Computer woes

When I finally bought a new desktop last year, to replace my previous 2001 model (!), I also purchased a product called PC Mover Essentials:

I bought my new computer with XP Pro (a $90 "downgrade"!). I wanted nothing to do with Vista although they shipped me the installation disks. I used PC Mover to copy my existing Win XP Pro settings and apps (actually the entire harddrive) to the new computer. It worked almost flawlessly, I had just a couple of really old apps which will not work on the new computer. Since I still have the older computer working, I just go to it when I want those particular programs.

PC Mover was able to transfer all my e-mail settings, and folders, and I had newsgroups working perfectly. One of the reasons I had postponed getting a new computer was the dread of re-installing all my applications and tweaking settings. This software made the move really easy.

NAYY,

You might try downloading the current version of SeaMonkey, which is Thunderbird plus mail, news, and chat. I don't use it, but I have friends who swear by it, and it should feel pretty much the same to use as Thunderbird since they are both based on the Mozilla engine. Thunderbird is primarily mail but can also do news; SeaMonkey is designed to do both.

I couldn't get back to you earlier - had cataract surgery a week ago and my eyes are still adjusting, so reading and writing are still a challenge. Anyway, I do have a "PC Relocator" which I bought at the same time as my first laptop, and it worked very well for moving all my files first from the desktop to the laptop, and then again when I got a new desktop. However, these were all Windows 95/98/XP. (I don't remember how I got the files from my first computer onto the 95 one). As the disks with proprietory programs on them apparently could not be read by the new laptop which is Windows 7, and as I am pretty sure that, in any case, my desktop has a virus somewhere, and as I have lost so much time between the pneumonia and the eye problems, I would much rather pay someone who knows what s/he is doing to fix this for me, rather than taking time to do it myself. The challenge now, of course, is to find someone who really does know what s/he is doing, and who will not charge me large sums of money and then not do the job right.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

Congratulations, and best of luck. I had cataract surgery on both eyes a week apart a few years ago, and I am thrilled with the result. I miss having the "built in loupe" I used to have due to extreme myopia, but I can always use a magnetizing glass.

Ok, I can readily understand not wanting to move a virus! :-( The nice thing about PCMover was that it allowed one to select specific files and folders. That *might* allow you to move the email files without risking importing the virus. I hope you can locate a computer geek to do the job well. NAYY, just a happy user.

Beverly

Ahem, "magnifying" glass.

That'll teach me to hit "Replace" without actually looking at the proffered alternative to a typo.

The Relocator also allows you to move only the files you choose - but it takes forever if you are checking out each file individually, which is another reason why I would rather hire someone

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans