech at my office did this in the wrong direction which lost everything I had.

[kelly-girl.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, definite guidance on something like that. We've got Ad Aware and Spybot but hubby is convinced something still made it through. I think I'll end up going with the flash drive thing. Thanks for this option too.