Buying desktop giving up laptop-transfer question

[Robert Donithan]

Robert! Did not realize you were getting W10. If the PC needs setting up from scratch I strongly advise you NOT to go for a Microsoft internet account, instead get a "local" account. "They" will recommend an Ms account but I did this and for a variety of reasons still have a non working W10 pc (it has W7 on it while I sort out a solution) A very knowledgeable chap at sos forum (Scan PCs ) said he NEVER does this.

I am pretty sure an Ethernet port is an Ethernet port no matter what PC (or mac!) you find it on and files can always be transferred. But yes, not programs.

Dave.

I tried the Ethernet transfer but could only get it to share, not copy or "keep" files on computer #2...I ordered a $9 3.5 to 2.5 hard drive caddy and am going to put the hard drive from my laptop(computer#1) into the desktop(computer#2)...what I'm wondering is will the data that's on the hard drive show up on the desktop(computer#2)?

 

[ecc83]

I tried the Ethernet transfer but could only get it to share, not copy or "keep" files on computer #2...I ordered a $9 3.5 to 2.5 hard drive caddy and am going to put the hard drive from my laptop(computer#1) into the desktop(computer#2)...what I'm wondering is will the data that's on the hard drive show up on the desktop(computer#2)?

So, you will have two hard drives with two operating systems in the same PC? I foresee trouble, sorry.

Dave.

 

[Steenamaroo]

I tried the Ethernet transfer but could only get it to share, not copy or "keep" files on computer #2...I ordered a $9 3.5 to 2.5 hard drive caddy and am going to put the hard drive from my laptop(computer#1) into the desktop(computer#2)...what I'm wondering is will the data that's on the hard drive show up on the desktop(computer#2)?

That's the way to do it. With your old drive slaved to the new computer it should be much simpler to copy over whatever data you want.
Drag and drop should be fine, from memory, but to be safe I would use copy/paste.

I think someone mentioned before, you always think you've got everything then realise some file is missing or didn't get copied so my advice is to copy over everything you think you'll need,
then store the old laptop drive somewhere safe for the longer term.

 

[Steenamaroo]

So, you will have two hard drives with two operating systems in the same PC? I foresee trouble, sorry.

Dave.

There's no reason this should cause a problem.
The only time it would is if USB is set as boot priority and the chances of that are very slim. Even so; Just plug the external hard drive in after boot.

 

[keith.rogers]

Umm, well, yeah, if you don't really care whether the laptop ever boots again would be my only caveat.

If you're meticulous and understand the ins/outs of the Windows file system and how the OEMs have structured the drives, what the various partitions are for, and check/double-check whether you're modifying the source or destination drive, changing account/privilege, i.e., really know what you're doing, sure go ahead.

Otherwise, get some software (like suggested earlier, maybe another thread, can't keep up with OP), that works through a cable designed for this operation (as [MENTION=89697]ecc83[/MENTION] suggested, IIRC, they might be ethernet but with a swapped line inside). A transfer application *ought* to manage the file privileges for you, and keep you from finding out that you got some of the files right, but maybe not all the ones you needed.

Or, if that's too complex, then get a FAT32 formatted USB stick and do things in small bits, e.g., copy just your pictures; install *one* DAW and then copy its project files and *test* that it works. For Pete's sake don't try everything all at once and then come back and ask why half the crap is messed up.

 

[ecc83]

There's no reason this should cause a problem.
The only time it would is if USB is set as boot priority and the chances of that are very slim. Even so; Just plug the external hard drive in after boot.

Three weeks ago I would have agree with you sir! But I am having loadsatrouble with a W10 PC that was fine 3 months ago but now will not accept the original password. Long-short. A computer expert I trust implicitly asked, innocently, "Do you by chance have two drives in there with an OS on each?" I do!

OP. I really, really would make a copy of the data on the drive and then load that. I also do not understand why you can "look but not copy" with the Ethernet connection? Must be a permission matter because I have a NAS drive and I can copy/cut/paste any which way to/from that..B slow tho'but.

Dave.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Don't know what you fellas are doing but this is the first thing I do with any repair laptop I get.
Pull the hard drive, health test it on another computer and, depending on the result, backup important data.

I think, maybe once, I had some permissions complaints so, in that case, I took a full clone.

 

[ecc83]

Don't know what you fellas are doing but this is the first thing I do with any repair laptop I get.
Pull the hard drive, health test it on another computer and, depending on the result, backup important data.

I think, maybe once, I had some permissions complaints so, in that case, I took a full clone.

Yes but YOU repair laptops FCS! WTGR, the OP does not and we don't know what horrors might be lurking on that drive.

The two drives in my W10 (eventually!) PC gave no trouble for months. Now, each time I boot it, it goes into dischk and if I don't cancell it that takes hours. The expert thinks having two drives and two (at least!) OS'es COULD be part of the problem.

Dave.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Yes but YOU repair laptops FCS! WTGR, the OP does not and we don't know what horrors might be lurking on that drive.

