Help Available to Move Data to a New Unit
When you buy a new PC, you not only have to pay for it, set it up and configure it, but you’re also faced with the task of transferring all your data. With gigabytes of files, it can seem overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.
There are several ways to “migrate” to a new machine, ranging from software designed specifically for that task to using any one of several methods to back up your files from the old machine and restore them to the new one.
Symantec and LapLink Inc. make programs specifically designed to help you move files from one PC to another. Symantec’s Norton Ghost can be used to move files, programs or even operating systems between machines. LapLink’s new PCSync 2.0 is designed to move files but not programs.
Although Norton Ghost is installed as a Windows program, it works by creating a special DOS floppy boot disk that you use for the transfer. By booting from a floppy disk, Ghost is able to move system files that otherwise would be locked if Windows were running. Even though it is running under DOS, the Ghost boot disk will support CD-ROM reading and writing, network drivers and universal serial bus ports.
There are two versions of Ghost. The basic $70 version is positioned for “technically proficient” home and small-business users. The enterprise version is designed to load files to multiple machines from a central server.
LapLink’s PCSync runs under Windows and doesn’t require any special boot disks. You can use it to transfer files with serial or USB cable via a local area network or the Internet. The $100 retail package includes a serial cable and a fast USB cable. You can download the software for $80.
Some may see PCSync’s inability to move programs as a negative, but it doesn’t bother me. If you’re going to get a new PC, it’s a good idea to install all of your software from the original installation CDs or files you download from the Internet. Installing them from scratch generally gives you better performance.
If you do reinstall programs--especially older ones--be sure to visit the software companies’ Web sites for any recent updates. If you use the program’s “migrate” feature, it will copy your personalized system settings.
In addition to moving files between machines at your home or office, you also can transfer files over the Internet.
PCSync can turn your machine into a server, allowing you to access your files from another PC running PCSync or a Web browser. With this software running, you copy your files from any remote PC. But, unlike PCAnyWhere or GotoMYPC, you can’t remotely run your software.
Finally, the software offers a “music mover” option that lets you quickly copy MP3 and other audio files from one computer to another. You also can transfer MP3 files over the Internet.
FastLynx 3.1 from Sewell Development is a very easy-to-use solution for copying files between computers or from one PC disk to another. The entire program is only 700 kilobytes, which means you can install it on a second computer using only a floppy disk.
PCSync and Ghost are very powerful and versatile, but they’re also a bit complicated. FastLynx took me only seconds to figure out.
The full retail version, which includes 10-foot parallel and serial cables for transferring between two PCs, costs $69. Or you can download the program from the Internet for $45. Cables can be purchased separately for $12.
Windows 95 and above already has built-in software that allows you to connect two PCs via either a serial or parallel cable. Parallel is a lot faster than serial, but either way you’ll need a special cable.
In addition to these programs, there are plenty of other ways to move files. If the original PC is equipped with a Zip disk or a CD writer, you can write your data files out to disk and then just restore them to the new PC. If both machines are connected via a local area network, you can just copy the files over the network.
Another, albeit time-consuming, option is to use Internet file storage systems such as @backup.com and iDrive.com that let you back up and restore files on the Internet.
*
Technology reports by Lawrence J. Magid can be heard between 2 and 3 p.m. weekdays on the KNX-AM (1070) Technology Hour.
