New computer, old files. Now what?

Q. I want to copy files directly from an old PC to my newer PC. Is there a way to connect the two in such a way that I can copy (or drag and drop) files from a Windows 98 OS to a Windows XP Professional OS?

J.H., Raleigh

There are several options, depending on how old the systems are and what tools are available, says Joe Vohwinkel, president of Agave Partners Consulting, a Raleigh IT services firm.

Using Windows 98 certainly suggests an old system, he said, which may limit the options.

If both systems have USB ports, Vohwinkel's current favorite method is a special USB-to-USB cable that lets you copy between the systems as if you were moving files on the hard drive. You can shop for them at usbcable.com; click on "Data Transfer" on the left for these types of cables. They run $30 to $40.

If the computers are networked, you can set up file sharing and copy the files across the network. This is pretty straightforward between Windows 98 and XP.

If USB ports and networks aren't an option, Windows' File and Settings Transfer Wizard is designed for moving files between systems. It can be a bit confusing to use and may take a couple of attempts to get it working, Vohwinkel said.

The utility can be installed from the Windows CD or downloaded from Microsoft's Web site.

Depending on the number of files, the utility really needs a network connection between the two computers, Vohwinkel said, but you also can transfer data on CDs. You can learn more about this process on Microsoft's support page: support.microsoft.com/ kb/306186 .

Microsoft releases Windows 7 Thursday, and while it's getting good reviews, from all accounts it's going to be a real headache to install on an existing Windows XP computer while keeping all of your files and settings intact.

Microsoft suggests that the best route for XP users is to buy a new Windows 7 computer and transfer all of your files over directly. (Adding it to a Vista computer, on the other hand, should be a fairly easy upgrade.)

But Laplink, the market leader in PC migration, is offering an alternative. It touts its PCmover utility as the only software with the ability to upgrade from XP to Windows 7 on the same computer, without requiring you to back up your data externally and wipe your hard drive clean.

PCmover Home, which moves all of your selected programs, files and settings from your old operating system to the new one, incorporates the "Upgrade Assistant" feature and costs about $40. You also can purchase a standalone version of Upgrade Assistant for $15 through Thursday or $30 after that. The software is available for download at laplink.com.

If you'd prefer to have help in the process, support.com is offering an online migration service utilizing Laplink's software. The remote service, available starting Thursday, is $49 if purchased with a subscription (starting at $19.99 a month) or $149 otherwise.

Finally, if you do choose to buy a new computer running Windows 7, you can follow Vohwinkel's first suggestion above and try the Belkin Easy Transfer Cable for Windows 7, a USB cable designed specifically for the Windows Easy Transfer Utility in the new operating system. It's $23 at Amazon.com.