New PC - transfer 'bookmarks' from old PC to disc for new PC

[chessie]

Catch 22 situation !!

Old PC (bought new in 2000) runs Windows 98 and Word/Office 2000; printer now totally 'died' on me.

New printers - don't recognise Windows 98; will only run using Windows 2000, XP or Vista.

Present PC - Intel III 650MHz processor: 100 MHz M/Board; 128 MB SDRAM 100 MHz; 27 GB Hard Disk Drive (and yes it is 27 GB - this PC system was classed as an 'Entertainment' system with TV Tuner, sub-woofer, speakers, webcam and AGP 64 Graphics); and 56K modem.  I don't understand half of all that ! - but I kept the specification sheets from the time we bought the PC.

Am seriously thinking about 'junking' this entire system and buying new, all-singing, all-dancing, whistles and bells, Dell (?) system that - hopefully - will not date for the next 10 years and will use Vista !!

I'm not sure if it is worth up-grading existing PC - what would be needed for system to run Vista ?

I'm a complete computer/techno ignoramous....and haven't a clue about techno speak...

I have a lot of 'bookmarks' that I would like to keep.

Is it possible to 'transfer to disc' all the bookmarks ? Is it possible to 'transfer to disc' a lot of special e-mails that I want to keep ? And then install these on new PC ?

Please - any help and advice would be much appreciated - but I need this to be kept very, very simple (the phrase - 'words of one syllable'  come to mind !!)

Look forward to any help - thank you - Chessie

[Tim]

Well, going backwards - it should be possible to save your bookmarks and move to a new PC. I've done it many times between Windows XP and Vista and even to Firefox. If you're using Internet Explorer, even on Win 98, I should have you can still do it. You may be able to check by going to the file menu on Internet Explorer and go down to import/export - I then copy the bookmarks to a memory stick and load them the same way on to the other machine.

If your using Outlook Express, then there should be a way to transfer all your e-mail addresses and messages as well.

I keep saying 'should be' because I never used Win 98, I jumped from 95 via the disaster called ME, then to XP & Vista and I have managed to bring all the bits and pieces with me along the way.

As far as your current machine is concerned, well, if it was me, I think I would say 'goodbye old friend'. It is, of course, possible to upgrade it, but in my opinion, you would have to just about rip everything out and start again. If you're good at playing with computers it may be a nice little project - selecting a decent motherboard, a good processor, a sizeable amount of memory - a nice big hard drive or two, plus all the other bits like CD/DVD burners etc etc. but from what you say, this doesn't sound like something you'd take on.

Your issue will be what sort and how much shall I spend on a new machine. Then, perhaps getting one or two of your old programmes running on the new box. But the advantages will be a much faster machine and importantly if you're on broadband, a more secure machine if set up correctly.

That's just my thoughts - others on here will have different ideas but in the end, it will be up to you and your pocket.

Regards - Tim

[Clair]

I don't know if this is going to help, but it looks fairly straightforward, as long as you select the right version of Internet Explorer (assuming you are using it):

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/211089

[chessie]

Hello Tim and Clair

Thanks both of you for excellent advice - I feel a bit more confident now about how to sort out this problem.

Shall have to bite the bullet and buy brand new system, but it's reassuring to know I should be able to transfer info to new PC..

I knew I could count on the experts on this forum - thanks for your help !!

Regards - Chessie

[AnOther]

I was going to say that Vista has a tool for transferring files and settings but on checking it seems it doesn't support anything earlier than Windows 2000.

No matter though because in 98 your favourites are kept in C:\Windows\Favorites and can simply be copied somewhere else, to a USB stick for instance, then copied into Vista in C:\Users\Your User Name - that's it.

Your mail messages are a little more complicated.

Assuming you're using Outlook Express in Win 98 messages are held in files ending in .dbx which you can find in C:\WINDOWS\Application\Data\Microsoft\Outlook Express and you can copy these to a USB stick as before. Getting them into Vista is the tricky bit but I found the following:

OE dbx files cannot be individually imported into Windows Mail. Windows Mail

will only import (File | Import | Messages) from dbx files in an intact message

store that contains a non-corrupt version of folders.dbx (note that the files

MUST NOT be read only). In order to import dbx files into Windows Mail, they

must first be incorporated into an Outlook Express (or possibly Outlook)

message store and then imported using File | Import | Messages.

To import from the Outlook Express message store into the Windows Mail message store, do the following:

1. Create a directory under the current user's Documents, such as Documents\OEMail. This directory needs to be within the user's space, such as under Documents, in order to prevent possible access permissions problems.

2. Copy all the dbx files from one Outlook Express Identity into this directory, ensuring that folders.dbx is included.

3. Go to Edit | Select all in Windows Explorer and select all the dbx files. Then right click on the selection and choose Properties and ensure that the read only attribute of the files is unchecked.

4. In Windows Mail go to File | Import Messages and choose Outlook Express 6 format and choose to import from a directory.

5. Then use the Browse button to browse to the directory of dbx files. Make sure that when you set the directory that what is listed in the path is correct (NOTE: Vista can put the wrong path in here sometimes, so instead of c:\mypath it puts c:\mypath\mypath, so check the path to verify that it is correct, and if it is not correct then fix it by clicking the Browse button a second time and then leave the selection blank and clicking Okay.).

6. Then select the files from which you wish to import messages and click Import.

Doesn't sound too bad [;-)]

[tel]

Hi Chessie,

Your present system just isn't worth trying to upgrade, for the same cost bite the bullet and buy a new one.

[briwy]

If you are using Firefox for web browsing there is a magic add on called Foxmarks which will syncronise all your bookmarks between any number of computers.

In addition it retains you bookmarks on a secure server so that you can access all your favourites from any computer anywhere in the world.

Firefox is a lot better in my opinion the Internet Explorer, is free and more secure so well worth a look.  Lots of other add on as well.