Moving files from old hard drive to new hard drive

[N9DO]

I've installed a new computer and also installed my old hard drive from previous computer. How do I move my files from the old hard drive to the new hard drive? Both hard drives show up on "my computer". I'm using Win XP and IE8.
Thanks

[AA4PB]

You can just copy and paste the data files (generally stuff in the My Files folder). You cannot do that with program files (generally stuff in the Program Files folder) in most cases. Programs need to be installed with the original installer program from the original source CD.

[W8JX]

You can just copy and paste the data files (generally stuff in the My Files folder). You cannot do that with program files (generally stuff in the Program Files folder) in most cases. Programs need to be installed with the original installer program from the original source CD.

You can copy ANY file from old drive to new one using drop and drag if you like. I would suggest that you create a new folder on new machine called old files or something and copy files to it. Not that you need too but rather so you can keep track of what you transfers. As far as program you can copy the folder/director to new computer but you will still need to re-install it. But, copying folder for them to correct place on new system and re-installing to that place will keep settings used on old computer.

[AA4PB]

Okay, I should have said you can copy and paste program files if you like but most programs won't run that way. They must be "installed".

[WA9IVH]

OK, now that's something different.  Moving programs is not the same as moving your data. 

Programs need to be re-installed.  This can be done from existing media or new downloads.  I'm not aware of any "home-brew" methods, but there are commercial programs that say they can do it.  For example,  http://www.laplink.com/pcmover

73, Mark WA9IVH

[KQ6EA]

Norton used to have a program that you ran while you installed any new software. It would keep track of *everything* the new program installed. It was supposedly to allow you to do a complete uninstall, but it also worked to migrate a program to a new computer.

[AA4PB]

Norton Ghost or Norton Save and Restore would make a complete system backup and could restore the entire computer including all the programs and user files. It was great if you replaced your hard drive and wanted to restore the computer. You couldn't use it to restore to a different computer unless that computer was exactly the same as the old one (chip set, OS, etc). In fact, trying to restore to a different computer was likely to make the new computer unusable. Different chip sets and different OS require different drivers.

[W8JX]

Norton Ghost or Norton Save and Restore would make a complete system backup and could restore the entire computer including all the programs and user files. It was great if you replaced your hard drive and wanted to restore the computer. You couldn't use it to restore to a different computer unless that computer was exactly the same as the old one (chip set, OS, etc). In fact, trying to restore to a different computer was likely to make the new computer unusable. Different chip sets and different OS require different drivers.

Actually using the image on another system is not fatal in itself. Drivers are a very minor problem to sort out. The bigger problem is hardware change will invalidate current software key. This will be somewhat fatal if not resolved

[AA4PB]

Yes, except that if the bad driver happens to be video or keyboard you may be dead in the water.

I've actually gotten Microsoft to give me a new key years ago when I replaced a motherboard in an XP computer.

[W8JX]

Yes, except that if the bad driver happens to be video or keyboard you may be dead in the water.

I've actually gotten Microsoft to give me a new key years ago when I replaced a motherboard in an XP computer.

Video driver will not kill it as it will default to SVGA (800x600) if it can find nothing else. Keyboard needs no driver to be seen even on USB if BIOS sees it. 

Yes it is not hard to get a new Key from MS if you have a fairly good reason. They are not picky. I have gotten a few myself.