7-Zip 9.20 Adobe Flash Player 11 ActiveX Adobe Reader XI (11.0.01) AutoCAD 2010 - English AutoCAD 2010 - English CCleaner Conexant HD Audio D3DX10 ESET Online Scanner v3 Google Chrome Google Drive Google Update Helper HDAUDIO Soft Data Fax Modem with SmartCP HP Quick Launch Buttons Junk Mail filter update LogMeIn Malwarebytes Anti-Malware version 1.70.0.1100 Mesh Runtime Messenger Companion Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3 (SP3) Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3 (SP3) Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3 (SP3) Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3 (SP3) Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3 (SP3) Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3 (SP3) Microsoft Office Basic 2007 Microsoft Office Basic 2007 Microsoft Office Excel MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office File Validation Add-In Microsoft Office Outlook MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Proof (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Proof (French) 2007 Microsoft Office Proof (Spanish) 2007 Microsoft Office Proofing (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Proofing Tools 2007 Service Pack 3 (SP3) Microsoft Office Proofing Tools 2007 Service Pack 3 (SP3) Microsoft Office Proofing Tools 2007 Service Pack 3 (SP3) Microsoft Office Shared MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Shared Setup Metadata MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Word MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Security Client Microsoft Security Essentials Microsoft Silverlight Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition [ENU] Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729.17 Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729.6161 MSVCRT NVIDIA Drivers Optimum App for Laptop 1.62 PartyPoker QLBCASL Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2596615) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2596672) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2596744) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2596754) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2596785) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2596792) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2596871) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2597969) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2687311) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2687441) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2687499) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office Excel 2007 (KB2687307) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office InfoPath 2007 (KB2687440) 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office Word 2007 (KB2760421) 32-Bit Edition Spybot - Search & Destroy SUPERAntiSpyware Synaptics Pointing Device Driver Update for 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB967642) Update for Microsoft Office 2007 Help for Common Features (KB963673) Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2596660) 32-Bit Edition Update for Microsoft Office 2007 suites (KB2596848) 32-Bit Edition Update for Microsoft Office Excel 2007 Help (KB963678) Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 (KB2687404) 32-Bit Edition Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 (KB2687404) 32-Bit Edition Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 Help (KB963677) Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 Junk Email Filter (KB2760586) 32-Bit Edition Update for Microsoft Office Script Editor Help (KB963671) Update for Microsoft Office Word 2007 Help (KB963665) VNC Mirror Driver 1.8.0 VNC Printer Driver 1.8.0 VNC Server 5.0.3 VNC Viewer 5.0.3 Windows Live Communications Platform Windows Live Essentials Windows Live Essentials Windows Live Family Safety Windows Live Family Safety Windows Live ID Sign-in Assistant Windows Live Installer Windows Live Mail Windows Live Mail Windows Live Mesh Windows Live Mesh Windows Live Mesh ActiveX Control for Remote Connections Windows Live Messenger Windows Live Messenger Windows Live Messenger Companion Core Windows Live MIME IFilter Windows Live Movie Maker Windows Live Movie Maker Windows Live Photo Common Windows Live Photo Common Windows Live Photo Gallery Windows Live Photo Gallery Windows Live PIMT Platform Windows Live Remote Client Windows Live Remote Client Resources Windows Live Remote Service Windows Live Remote Service Resources Windows Live SOXE Windows Live SOXE Definitions Windows Live UX Platform Windows Live UX Platform Language Pack Windows Live Writer Windows Live Writer Windows Live Writer Windows Live Writer Resources

The easiest way to do it is to get a drive image software program and image your existing drive to your backup device. Then take the existing drive out, put the new drive in and use the imaging software to restore the contents to the new drive. Be careful when you restore from the image to the new drive. Some imaging programs require a parameter in order to use more space than the old drive used. The best known drive imaging program is probably Norton Ghost. Another well known product is Acronis True Image. There are others out there as well. I used Drive Image from Terabyte Unlimited to upgrade my laptop to a larger drive.

I'd suggest Walmart. Some pretty decent utilitarian models there to be had for about 400 dollars. I just got a 1 terabyte external storage drive on Amazon for 99 dollars. I had to return the first one as defective. A week later I noticed a 79 dollar Toshiba 1TB drive at walmart. I should have checked there first. I also got a 16gb usb drive at walmart for 9.95 that day. For computer nuts and bolts basics walmart's not bad. And the returns are so much easier than the web. The way I've been computer shopping for the last 13 years is to spend 1000 dollars every five to six years. That's the sweet spot for my needs. It's astonishing how much more you get each year for the same dollar spent. I do some CAD and quite a bit of HTPC (home theater PC) so 1000 dollars is about the ball park for me and I'm due to upgrade in a couple of years. Your description sounds like 300 to 400 would give you something more than adequate for your needs. Don't let sales people or computer "enthusiasts" talk you up in price or needs. If your needs are simple, you'll discover that todays entry level machines can do extraordinary things. One caveat to that is speed and storage capacity. Obsolescence can sneak up on you when connectivity and web content continues to get more labor intensive for the CPU. My 10 year old Toshiba was retired to the family den for light browsing and email use, and I finally upgraded the harddrive to 40gb as an absolute minimum requirement for today's browsers, utilities, and common programs. It runs like the day I bought it, but that's saying that it generally just can't keep up any more when web connected. I'd call it a "dial up" class notebook. Most laptops in your price range will be set up adequately for today's needs. But if it comes down to A vs B at similar price, look closely at the quality and speed of the central processor and the storage capacity of the drive. They're the best indicators of future proofing a computer. You also might want to ask around among people you know who own Apple computers. Asking such a question on the web is just an invitation to information overload. But odds are good that someone you know uses an Apple and they may be a good source of encouragement or discouragement. My hunch however is that if you aren't excessively into social media like facebook and others, wireless file transfers, printing, and connectivity with cell phones, automobiles, etc,etc (good lord) all the latest gadgets and utilities, etc ,etc, a PC would be the more user friendly for you as a basic computing tool.

Those of you wanting a laptop, definitely read the post Have you switched from a PC to a laptop? lots of good points in it, not only Windows computers but Mac's as well. My pain management doc has a Sony Vaio that he loves as well as 2 Mac laptops; he's mentioned one other but can't justify buying another. Wish I could remember what brand it was. Before buying be sure to research. As johnmari says about her Dell experience, unfortunately, that's what most people say. They also string you along until your 30 days are up to return it, then end up sending you a similar system, usually minus premium software you've paid for; and it's a refurbished machine. I have Windows and a Mac.. While I've been using the Mac mini, Windows is just so much easier and once I get the Windows machine finished (still not done building/adding parts) I will switch to that full time. Not sure if I posted in the other thread about our Compaq laptop, I bought it for my son when he graduated in 2003, that thing was a floor model and is still running. We blew a drive out in an airport (got hit against something) but installing the new drive was painless. I would buy one again, depending on how much they are compared to a Sony. I love the look of the Sony screens; we own 3 monitors with the XBrite technology..