The two drives in my W10 (eventually!) PC gave no trouble for months. Now, each time I boot it, it goes into dischk and if I don't cancell it that takes hours. The expert thinks having two drives and two (at least!) OS'es COULD be part of the problem.

Dave.

Dave, I repair everything. Sometimes the thing doesn't even have to be broken.


Seriously, though, the advice has been given not to waste time trying to clone windows installations or copy previous installed applications,
so this a guy plugging an old hard drive in via USB and moving his pictures/music/sessions etc?

I don't see where boot failure, password issues or 'horrors' which lurk might come in to it.

Your description, @ecc83, sounds more like you have internally installed an old drive with old OS install and your computer is trying/has tried to boot from it for whatever reason.
Might be a good idea to do what's being suggested to the OP here. Take what's needed and put the old disk on a shelf somewhere.

If the OPs laptop still boots and works I'd probably be tempted to do it the other way; Boot the laptop and copy the needed files from it to the new computer via lan,
but there's nothing wrong with either way.

 

[ecc83]

Dave, I repair everything. Sometimes the thing doesn't even have to be broken.


Seriously, though, the advice has been given not to waste time trying to clone windows installations or copy previous installed applications,
so this a guy plugging an old hard drive in via USB and moving his pictures/music/sessions etc?

I don't see where boot failure, password issues or 'horrors' which lurk might come in to it.

Your description, @ecc83, sounds more like you have internally installed an old drive with old OS install and your computer is trying/has tried to boot from it for whatever reason.
Might be a good idea to do what's being suggested to the OP here. Take what's needed and put the old disk on a shelf somewhere.

If the OPs laptop still boots and works I'd probably be tempted to do it the other way; Boot the laptop and copy the needed files from it to the new computer via lan,
but there's nothing wrong with either way.

I think the OP has bought a 2.5-3.5 caddy adaptor and will therefore bolt the drive into the SATA port? This is what I have done and have been warned about.

Dave.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Fair enough..I read USB where it wasn't.

If that's the case then there's the possibility the computer might try to boot from the drive.
In that case, OP would want to hit f12/f11/whatever the boot select button is, and ensure that he chooses the correct, original drive.

If the wrong drive is selected it should be obvious. BSOD..password isn't 'correct'..or if it does magically boot, you'll know to look at it.
I'd try to avoid that, if possible.

If that's the boat you're in, Dave, either physically swap the two drives around, change the boot order in bios, or take your copy of the files you need and pull the older drive out.

Less likely to be a problem over USB because it's generally less likely that USB will be first boot priority.

 

[ecc83]

Thanks S. Yes, got to get back to that PC. Thing is, its in a loft and B! Cold in there now.
It is only a W10 machine I cobbled together to get some W10 experience so no hurry.
BTW I would LOVE it to boot from USB! I have a fresh W10 ready to go but there is no such option in the BIOS.

I have, at great expense and great moaning bought 10 DVD+R DL and will have to dld the ISO option I think.

Dave.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Thanks S. Yes, got to get back to that PC. Thing is, its in a loft and B! Cold in there now.
It is only a W10 machine I cobbled together to get some W10 experience so no hurry.
BTW I would LOVE it to boot from USB! I have a fresh W10 ready to go but there is no such option in the BIOS.

I have, at great expense and great moaning bought 10 DVD+R DL and will have to dld the ISO option I think.

Dave.

Sorry, I'm getting lost. What do you want to boot from USB?
ISO option...is this a Win10 installer?

 

[ecc83]

Sorry, I'm getting lost. What do you want to boot from USB?
ISO option...is this a Win10 installer?

Sorry! My explanation is turning into a hijak! I have an old, ~8years W7/64 HP tower and when Ms were doling out free Tens I thought I would put it on it, as I say for "practice". All was done and dusted and I played with it a while (and hated it!) then forgot about it for ages. I didn't really have anywhere to set it up.

Then a couple of weeks ago I did set it up in my loft (warm then!) On came the 10 logo and I enetered the password that had been "dymo'ed" on the case since setup. Would not accept it. Downhill from there!

As I said, the old BIOS does not, AFAICT, have a USB boot option and Ms force you to use a DL DVD and not the multiple DVDs you used to use.

Will get back to it er' long.

Dave

 

[Steenamaroo]

Oh my. Sounds like you could do with your own thread for sure.
I'd guess the wrong drive is booting, for whatever reason, so I'd pull the unneeded one and see how it goes from there.

 

[kevin6string]

why would you NOT save important files to an ext. hard drive... especially things such as recording sessions etc. i have all my sessions stored on external drive...if ever i crash i can reinstall my software on a new system and still be able to open up the projects straight off of ext drive... it is also a safe way to keep people from hacking and corrupting your important files...had i not done that i would have lost everything i recorded...

 

[jimmys69]

why would you NOT save important files to an ext. hard drive... especially things such as recording sessions etc. i have all my sessions stored on external drive...if ever i crash i can reinstall my software on a new system and still be able to open up the projects straight off of ext drive... it is also a safe way to keep people from hacking and corrupting your important files...had i not done that i would have lost everything i recorded...

Straight up! WORD.

Winner!