On ebay you can find a device I like called a disk drive 'rack' or carrier. You put it in like a floppy drive, on the other 1/2 you put in any disk drive. Then you can plug in the disk like a floppy and run it anytime you want to look at the drive. This could be something for $14 that would help you to move files from old , hard drive, to a new one $60 for 750gb on amazon. JDMADERA has the disk racks for serial (SATA or parallel) or you can use an external hard drive, or any drive with an external adapter $14. I personally like the reasoning of buying a new drive to put all my files on it. I get a new drive, I copy my old files and test the new drive for a while before I commit to it , and have the chance to sell my old drive while having a backup. Another idea: If many files are text based then zip or RAR them and mail them to yourself. Many mail sites accept 2mb up to 20mb mail attachments. That might handle most of your documents and that way you have them backed up. It's a secondary backup.. you should still have them somewhere else but one site I use has been good to me for 5 years, for free, holding 40mb of stuff. I apoligize if I didn't answer your Q excactly. I'm in a hurry and tried to offer what I could to what I thought I saw in your post.. in a 30 second quick read. Andre

RW type disks, whether it be CD or DVD, should only be used for short term storage. Either type disks will let you transfer files to a different computer. If you use the RW type disks you can edit the files on the disks. If you use the R type disks you can copy the files to a computer, then edit the files, and then put them on another disk, R or RW. RW type disks are not a reliable storage media. If you are just moving a file from one computer to another you shouldn't delete the original until until the copy is safely on the other computer. If you are just wanting to back up files on your computer, use the R type disks and make a new copy periodically. If you have a small number of files to back up consider using a web service to store them or get a USB jump drive. (very handy to have). Whatever backup solution you choose remember, it won't work if you don't use it. Pooh Bear

The easiest way is to just install xmarks.com to the browser you use, they make a version for all the top browsers. Once you install it on your original pc it will save them it also creates a Web Page just for you with all your bookmarks there as well so you can access them from any computer any where. Then when you get the new pc install xmarks on it too and hit sync bookmarks and voila they are all exactly as they were on the other one. I absolutely love xmarks. Xmarks.com

I'm now leaning more towards doing the transfers through external hard drive (gulp) - however, I'm confused on how to hook up the new computer with the old computer still hooked up. Would I just plug it in, and then connect it to our wireless home network? It seems the (old) monitor has only one hook-up spot which the old computer is plugged into. Should I wait for the new monitor to arrive (which is supposed to be about a month from now according to the estimated delivery date)? Or do I need the new computer hooked into a monitor just for transferring data? Now I'm thinking maybe I just need the new computer plugged into the monitor, and the XP computer not plugged in - lol - I'm confused. Maybe I should wait until everything arrives.