moving files to windows xp

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Hi. Sorry if this is a stupid question; I don't know much of computers. I
just upgraded to a new computer with Win xp Pro. I saved my files from my old
computer onto my usb hard drive and plugged it into my new computer. My new
computer says I need to format the disc. Does that mean I cannot move those
files onto my new computer? If I can, please tell me how. If I can't, what
else could I do? I appreciate any help I can get.
 
Malu said:
Hi. Sorry if this is a stupid question; I don't know much of computers. I
just upgraded to a new computer with Win xp Pro. I saved my files from my old
computer onto my usb hard drive and plugged it into my new computer. My new
computer says I need to format the disc. Does that mean I cannot move those
files onto my new computer? If I can, please tell me how. If I can't, what
else could I do? I appreciate any help I can get.
Click to expand...

What was the operating system of your old computer? If you bought a
computer Brand new online or retail, it will already have SP2 on it.
But is the version of XP the Home edition? or the Professional edition?
What I am thinking is that on the old computer, the external
drive was formatted as NTFS (whether you knew that or not) and you now
have WinXP Home - which I do not beleive recognizes NTFS. Plug it back
into your old computer, right mouse click on the drive in My computer
and choose properties You'll see Filesystem and it will either say FAT
Fat32 or NTFS.

If the external is NTFS - AND- your new computer is XP Home, Keep the
external plugged into the old, copy the external HD to a new folder on
the old computers desktop, reformat the external as FAT or FAT32- Copy
the files back onto it and plug it into the new computer.
 
Malu said:
Hi. Sorry if this is a stupid question; I don't know much of computers. I
just upgraded to a new computer with Win xp Pro. I saved my files from my old
computer onto my usb hard drive and plugged it into my new computer. My new
computer says I need to format the disc. Does that mean I cannot move those
files onto my new computer? If I can, please tell me how. If I can't, what
else could I do? I appreciate any help I can get.
Click to expand...

What was the operating system of your old computer? If you bought a
computer Brand new online or retail, it will already have SP2 on it.
But is the version of XP the Home edition? or the Professional edition?
What I am thinking is that on the old computer, the external
drive was formatted as NTFS (whether you knew that or not) and you now
have WinXP Home - which I do not beleive recognizes NTFS. Plug it back
into your old computer, right mouse click on the drive in My computer
and choose properties You'll see Filesystem and it will either say FAT
Fat32 or NTFS.

If the external is NTFS - AND- your new computer is XP Home, Keep the
external plugged into the old, copy the external HD to a new folder on
the old computers desktop, reformat the external as FAT or FAT32- Copy
the files back onto it and plug it into the new computer.
 
Malu said:
Hi. Sorry if this is a stupid question; I don't know much of computers. I
just upgraded to a new computer with Win xp Pro. I saved my files from my old
computer onto my usb hard drive and plugged it into my new computer. My new
computer says I need to format the disc. Does that mean I cannot move those
files onto my new computer? If I can, please tell me how. If I can't, what
else could I do? I appreciate any help I can get.
Click to expand...

What was the operating system of your old computer? If you bought a
computer Brand new online or retail, it will already have SP2 on it.
But is the version of XP the Home edition? or the Professional edition?
What I am thinking is that on the old computer, the external
drive was formatted as NTFS (whether you knew that or not) and you now
have WinXP Home - which I do not beleive recognizes NTFS. Plug it back
into your old computer, right mouse click on the drive in My computer
and choose properties You'll see Filesystem and it will either say FAT
Fat32 or NTFS.

If the external is NTFS - AND- your new computer is XP Home, Keep the
external plugged into the old, copy the external HD to a new folder on
the old computers desktop, reformat the external as FAT or FAT32- Copy
the files back onto it and plug it into the new computer.
 
Thats not correct, winxp home is fine with ntfs
Whether its been set to ntfs is another matter
 
DL, is correct. NTFS if fine with XP Home. Alan may be thinking of
WinME or Win98SE which cannot see a NTFS
partition. You might want to look in the Bios and see if USB 2.0 is
enabled. Make sure that you are using the correct USB connectors.
 
Rich Barry said:
DL, is correct. NTFS if fine with XP Home. Alan may be thinking of
WinME or Win98SE which cannot see a NTFS
partition. You might want to look in the Bios and see if USB 2.0 is
enabled. Make sure that you are using the correct USB connectors.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the responses. I bought my Dell Dimension 5100 online from
costco.com. It came with Windows Xp Pro. My old computer is running Windows
98SE. My hard drive is a 2.0. I'm totally lost. Where do I find the Bios? I
think the fomat of the hard drive is FAT or FAT32.
 
XP Home reads NTFS just fine.

Alan said:
What was the operating system of your old computer? If you bought a
computer Brand new online or retail, it will already have SP2 on it. But
is the version of XP the Home edition? or the Professional edition? What
I am thinking is that on the old computer, the external drive was
formatted as NTFS (whether you knew that or not) and you now have WinXP
Home - which I do not beleive recognizes NTFS. Plug it back into your old
computer, right mouse click on the drive in My computer and choose
properties You'll see Filesystem and it will either say FAT Fat32 or
NTFS.

If the external is NTFS - AND- your new computer is XP Home, Keep the
external plugged into the old, copy the external HD to a new folder on the
old computers desktop, reformat the external as FAT or FAT32- Copy the
files back onto it and plug it into the new computer.
Click to expand...
 
What was the operating system of your old computer? If you bought a
computer Brand new online or retail, it will already have SP2 on it.
But is the version of XP the Home edition? or the Professional edition?
What I am thinking is that on the old computer, the external
drive was formatted as NTFS (whether you knew that or not) and you now
have WinXP Home - which I do not beleive recognizes NTFS. Plug it back
into your old computer, right mouse click on the drive in My computer
and choose properties You'll see Filesystem and it will either say FAT
Fat32 or NTFS.
Click to expand...

XP Home version reads NTFS drives ust fine.


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm
 
Malu, I found this in a Review of your System
The system offers seven USB 2.0 ports--two on the front and five on
the rear--and our custom Dell multimedia keyboard offered another two. Go to
Dell's website and find out how to get into the Bios. Look for an entry or
entries that mention
USB 2.0 and check to see if they are enabled. Not disabled.
 
USB 2.0 is enabled.

Rich Barry said:
Malu, I found this in a Review of your System
The system offers seven USB 2.0 ports--two on the front and five on
the rear--and our custom Dell multimedia keyboard offered another two. Go to
Dell's website and find out how to get into the Bios. Look for an entry or
entries that mention
USB 2.0 and check to see if they are enabled. Not disabled.
Click to expand...
 
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