FLASH DRIVE QUESTION

[marico]

Am preparing to transfer files from my xp to new puter 7. Never done this before. Am looking at videos etc to learn how. My question: after transferring (copying) the files to the new machine, can I remove the files from my flash drive?

I am starting with just a few until I get familiar with it. I have a 4 gig flash but don't know if that will be enough if I have to retain all the files I transfer.

Thanks...

Marico

[jdc2000]

You can remove the files from the flash drive after you have transferred them, although I would verify that the files transferred properly first.

However, that does not mean you should not have backup copies of your important files. What are you going to with the old XP computer? How many megabytes or gigabytes of files do you have to transfer?

[marico]

Thanks for your response. I am keeping the xp because I have many files I do not intend to transfer. I am going to have to pick and choose what I want to copy. I have been told I will have to install my programs rather than transfer. I will need to talk to Quicken to see what I need to do to move it to 7. Don't know if my CD backups will
work over there. There is so much I don't know and that is why I am going about it piecemeal.

Marico

[photolady]

You can't copy programs and move those. You do have to install programs on Windows 7. You can move files, documents, and pictures, etc.

[marico]

Thanks again. I haven't bought a new computer for years because I dreaded the transfer process. I had hoped enough time had passed that a simple quick way to do it would have been discovered. I guess I will have to do emails, bookmarks and all that one by one like I did with floppies and cd's. At any rate, the flash will hold much more than they did. Guess I'd better get started.

M

[buf]

I thought MS made available a free application just for this purpose. I do not recall the name of the program. Good luck in being given the name of the app.

[Falcon Speed]

As photolady already mentioned and as a rule of thumb, it is not recommended to copy and move applications or programs (Quicken, Turbo Tax, Microsoft Word or Excel, Games, etc...). It is better to reinstall those. However, you can move the byproduct files produced from those applications or programs (*.doc, *.xls, etc...)

Since you haven't transfer for a while, here are some tips:

-Create a new folder in your current computer (Windows XP) and organize all of your files that will need to be back up. Then, in this new folder, create hierarchical subfolders (vacation, work, family, etc...). Organize first.
-When you are done, right click on that folder and see the property for the total size. If it is bigger, (optional) i recommend get an external USB hard drive that can contain the new folder structure. You simply just copy the new folder to the external USB hard drive and then from the external USB hard drive to your new computer (Windows 7). If you don't have the money, then stick with the USB Flash drive 4gb. If you have a DVD burner, you can go that route too. Then again, I am not a big fan of backup on DVDs.
-I don't recommend doing a move or a cut of your new folder. Do a copy; just in case if you mess up, you still have the original folder and can start the copying process from the beginning again.

Afterward, I recommend using this tool to compare the folders and files structure:
http://winmerge.org/downloadsI think someone recommended to me on this site a while back. I have been using it for years and work really well.

If it shows an exact match, then it is up to you to decide whether to delete the original from your current computer (Windows XP).

Organize first. Don't organize and transfer at the same time because you will get confuse.

Summary of Actions:
-Organize
-Copy
-Compare

[IPexpress]

Yes, once you have transferred the files from the flash drive verify they have transferred successfully. You can then remove the files from the flash drive, but I would recommend backing up all the data on your XP maching regularly. Even a simple copy of all your folders to a larger flash drive would ensure you always had the files you needed even should you have something like a hard drive failure. Just get a flash drive for the sole purpose of backup. There are other backup methods but this is simple.

[marico]

Thanks so much for taking the time to give me the details on working this out. I didn't really know where to start and how to proceed. I can begin working on my folder now and get my new machine up and running.

God bless!

Marico