Downloading files

[gardenmad]

Help please - I am being given a new (to me) faster tower and I need to take my files off the old one - I have some formatted disks - TDK MF-2HD - how do I do it? I can use the computer as a word processor and a filing system -otherwise I am a complete ignoramus at it. Can anyone help, please?

[Bigeye74]

Go to a book shop and look for an idiots guide in the computer section. I think things have moved on a bit too much to explain on here.

[vehelpfulguy]

Buy a USB key, example picture here

http://opensource.bureau-cornavin.com/belkin/u sb-key.jpg

They are very cheap, and you can buy them in PC World, Maplins, maybe even W H Smiths.

You plug it into your USB port, and it automatically becomes a drive letter (D or E or F for example).

Copy the files from your OLD PC to the USB key.

Now plug the USB Key into your NEW PC, and copy the files from the USB Key to your new computer.

NOTE: If your OLD PC is VERY old it may not have a USB port so you may have to resort to diskettes.

A USB port looks like this, see the small diagram shown to the right.

http://www.winster.org/USBPort.jpg

It may be at the back of the PC or at the front, or it may be under a small flap somewhere at the front or back.

[vehelpfulguy]

Copying files from one place to another under Windows is very easy if you have done it before, or if someone shows you, but it is NOT very easy to explain it in words.

But I will try.

On your old computer your personal data is probably stored on your "C" drive, maybe also a "D" drive if you have a large hard disk.

The files are stored in various folders. They can even be stored within folders that are already in folders and so on.

When you put a diskette in your PC it will probably become your "A" drive.

If you use a USB key it may become "D" or "E" or "F" etc

(without knowing your PC it is hard to know exactly what drive letters will be used so my text is a bit vague).

Basically you need to copy the files from your OLD drive letter (say "C") to the NEW drive letter "A" or "E" etc so they can then be moved to your new PC.

More to follow....

[vehelpfulguy]

To copy files the easiest way is to display the files inside a window, such as "My Documents" or "Windows Explorer"

Here is how My Documents may look:

http://www.geekgirls.com/images/winxp_mydocs.j pg

Here is how Windows Explorer may look:

http://www.sapdesignguild.org/community/IMAGES /explorer_tree.gif

In the FIRST window what you then need to do is display the files from your OLD computer.

You then need a SECOND window showing the files on your diskette or on your USB drive (which may be empty).

So you have TWO windows displayed, one showing the SOURCE the other the TARGET.

In the FIRST (source) window select the file you want to copy, hold down the RIGHT mouse button, and DRAG it over to the second (target) window.

Let go of the mouse button then select COPY from the little menu.

The file should then be copied from the SOURCE to the TARGET.

Continue to do this till all the files have been copied (if you are using a diskette you may not be able to get many files on there).

Now go over to the NEW PC and do the reverse, copy the files from the diskette or USB drive, to the new hard disk.

Try to use the same folder names.

Having re-read my own text I realise it is almost impossible to explain to someone how to copy files from one place to another.

It may be easiest to find a friend or neighbour who knows a lot about computers and ask them for help. It may take them minutes whereas you may get into a right mess and even finish up deleting files by accident.

[vehelpfulguy]

Here are a few articles that may help.

http://www.geekgirls.com/absolute_beginners_06 .htm#copypane

http://www.samspublishing.com/articles/article .asp?p=398090&seqNum=7&rl=1

[gardenmad]

Gosh folks I have just come in from the garden and am overwhelmed! Thank you all so much - I will sit at this later and digest it all - print it off, whatever - I will master the thing. Thanks again, and any more help much appreciated.

[HWKE]

Excellent advice vehelpfulguy. You are aren't you!

[stevie21]

Or more simply, put your old hard drive inside the new tower as an additional drive an you'll have access to the files.

[gardenmad]

Having at last got to this thing, i have read all your replies and also the links - I am most grateful for your help - I have even learnt things I did not really need - like undeleting things! Thank you very much vehelpfulguy - you have indeed been most helpful - there is one thing though - is what you call a diskette what I call a disk? Sorry - perhaps it is obvious, but to a simple soul like me, it aint!

Thanks again, anyway.

[HWKE]

A diskette is a floppy disk. The type you would buy as a pack of ten.

[vehelpfulguy]

Here is what I meant by a diskette

http://www.crosswaysimages.ca/images/diskette. jpg

It can also be called a disk or a floppy disk (in the days when the disk case was soft and could be bent)

Nowadays a disk usualy means the hard disk that is inside the PC case that holds all your data.

To be honest diskettes are now "old hat" and many PCs are now sold without a diskette slot.

[gardenmad]

Yes, well I can see I need to update a few things as well as the computer! Me for a start! But when I bought this thing, many years ago, it was the cat's whiskers! Thank you all very much for your help - I shall make time to sit at this and sort out as much as I can - but it won't be now as we are on tenterhooks over Liv v Chel - not a football fan myself, but my darling grandson is, and he is a Liverpool fan! And they have won, oh crikey we shall be up all night!

Thanks again to everyone for all your help - I shall not hesitate to ask if I need another answer.