Tech Question(s): transferring from old computer to new computer

I’ve just bought a new computer and I’ve got a few questions about transferring files and what to do with all the stuff on my old computer. I’ve bought an external hard drive which has more than enough memory to save everything from the old computer onto it, but I’m not sure if it’s worth saving everything onto it. I’m particularly unsure about programs – would they work on the new computer if I transferred them across or would I have to download them from scratch? (The new computer is on Vista and the old one on XP, just to confuse things)

1) Music: I’ve got about 20 gig of mp3s. I listen to them through itunes and use this to put them on my ipod (which is four years old), but not all the tunes are actually saved in the itunes folder. In fact hundreds of them are in all kinds of other folders. I’d like to have everything better organised on the new computer and have all the tunes in the itunes folder – what’s the simplest way to do this? Also – do I need to download itunes from scratch or can I copy it over? Would it actually be easier to transfer the turnes from my ipod to the new computer (assuming this is possible)?

2) Programs I’ve bought: I’ll have the newer versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint on the new computer, but I’ve also got the 2003 version of other things like Access on the old computer. I almost never use them, but I might as well keep them if it’s possible – if I copied the program files across, would they work?
Also, I’ve got Football Manager 2007. I hardly ever play it, but I’ve guided Nottingham Forest through five seasons and have all the data saved, so if I do ever play it again I’d like to carry on from where I got up to – can that be successfully copied across?

3) Free Programs: Is there any point copying things available for free (like Adobe or Audacity) or would it make more sense to just download them from the internet onto the new computer?

4) My favourites: Is there a simple way of saving and transferring all the links in ‘my favourites’ in Internet Explorer?

5) Cleaning up the old computer: I haven’t decided what to do with the old computer yet, but if I give it to someone I should delete everything first (so that no one can log onto my bank account etc.) except the software. Am I right in thinking that deleted files are usually recoverable? If I deleted all documents (but kept the programs on there), then filled all the remaining space on the hard disk with music (just copying the same folder over and over until there was no space left), then deleted all that music, does that mean that only the deleted music would be recoverable and that the documents which were on there before have gone forever?

Thanks in advance.

I’d like to have everything better organised on the new computer and have all the tunes in the itunes folder – what’s the simplest way to do this?

check 'keep my music folder organized' in itunes options, should copy everything to the itunes music folder and organize based on tags.

Am I right in thinking that deleted files are usually recoverable

you can get a secure delete utility which will actually overwrite yr data with random bits

http://www.vistax64.com/vista-general/187885-software-secure-delete-free-hard-disk-space.html

1) http://hifiblog.com/past/2006/05/11/howto-move-your-itunes-music-while-preserving-library-data-when-you-dont-let-itunes-manage-your-music-library/

5) Take the hard drive out and smash it up with a hammer. Give the rest away.

or you could put old drive in new PC. seems easier than smashing it.

Or buy one of these - instant external hard drive!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/External-Black-hi-Speed-Drive-Enclosure/dp/B000JK769E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1248166130&sr=8-1

ledge - thanks

nate 1 - my understanding of the technology involved here is quite limited. I see the computer tower as a big grey box inside of which magic happens. I don't think I could locate the hard drive. Also, I know someone who might want my old computer.

g-kit - joek? obviously the new computer is much better than the old one

nate 2 - i've already got an external hard drive, my problem isn't so much how to transfer things, it's more whether to transfer things (because I don't know if they'd still work)

My knowledge is next-to-nothing as well, but if you do a GIS for hard drives, you'll recognise it as soon as you take the side panel off your computer. Taking it out is no problem, all you need is a crosshead screwdriver. It really is simple.

4) file-->import and export-->export (or import) favourites

programs you've bought: are you talking about copying the actual files that were installed when the program was? because the intallation process changes registry settings and stuff like that, your programs probably won't work if you just copy them straight across from one PC to another. just re-install them if you've still got the discs. something like football manager should have a file with the saved details of your forest campaign, so re-install FM and then copy that one saved file over and you should be right.

free programs: i'd just download again - you'll get the freshest versions that way.

Thanks again folks - I'll go and look for the original discs

no joek. you're just putting an extra drive in new PC.

Ah, you mean as well as, not instead of

indeed.

re: Football Manager- there should be a folder with your saved game in 'My Documents\Sports Interactive\FM2007' or something like that (at work right now, so I'm not sure).

There'll be a user data folder, then a saved game folder. Your precious Notts Forest save game will be there under whatever name you saved it as.

In terms of re-installing, you'll have to find the patches etc to bring the game up to date, unless you have those saved somewhere too. If so, just transfer them, reinstall the game from disc and run the patches.

while we're here, I have some similar issues - my old computer is plain broken and I'm looking to transfer my files (just files, no need for programs) to my new computer. I know I could just plug in the hard drive and set it to slave, but I'm kinda wary of tearing apart my new computer with my limited technical knowledge. So is there any easier way? I know there are leads to connect hard drives by USB or whatever, but is there anything else I'd need for that? Any kind of power supply or anything?

P.S. fuck Forest, I took them to the the Championship in my first season and then they fired me because I was sitting around 15th in November, what's up with that.