We often get calls from customers asking them to move all their data and computers files from there old computer to their new.

If the old computer has failed it might be more of a data recovery job than a transfer, but either way, transferring data from one computer to another is a lot more complicated and in depth than just sticking a USB into the computer and copying and pasting the data.

So because the phrase transferring files from one computer to another is so loaded, this post endeavors to understand what is transferable, what isn’t and the different types of files and systems needed to make this happen.

Specific Data/Files

Moving just the data from one computer to another is quite simple when we think of them in terms of single files.  These files can include pictures, videos, text documents, PDF’s and other particular files you have downloaded, made or edited.

These files can usually be move to a USB device, online cloud service or even transferred over the internet. It is very straight forward as long as you know there location on your computer, laptop, desktop or external hard drive.

Transferring these files from one computer to another is quite simple, however it does not mean you can open them.

Programs and Applications

Now you have moved your files such as a word file from your old computer to your new, it will not open simply by clicking on it.
You will need to install the application program which opens it and in this case it is Microsoft Office.

These programs such as Office, Photoshop, or Adobe Acrobat Reader usually do not come preloaded on your computer and will need to be installed.

It is not simply a matter of copying these programs to your USB and moving from the old computer to the new.
Installing them on your new device is a process and will involve the installation media if it come with it, such as disks and the serial key licensing you’ve paid to use them.

In many cases a new computer will require a new purchased license.

Computer and Program Settings

Computer settings are just that, settings specific to that computer and most of the time they can not be moved between computers.

However some programs will have their own settings which you can export from a program installed on one computer and import into the same program on another computer.

The program and applications in particular needs to support this function and sometimes it wont work if you are using different versions of the program depending on how good it is.

There are also programs out there which claim to do a lot of the transfer for you. But we have yet to find one which does it good enough, often missing importing files and settings.