However, if you sell, discard, or give away your old computer, make sure all your data, and personal information are removed. Or you can let the computer itself do the job of personal assistant in charge of moving and file sharing: The Mac OS X Lion and later operating system provides a nifty tool called Migration Assistant that transfers your contacts, calendars, email accounts, and more from a PC and puts these files in the appropriate places on your new Mac.Ĭlean Sweep: Keep Your Old Data Out of the Wrong HandsĪfter you move your files, you should keep your old computer for at least a couple of weeks in case you overlooked any files. You can manually transfer files between Mac and PCs in the same way that you move them between PCs with external drives, cloud services, or home networks. Sundry Operating Systems: Transfer Files from Mac to PC or PC to Mac This approach requires a fee, but it automates the processes and can guide you to ensure you don’t overlook files that might be placed in an unfamiliar place on your old computer. If you have problems, both services offer 24-7 assistance. PC Mover Professional costs more, but it also allows you to move your applications.

The vendor's PCMover Express* transfers data and settings from computers running Windows* XP to computers running Windows* 8.1 or later.

Have no fear, though: Microsoft's partnered up with vendor Laplink PC Mover* to duplicate the functionality offered by Easy Transfer. Unfortunately, that was scrapped with Windows* 10. Hire a (PC) Mover: Use Do-It-All SoftwareĮarlier versions of Windows provided a service called Easy Transfer* that allowed users to easily move files between computers. These services are often free for a small amount of storage, and then charge a monthly subscription as your storage needs increase. Again, just drop and drag your files from your old computer to the cloud service, and then drag-and-drop the files onto your new computer. If you don't want to purchase an external hard drive, you can also move and store your files into the cloud-using an Internet-based storage service such as Microsoft OneDrive*, Google Drive*, or Dropbox*. Tip: Some computers have eSATA ports that are specifically designed for external hard drives and move data even faster than USB ports. Simply copy your files onto the external drive, eject the storage device, plug the storage device into the new computer, and then reverse the process to load the files onto it. There are a couple of ways to do this.įor starters, plug your old computer into a USB flash drive or external hard drive, which typically can cost from $30 to several hundred dollars depending on the storage amount, speed, and functionality you need. If you're a hands-on sort, one of the simplest ways to get your new computer loaded with all your files is to manually move them.

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