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Question

Transfering files from one Pc to another, via backup...

Oct 25, 2013 6:01AM PDT

Hello. Needing some info to help bro in law out, w/newly purchased PC. His basic vitals are: Old computer is an EMachines, w/Wind XP Prof and new one is a Gateway, w/Windows 8. Im aware that in order to transfer any/all of his important info (bank acct info, etc), he first needs to do a backup on the old system. Can he pick/choose what exactly he chooses to backup and also, in doing so, does it also backup/transfer the entire XP os? Obviously, if the new system has Wind 8 os, he wouldnt want the other to transfer, correct? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Here're two options
Oct 25, 2013 6:16AM PDT

A lot of folks use WET, Windows Easy Transfer, but personally I do a full system backup to an external hard drive using Easeus Todo Backup. Then I know I've got everything and can selectively restore whatever I want. I export my email contacts and email because it's easier to do it that way so I can import them on the new computer. If you network the two PCs, you could always use copy & paste from the old one to the new one.
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Good luck.

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RE: Transfering of files etc
Oct 25, 2013 8:19AM PDT

Thank you both for your timely replies! I will pass on the info to him tonite. One last thing I was unclear of...by backing up info to an external hard drive, I understand he can selectively restore what he want. But as far as the old os (Wind XP) goes...the old one doesnt somehow get installed automatically on new system, right? So am I correct in assuming that a backup saves a copy of files/folders in case of loss. And that when used in my bro in laws situation with a transfer from old to new; an operating system itself, wont transfer over..just the file/folders needed?

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You should back up the whole system, but selectively restore
Oct 25, 2013 9:17AM PDT

No installed software can be transferred. This includes Windows and any other software that's installed on the old system. Any software you want to keep has to be reinstalled, so be sure that in this case it's Windows 8 compatible.

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Answer
For safety I agree. Don't pick and choose.
Oct 25, 2013 6:24AM PDT

While we could discuss if we could use the current backups (I'm guessing they never did) such information can be tied to some apps and for each app, it may be different methods to backup and restore.

If we don't have it all, we may lose something.

-> Also, the most common loss I read about is the email. If they had used Thunderbird instead of Outlook Express... enough said.
Bob