Ghost, Drive Image, Copy Commander?

[millhouselives]

Hi,

 

Great forum, I just joined and I hope this is the right forum for this question.

 

I am soon going to start building my first PC, but I would like to know if anybody has any experince or suggestions on which software package to use to move data from old computer to new computer after new one is build. Right now old one is running windows98(SE). I am not sure what OS i will put on new one. I guess it depends on some of the answers I receive.

 

Even it someone can point me to another forum or link where I can read about the different software packages available, that would be fine. I can do some reading to learn.

 

Thanks,

Millhouselives

[d3bruts1d]

Personally, I don't like any of them...

 

I'm more of a back up important files to a network/FTP/CD/DVD, and reinstall programs, especially if changing/upgrading the OS.

[VolcomPimp]

I have 2 hd's in my comp, a Western Digital 40gig 7200rpm drive

and a Fujitsu 10gig... I have a 3gig partition for my OS on the 40gig

and the rest is a big partition for everything else, and on the 10gig I just

store things that arents too important so they dont fill up my 40gig...

(ie. huge 700mb movies)...

if you just need to move files from one comp to another then I'd just get a spare drive and load everything onto it or backup onto cd's...

I only mention the 40gig drive cause whenever I need to format I just

format my OS partition and I dont lose any of my movies and such...

just a little usefull tip....

[ibelevnf8]

Yeah backing up to another HDD is probably one of the best. Also a network source would be another great idea, if you can do it. And third

the back up to CD's is another great one.

 

D3bruts1d and VolcomPimp have pretty much hit it right on.

 

Justin

[GolDfiNger]

i use drive image at work, sice we build all our comps identical i can just load the image and, well, you know the rest, but as for home, i tried it and its ok, i mean, i can load a fresh install of windows and my games and apps, then make the image, but since the contents change so much its like why bother?

[Calyco]

I just through it through the network to my buddy Jackets computer and he keeps it till I'm done. I do the same for him.

[TiM]

If you need to choose: I think that Norton Ghots is better, but really - if you plan to rebuild your system, it's better to reinstall OS, programms, etc. Or if you plan to change PC at all, just backup important files to CD-R.

[millhouselives]

thanks all for the quick answers...I do not have access to a network drive for backing up this is a home computer. I would not mind installing OS on new computer..that part is easy..but re-installing all of my applications would be quite job doing them one by one..I have a lot of different applications installed. Well I will let you all know what I decided when I finish building new computer.

 

thanks

[GolDfiNger]

what you do is this, find a way to back them up first of all, then reinstall your os, then all your apps, make sure you have your os just as you want it and them make the image.

 

then, next time you need a clean start, load that image, you then wont have to install as many programs etc, but obviously youd still have to back up anything new, like files and suck, games, etc

[megavyrus]

WEll, I believe you should not use an image program like those for what you need to do ... That can be done if you want to create a backup or have similar (identical) computers .. but in your case, it would be bad.

 

Why? Because when you create the image.. the drivers for all the components inside your computer are installed; and when you change computer, I imagine you change components also.. so it will be a big mess if you put the old drivers, that are for different parts... do you see where i am going with this?

 

As everybody said, you are much better off by reinstalling Windows and all the software and you are probably going to save much more time, than changing each driver for each part by hand....