Hello all, what a great site and good help from all. I have a new computer coming soon and I have over 18 gigs of music I will want to transfer. I am on a home network now, but I'm not too keen on all I can do. I share the printer and other folders between computers now. Once I connect my new computer to the network with these two, can I transfer the files from this one onto the new one? I have copied all other important data onto cd's to put on the new one, but there is too much music to put onto cd's. I have the two computers connected through a Linksys 4 port router now. all machines are xp. What are my best optons? This computer will go bye bye once the transfer is done, so it's not just a matter of sharing the files. THANKS

You can transfer by network although the fastest method would be to stick your hardrive in your other computer and just transfer it over.

A USB transfer cable makes that a snap. Runs about 40 bucks or less. Or just copy or move the file thru the network set up. It's gonna take a while to move that much data. I would sugget when moving that much you get a cross over cable and just bypass the router box. It's a whole lot faster than having to go thru a hub/switch/router.

Thanks doc, I had thoughts of adding that drive to the new one at a later date, but I guess now would be as goo a time as any. It's a storage drive with no O.S on it. I've never done it before myself. Any wise words to the brave?

Just make sure the jumpers are right on the drive for the cable posisition you put it on. Master-slave. Nothing to worry about, You cant hurt it.

Oh yeah I do have a word of wisdom. If you want to make sure you always have your music. Back it up some way! If the drive fails the music is on and you dont have it backed up it will be lost forever. With a home network you could have the music on two computers on the home network and that way you would in essense have a backup. I personally have a backup on a harddrive and also have my data backed up to dvd. That way should for some reason one or both of my drives go south I always have a safe backup on dvd. Back up your music to a secure source if you want to always have it.

Thanks for the help I had done lost of research, but this confirms what I really wanted to do to keep my music in tact, "no guts, no glory" I'll give it a go.