I am often asked to have more "how-to" columns. I sometimes hesitate to do that, because it's difficult to really get into detail in this type of format, given the limited size and no capability for illustrations. Also, the skill range of my readers goes from absolute computer novices, to those people having a fairly good level of background and experience. It's difficult to make the column technical enough to satisfy the techies out there, but yet simple enough for the novices. So, if you find that you can't follow the advice in this column or are unfamiliar with some of the terms, get someone to help you rather than try to do it yourself.
It's also just impossible to present a cookbook type of presentation. The details are technically difficult and vary too much with differences in the version of Windows used and other installation parameters. So, let's instead try to discuss some of the basics and some general guidelines.
Wow! Its Christmas morning (or perhaps a little earlier) and your new PC has just been unpacked. How do you set it up, and more importantly how do you copy your programs and data from your old PC?
First unpack the PC and set up the initial installation per the manufacturer's documentation. Be careful to follow all steps. If you have a dial-up or cable Internet connection, be sure to have the cable plugged in prior to starting up the PC. I can't be more specific in this step, as the installation procedures for each manufacturer vary.
Once the PC is up and running and you have the Windows XP screen showing, the first thing to do is check that your Internet connection is running by clicking on Internet Explorer and making sure you can get on the Internet. You need to do this step, as your anti-virus software will need the connection to download the latest updates.
Then install an anti-virus program. I recommend Norton Anti-Virus 2004, which you can obtain locally. Your new PC may come with anti-virus software, but it is almost certainly just a limited time trial and probably not the newest version. Proceeding without anti-virus software (especially when copying files from your old PC) is not a good idea.
Next make sure your Windows system is updated to the latest fixes by going to Start / All Programs / Windows Update and download and install all the pending Windows Updates.
To copy files and programs from your old PC, you need to understand the difference between programs and data. Programs need to be reinstalled from the original distribution CD; you cannot copy the files that compose a program and expect it to work. If you do not have the original CD (usually because you have, frankly, a bootleg copy of the software) you will not be able to copy it. Data files (such as your documents or Quicken files) can easily be copied, but you will need to install the appropriate program to handle them. If the versions of your applications are very old, it might be a good time to consider updating them. I would for example never install MS Office 97 on Windows XP.
To copy the files, you need to connect the old and new PC together in some way. The easiest way is to set up a LAN or Local Area Network. If you have a high speed Internet connection and have a router, you have all you need because the router also has an Ethernet switch that allows you to connect four PCs together. You will need to configure the PCs system software to enable the LAN. Once you do this and give permission to share the disks, you can copy the files you need via drag-and-drop. In some cases, you can also use a special cable between the two PCs.
Which brings up another topic. You need to know where your stuff is. This means what the names and extension (the dot-something) of the files are and what folders they are in. You would be surprised at how few people really know where there stuff is. This seems especially true of digital photo programs, which always seem to hide the details from the user.
To actually copy your files, there are a few programs on the market that claim to help you do that, and there is also a Files and Settings Transfer Wizard built into Windows XP. But I haven't had much success with these and in my case I prefer to do it manually. The programs are Detto Technologies IntelliMover (www.ditto.com) and Eisenworld's AlohaBob PC Relocator. But the approx. $50 fee may be steep if they don't fully do what you need.
Once done with your new PC setup, I would not be in a hurry to erase the old hard drive or give it away. If you have forgotten to copy something, you can still get it if you have the old PC intact.
Bob Seidel is a local computer consultant in the Southport / Oak Island area. You can visit his web site at www.bobseidel.com or e-mail questions or column ideas to him at bsc@bobseidel.com. For specific inquiries, please call Bob Seidel Consulting, LLC at 278-1007.