Transfer files from old comp to new comp?

[Fenlock]

The old machine runs Windows 98. The HD is only 3G, and is maybe 80-90% full. The data to be transfered is a small percentage of this -- maybe, at most, 500M. Quite possibly only 100M.

As for my technical expertise. . . I used to be quite handy on and in a computer. But I haven't been inside the box or software in several years, so my skills are old and only half remembered. I'm not afraid of going inside, or going through the operating system to configure something, but I must have the steps and proceedures listed (or given by something like a setup wizard).

Thanks for all the advice so far. I've found some step-by-step guides online (now that I know what proceedures to look up).

Quasqueton

Windows98 had/have some trouble with usb, so be sure that your installation supports usb before you purchase a pen.

Otherwise you could transfer the cdrw drive from your new to your old machine, and burn cd-rom backups of your files.

 

[Breakdaddy]

Windows98 had/have some trouble with usb, so be sure that your installation supports usb before you purchase a pen.

Otherwise you could transfer the cdrw drive from your new to your old machine, and burn cd-rom backups of your files.

This is only partially true. Windows 98 SE will easily handle almost any USB jump drive with the proper installation driver (normally included with the Jump Drive!). Having said that, some of the non SE win98 installations have been known to flake out on USB peripherals.

 

[Quasqueton]

Well, hell. Open the boxes to put the old HD in the new box, and found out that the new box doesn't have a cable for a slave HD. The HD cable has just one connection besides the one for the motherboard.

Found out that Windows XP has a "Help and Support Center" built in to help folks like me transfer files from the old computer to the new. I just needed a 9-pin serial cable. Went to four stores - Walmart, Office Depot, Officemax, and Best Buy - no one had a 9-pin serial cable. The guy at Best Buy said the connection could be made with a parallel cable, so I got one and brought it home.

Luckily, the XP Help and Support Center said that this should work. I hooked up the cable, turned on the old computer, and walked through the steps to set up the connection. Seemed to be easy. But nope, the connection didn't work.

At the end of the Help and Support Center page on making a parallel connection, in the Notes section after the instructions, it says that the old computer has to be running Win 2000 or XP. My old computer is Win 98. Why the hell didn't the Help and Support Center say this at the beginning, before one goes through all the hook up and configuration?

Anyway. Two tries have failed.

Quasqueton

 

[Staffan]

Well, hell. Open the boxes to put the old HD in the new box, and found out that the new box doesn't have a cable for a slave HD. The HD cable has just one connection besides the one for the motherboard.

If you have a CD drive in the new box, you could use that cable. Or get the cable from your old box in case it allows for slaving.

 

[Fenlock]

yeah, do as staffan said

1. open the old box and remove the hard drive (dont worry about hard disk rails).
2. open the new box and remove the ide-cable and molex (power supply) from the optical drive (leave the optical drive in).
3. plug the cables into the new old hard drive.
4. power on the new box. the bios will probably want you to confirm the hardware change then.
5. wait for windows xp to start up and discover the old hard disk. (you might have to reboot)
6. copy all files from old hard disk to new hard disk.
7. power down.
8. remove cables from old hard disk.
9. plug the cables back into the optical drive.
10. power on again (you might have to do a few reboots for the bios and windows xp).

and all in 10 eays steps...

which (as some would probably point out) is not easy, and you have to watch out for ungrounded equipment. it is an eays way to fry something.
and secondary, you might void the varrant on your new computer if you open the case.