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An Inside Look at PC Data Transfer
The Staples data transfer service is an invaluable one for customers who are looking to moveimportant files from a smaller hard drive onto a new one. It could be a simple matter of space, or maybe the older drive is inaccessible. Lucky for you, our experts are trained to transfer your data from a variety of PCs. Here's how it's done.
- The Staples data transfer service begins simply enough with an old PC, a new PC and the cables we use to connect them. In the case of this demo we're using the desktop PC on the left as the "old PC" and a thin "ultrabook" laptop as the new PC. The data transfer cable, a power supply and some connectors are located in the center of the image.
- Our tech associate Mark S. attacks his job with the fierce professional courtesy and expertise we expect from every one of our service associates. In this case, the attack arrives by way of removing the tabs that hold the PC's cover in place. Other types of PCs might be opened using screwdrivers (pictured at left).
- PC insides vary by machine, but for the purposes of this demonstration, the optical drive lifts simply once its support tabs are pushed out of the way.
- With the optical drive lifted up and out of the way, we can see the old drive, the power cable and the data cable that connect it to your PC. In this image Mark has already started to remove the drive from its housing.
- With the drive in hand, Mark has removed the data cable, also known as SATA cable, and is working to remove the power supply. Once the drive is free, he'll be able to connect it to the new laptop (and its internal hard drive) by way of some data transfer cables.
- What we've shown here is a close-up of the cable removal process. The drive is free and clear of its housing and Mark has easy access to both the SATA cable (data) and the power supply (black, at bottom). As he removes the cables, he is sure to not damage the hard drive's connectors.
- This may look like the same cable as before, but it's actually the data transfer cable we'll be using to move your photos, files, music and movies to their new home. You can also see the power supply cable, which Mark has already plugged into the old drive.
- When we connect the old hard drive to the new ultrabook, we use a cable that looks a lot like the USB cables you may have seen used with a PC mouse or keyboard. That's because it IS a USB cable. We're able to use this universally accepted technology and our cables to transfer data from the old to the new.
- The old drive now sits out in the open next to the new PC. The USB cable we connected in the last image is the red one that goes from the drive into the rear of the laptop. The power supply can be seen trailing out from the rear of the drive and off the table.
- Mark now begins using software tools that exist within the Windows 7 operating system to transfer the data from the old drive onto the laptop's new drive. On the screen, you can easily see the data from the old drive on the left being transferred to the new drive on the right. A status bar in the center updates us on progress.