Reference number: CH000600
How to copy information from one computer to
another.
Issue:How to copy information from one computer to another.
Solution:There are several ways a user can go about copying data from one computer to another computer. Below is a listing of some of these methods of how a user can get information from one computer to another computer.
Note: Before attempting to copy information from one computer to another computer it is important to realize you cannot copy a program that has been installed to another computer and have it successfully work.
Therefore, you should only copy the data files for that program and install the program on the new computer.
For example, a user who has Microsoft Word cannot copy that program to the other computer, they should only copy Microsoft Word documents to the other computer and then install Microsoft Word on the computer the files were copied to.
After you have located the files you wish to copy, you should decide the best method of transferring those files to another computer.
Below are a listing of all the different methods a user can use to setup their computer to share files.
Please make sure you review each of the below solutions to make sure
you are using the solution that best meets your needs.
Floppy diskette
If you only have a few files you wish to copy, copying the files to a floppy diskette and transferring them to another computer is definitely the easiest solution.
However, if you need to copy large amounts of data from one computer to another, you should try an alternate solution.
CD
With the increased popularity of CD burners and recordable drives, if the computer that you wish to copy the files from has a CD recordable drive, you can copy the files you wish to move from the computer to a CD-R disc.
This is another easy solution for users who already have this type of drive installed in the computer and CD-Rs can hold much more data than a floppy diskette.
- See our CD-R page for
additional information and help with CD recordable drives.
Network
Users who have a network setup or plan on setting up a network should definitely consider transferring and sharing their files on the local area network.
A network is the fastest means of transferring files between your computers, and once setup will enable to you to continue to share files.
- See our Network help page for
additional help and information with network cards and
networks.
USB
With the increased popularity of USB ports and devices, users can
also transfer files from one computer to another computer using
either of the below USB options.
Method one:
Users who have external USB drives such as external USB hard
disk drives can easily copy information to the USB hard disk
drive and then connect that drive to another computer to
transfer data. This solution enables the user to make quick
backups of the data as well as have the ability to quickly and
easily transfer information from one computer to another.
Method two:
Users who have USB on both computers can network the
computers using USB to USB. This solution is sometimes easier to
setup than a standard Ethernet network and still enables the
user to transfer large amounts of data between computers.
USB to USB connectors can be purchased at most major computer
retail stores.
- See our USB help page for
additional information and help with USB.
Direct serial connect
An older and slower solution of connecting computers to each other
to share information is by using the computer's serial ports.
Additional information about direct cable connection setup can be
found on document CH000246.
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