Easiest way to transfer hard drive?

[Boer6379]

I am waiting for the new laptop I ordered to come. I was wondering what the easiest way to simply transfer all the stuff and settings of my old laptop to my new one. It has the same OS and OS version, so there's no complications there.

 

[An_Idiot_Blooming]

I'd use the Windows File Settings and Transfer Wizard for the settings.

For data, you can just transfer it over using an external hard drive or a crossover cable + shared folders.

If you don't have either of the above, I'd go with the crossover cable. It's a much cheaper method.

Depending what you decide to do, I can give you more information. Drop me a PM if you'd like more details in case I don't meander back here in time.

 

[Passerby]

if you are able to get a hold of a live linux or any unix disc there is the dd command it makes perfcect coppies of hard disks into disk images.

 

[Clarko]

I would suggest a external drive. Sure the cross over cable is cheaper to transfer your data but in this day and age it is always best to have some form of backup for your computer or computers. A regular USB/firewire/eSata shall do unless you want to go networked storage you can go into NAS solutions but that is more expensive and more for business. Offering all the suggestions because I do not know of the laptop is for personal or work use.

Always good to have a back up storage in case you delete something you can retrieve easily or if a accident happens like a nasty virus or hard drive failure you know your set.

Hope this and the other suggestions help you out.

 

[s14sh3r]

I would suggest a external drive. Sure the cross over cable is cheaper to transfer your data but in this day and age it is always best to have some form of backup for your computer or computers. A regular USB/firewire/eSata shall do unless you want to go networked storage you can go into NAS solutions but that is more expensive and more for business. Offering all the suggestions because I do not know of the laptop is for personal or work use.

Always good to have a back up storage in case you delete something you can retrieve easily or if a accident happens like a nasty virus or hard drive failure you know your set.

Hope this and the other suggestions help you out.

+1 on the external hard drive.

 

[An_Idiot_Blooming]

In most cases, yes, I would recommend an external.

However, cost is often one of the biggest, if not the biggest factor in decisions like this. Especially if you just tapped out in buying a new laptop to begin with.

And if you're not planning to get rid of your old lappy right away... old lappy = makeshift external that requires zero work and money.