new computer scares me silly

I've just got one, Dys. This is the first day I'm actually using the thing.

My boy brought down his external hard drive (about the size of a large walkman) and transferred all my stuff from my old computer. Later on today, he is going to transfer it again, from his hard drive, to this new gadget type thingy that looks like a spacecraft console, but is in actual fact a computer.

My old computer really slowed down when I converted it from gas to electricity.

The one thing you'll find annoying though, is the time it takes up, getting all the security programmes and windows updates done. Then you'll probably have several other programmes you want to install (photo processing stuff...iPod or other music thingy..that sort of thing).

The big thing I've missed so far, is the long list of all my "favourites" sites.

I wish I'd taken a note of them before the change over.

Good luck.

I do not know very much about Windows XP, which I suppose you use. If you are to transfer files between computers, I can recommend to read the "IEEE 1394 on Windows XP" part of the link..

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310433#appliesto

First, congratulations on your new computer. Now, there is a relatively easy way to transfer files from one computer to another. Check this out:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=306186

[Dalek voice]

Exterminate! Exterminate!

[/Dalek voice]

Yeah, you'll find in Windows XP it's very easy to keep those backed up.

I've got a small (and I mean very small!) external storage device that i do this regularily on.

Well for the pictures you can put them all on a CD and put the CD in the new computer and just copy paste them. :wink:

If you still have your old computer you can recover your favorites.
WindowsXP stores favorites in the following location:

C:\Documents and Settings\your username\Favorites
example: C:\Documents and Settings\Lord Ellpus\Favorites

Just copy the files into the favorites folder on your new machine.

Re: new computer scares me silly

You can keep all your old pics, music, documents etc... etc...
With a USB stick or something similar they're easy to transfer to the new machine.
You won't have to relearn things as Windows does thing pretty similarly no matter what version of it you have.
Obviously there are some differences and the look of things will be different but broadly speaking if you can use one version of Windows you can ise them all.
Similar to driving a car : if you can drive one, you can drive them all.

The Office applications, Outlook etc..., have a facility for exporting and importing your address books, messages, settings etc... as well.