What's the correct way to move data from DOA PC?

[ValiantSaint]

Hello everyone. I have been tasked by a friend with moving some data from a non-working PC, to his latest desktop machine. Is there a fool-proof way of merging the data with My Documents on his new machine?

What I normally do, is pop the old drive in a caddy, and just have the two drive windows up side by side, and just copy the data over that way.......just wondering if there's a quicker way of doing it. Do you have to take ownership of the files after they have been transferred, as well?

I've always wondered what to do with .inf files when copying data over - do you just discard them? (As they aren't relevant to the new PC)

It's running W7 HP, by the way.

Many, many thanks in advance (And sorry if this is in the wrong section!)

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Your original process works fine
Once you transferred the files yes you cam take ownership with this which makes it easy
Or you can take ownership of the entire old os drive
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html

 

[ValiantSaint]

Phew! It's nice to know I'm doing something right! I do already use that registry hack to to ownership of the files. I was just worried it was an odd way of doing things. What do you do about the .INF files etc, when swapping over data from an old machine? Do you just skip them when copying over? Cheers

And I take it (after having a think) that it might be worthwhile attaching the old drive to a spare SATA cable and connecting it inside the machine? (Quicker.....)

EDIT: Can this method be used on all versions of Windows?

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Yes I just copy the personal files windows will build the other stuff once accessed with explorer or what ever default program opens them,
As far as I know yes windows is windows,

The only quirk I guess is the new install will see the files as coming from a different machine
So check the properties and see if there's a Unblock button on the bottom of the properties/ general section of a folder... after you take ownership.

 

[ValiantSaint]

Hi,
Yes I just copy the personal files windows will build the other stuff once accessed with explorer or what ever default program opens them,
As far as I know yes windows is windows,

The only quirk I guess is the new install will see the files as coming from a different machine
So check the properties and see if there's a Unblock button on the bottom of the properties/ general section of a folder... after you take ownership.

Unblock button? And you're saying that it's ok to leave the INF files behind? Cheers

Is this what you mean?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/124367-open-file-security-warning-unblock-file.html

EDIT: Can you use a registry files to bulk-unblock files, in the same way as the "take ownership" registry hack?