BluePhone Personal Tech Experts Offer Five Tips for Transitioning to a New Computer

Cut out guesswork, keep valuable information, files and data, and dispose of old gear properly!

Sammamish, WA – May 20, 2009 – If all good things must come to an end, then the time will come to move to a new computer.  Whether it’s a faster processor, more memory, or a flashier looking case, there are several things to consider when buying a new computer and before sending that old machine out to pasture.

If the computer was around for a while, it no doubt contains a lot of important files like tax returns, résumés, photos, videos, calendar items, contact information, and other personal data.  There are a handful of ways to go about getting from one computer to the next, but any headaches or worries can be bypassed by following these five tips from the Personal Tech Experts™ at BluePhone™, the online support company:

Locate & Organize – Look primarily at document folders and the desktop, particularly if there are multiple users on the machine. Make sure to do this for all users, including the administrator’s files.  This is a great time to delete erroneous, old or duplicate files. It is also a good idea to look through the hard drive, and run searches for pictures and home office documents that may have been saved in odd places. 

Back up – Once all the important files are identified, it’s time to save them all so they can be put on the new computer.  Depending on how much data is going to be moved, consider burning the data onto CDs or DVDs, a USB flash drive, or an external hard drive.  If the computer is part of a network, files can be placed in a shared folder on another computer. There are also online backup services that can store your data such as SOS Online Backup, Mozy and Livedrive.  Some services are completely free; some are free for limited use, and still others have some sort of subscription offer.  Take a look around to find the best fit based on the amount of data to store and the expected volume of data to be downloaded.  Make sure to back up your data before you migrate to your new computer.

Move over – Assuming the new computer came installed with an operating system, this is the easy part.  Simply connect to the data, whether on physical memory or hosted on the internet or a network, and copy it to that sleek new machine.  It can take a while, depending on the amount of information, but overall it should be a painless process. If you are moving from one computer running a Microsoft® Windows® operating system to another, you can use Microsoft Windows Easy Transfer program, included with Windows. You can also use tools such as the PCMover® software from Laplink® to help aid the transition.

Clear the old computer – Make sure to do a thorough erasing of the old computer so that no information can be discovered by someone who came across it.  The disk can be formatted by right clicking on the hard drive in “My Computer,” but we recommend running a disk wiping utility to make sure no data can be retrieved.  Make sure you have all of your data backed up and transferred before you delete any of your old information.  There are several good, free utilities that can be found on CNET® download.com.  There are other mechanical methods such as drilling through the hard drive, but for most applications and especially if you are going to donate the computer, one of the wiping utilities should suffice!

Responsible disposal – If the computer is less than five years old, it can likely be donated to charity.  Youth for Technology is a great option as well as United Way.  If it cannot be donated, make sure to recycle it.  Two good options are TechSoup and ElectronicsRecycling.  Computers can contain hazardous materials when broken down, and should never be thrown in the trash.

Perhaps most importantly, transitioning to a new computer can be a very gradual process.  Take time to make sure all important files are found and transferred to the new computer.  Once that is done, ensure all of the critical data on the old computer is copied on the new one and removed from the old one. 

Want expert help moving to your new computer? BluePhone is there for you. BluePhone Personal Tech Experts are extensively trained and certified to resolve nearly any computer software problem, offer expert advice, answer ‘how to’ questions, and troubleshoot and fix hardware issues. To see first-hand, register for the BluePhone two-week free trial and enjoy full, unlimited access to BluePhone Personal Tech Experts. 

About BluePhone

BluePhone is a leading online computer support company committed to helping members get the most out of their PC, Mac®, software applications and connected devices. Using remote-desktop technology by Cisco WebEx™ to diagnose, repair, and optimize your computer, BluePhone resolves hundreds of computer problems every day. The company’s success is measured by the quality of service and satisfaction provided to each member, earning BluePhone a best-in-industry 96% customer satisfaction rating. BluePhone Personal Tech Experts are certified solution engineers who diagnose and fix problems that plague computer users daily – security, configuration, desktop performance – and things like how to organize digital photos or making devices like MP3 players deliver maximum enjoyment. BluePhone Personal Tech Experts are extensively trained and certified to resolve nearly any computer software problem, offer expert advice, and troubleshoot and fix hardware issues. BluePhone membership includes unlimited assistance for all the computers in a household (up to 3 PCs or Macs) for $199.95 per year, or a monthly membership for $24.95, or one-time service calls for $89.00. BluePhone offers a 14 day money back guarantee for memberships from when you sign up. Members get assistance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by phone, email, chat or remote computer access. For additional information, visit www.bluephone.com or call 877-442-BLUE (877-442-2583).

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Contact:

Seth Geisler
Martin Levy Public Relations
858.610.9860
seth@martinlevypr.com