Migrating content on hard drive

versachi

Hi,

I bought a new laptop a while ago but haven't gotten around to migrating the content on my old one to the new one as frankly I haven't a breeze what I am doing.

I want to take basically everything from the old laptop (photos, documents, music etc) and put it onto the new one. The new one is a Lenovo, the old one is a Dell.

Another question I have is regarding iTunes. I have LOADS of music on my iTunes on the old laptop, nearly everything NOT downloaded from iTunes but instead painstakingly loaded from CD's and I am wondering is there a way to migrate this over to the new one or would I have to load all of the CD's again?

Any help would be great, I am thinking of bringing it in somewhere as I am afraid of making a balls of it, any suggestions where I could bring it, or would this be money not very well spent. I have been told I would require an external hard drive to do it myself, but not sure what one to get either.

Torqay

iTunes: Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive

The rest (photos, docs, movies) you can just copy over and move them back into the corresponding folders on the new laptop. Don't forget locations like Favorites and Desktop. If you're using other browsers than IE, back up your profile and bookmarks on the old computer.

riclad

See here,
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/moving-your-itunes-library-to-a-new-hard-drive/

or http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527
QUOTE;
External drive
This option requires more work than Home Sharing, but it creates a backup of your iTunes library on the external drive in addition to moving your content.

Notes before you start:

You can use most iPods as an external drive.
Windows operating systems don't recognize Mac OS-formatted disks (HFS or HFS Plus formats).
How to back up your media in iTunes
iTunes: Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard

you can buy a 1TB drive 65 euro approx,

drivehttp://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/search/hard-drive#amount-low=0,amount-min=0,amount-high=17887,amount-max=17887/sortFilter=0_0/display-list/


http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/12929702/art/seagate/expansion-2-5-external-ha.html
usb 3.0 fast transfer speed,usb usb, no power cable needed.
it should show up as drive ,e,;/

1000gig.

open, folders ,in new pc, ,my music, pictures etc, copy files from, my music, my pictures,
folders,
eg first,copy, my music,my pictures, itunes folder , onto new drive.

YOU can buy drive in maplins,peats ,pcworld,
look at label,is it usb 2.0 or usb 3.o ,
usb 3 is at least 5 times faster in copying ,moving, files to a pc than usb 2.o,on .

see links above, it might be easier, to install itunes on new pc first,before you copy music

ITS no harm to first,just copy itunes,folder to folder,on new hardisk first, as a backup.

versachi

That's brilliant thank you. I will be in town on Friday so can go to Maplin or Peats as I will be in that area of town.

Wish me luck (I forsee steam coming out of my ears but I need to do this asap before old laptop actually dies forever!).

riclad

COPY 20 songs,from pc1, play them, copy a video,play it, To make sure drive is working ok,and test speed. one song, takes a few seconds,
hold onto reciept for drive,thats your gaurantee .
USB 2.0 drives are slightly cheaper than usb 3 , but slower copy speed.

bonzodog2

If you use a router for internet you could save the price of an external drive, by connecting both machines to it and sharing appropriate folders on the old laptop, then "attach network drive" on the new one.
Then copy what you want with copy/paste or drag-n-drop.

Its handy to have an external though, especially for photos and other content you've created yourself.

Ask again if you need help with this option, mention the Windows version of each machine if so.


edit:
Connecting to the router by ethernet cable would be better than wifi
You may get a cable to work directly between ethernet ports of the laptops, but you'd need to set up static IP addresses

versachi

The Dell is Windows Vista, the Lenovo is Windows 7, I am thinking of upgrading it to Windows 8 though....?

bonzodog2

Someone else here is probably better acquainted with Vista :-)

riclad

i can,t think of a reason to upgrade to win8, unless you have
a touch screen laptop.
But it s up to you.

Merl1n

you could always buy an external caddy for the hard drive from the old system and connect it to the new one and copy the data that way

caddys are about €20 and maplins and peats should have them

versachi

Merl1n wrote: »

you could always buy an external caddy for the hard drive from the old system and connect it to the new one and copy the data that way

caddys are about €20 and maplins and peats should have them

What is this caddy thing? I think I want an external hard drive anyway just to "back up" as I am always being told to do...?

I am going to Maplin tomorrow afternoon to get what I need, hopefully, and will more than likely be tearing my hair out on Saturday while trying to do all this with not a clue

Wish me luck!

brianwalshcork

Op, once you get an external drive, have a look at using the file and settings transfer wizard that comes with windows 7. It's the easiest way I've come across and works well.

versachi

Ok, thanks for all the tips. Hopefully I don't make a complete balls of it now!!

riclad

http://www.dabs.ie/products/dynamode-2-5--sata-superspeed-usb-3-0-enclosure-71ZV.html?refs=4294946403&src=3
usb 3.o caddy,
usb 3, is 5 times faster transfer speed,than usb 2.o caddy.
IF YOUR pc has usb 3 interface,
works on usb 2.o pc ,at usb 2.o speed.
copy files, open a few folders,on new copiedfolders.
PLAY afew mp3s, videos to test they play ok.