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General discussion

Transferring hard drive & memory

Dec 19, 2004 9:04PM PST

My old computer has died without being able to create a backup and I want to know how I can recover the information on my old hard drive and memory to my new computer.I don't necessarily want to have 2 hard drives installed,just transfer the data.
Thank you

Discussion is locked

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Use the method you use today.
Dec 19, 2004 9:19PM PST

You backup on the schedule you set up, so use that method on the old computer. Either with CDRW, networking them or try some external USB Hard Drive Case.

If you don't backup, then why not? Hard drives last some 5 or there about years. When they quite, people learn why the fuss about backup.

Why learn this first hand?

Bob

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Hi Bob
Dec 19, 2004 9:40PM PST

You might recall that I am considering getting an external hard drive - for back-up.

Well I haven't done it yet and I therefore wonder if everything on my current hard drive would be transferred?

The reason I ask this is that I have tried backing up to CD, but have found that some downloaded stuff won't copy (fair enough, considering the effort which went into creating any particular program), but will everything transfer to another hard drive/virtual other PC?

Best wishes, Gerry

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What didn't copy?
Dec 19, 2004 10:12PM PST

Files are files and if you can't put a file on CD, then it's a concern.

If you ware writing about programs, then nothing has changed since 1995 when Windows 95 arrived and the days of copying a "program" ended with a thud.

Bob

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Ah
Dec 19, 2004 11:09PM PST

I think you have just solved some confusion of mine - not that I was really confused between files and programs, just that I wasn't aware that programs cannot be copied ... period.

Does this then mean that, if I was to get an external hard-drive, I simply could not transfer everything from my onboard HD to an external one? That was my basic question, i.e. could I, in effect, create a "clone"?

If all I could do was what I can with CDs - which I have already for relatively minor stuff - then it is no advantage whatsoever to get an external HD.

Ain't it amazing how total ignorance can create possibly meaningless questions!!

Regards, Gerry

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To add confusion to this...
Dec 19, 2004 11:35PM PST

"Simple" programs can be copied with ease. For example, the program called "Media Player Classic" is just one monolithic .EXE file that you can move as you see fit.

HOWEVER, if you have a shortcut to that .EXE, the shortcut will not function since it points at nothing after you move the .EXE.

All this was "discussed a lot" in the 1995 to 1999 timeframe since OS/2 (another OS) was "object oriented" and keep such things all connected proper. The original MacOS was like that, but I can't say the same for MacOSX.

Files are files and as to "programs" these are best uninstalled and reinstalled when they need moving.

Bob

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transfering files
Dec 20, 2004 1:55AM PST

Many good methods are discussed here. I use an external hard drive (Maxtor 120GB). I also have an internal cd drive that I can back up files to. However I find that, I can back up files more quickly to my external HD, than I can to the cd. Your question was about your computer failing. How would you access your files to tansfer them?

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comp failure
Dec 20, 2004 2:02AM PST

Have you tried restoring your comp using your resource disk,or reinstalling your software so you can get access to your files.

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I don't get it.
Dec 20, 2004 3:16AM PST

Why not add the old hard drive as a slave to the new computer? Extra space always comes in handy. That's where
I put things like DVDs and graphics/photos (can be large files). chuck