Is your office looking to buy new computers? If so, there are some important things to know and do before you make the switch. If your company is in the computer science industry – graphic design, web development, IT – having the best technology is a must. Employee productivity increases, which means you can sell high-quality products and services and grow your business further. Investing in quality technology will yield a great ROI, but there is some prep work to be done to set up the new systems properly. Let’s take a look:
When to Replace
First, do you really need to replace? If your computers are 5 years old or more, it’s probably time to invest in new technology, as the hardware is mostly obsolete. You can always update software on computers of any age, but each update will demand more from the hardware, to the point when hardware will eventually have trouble keeping up with demands. If you decide that it’s time to replace, quality machines will start at or around $500, so keep this price in mind when budgeting.
Transferring Files between Similar Computer Models
When upgrading your office tech, you will have to transfer files from the old computer to the new one. In this section, we will explore transferring from PC to PC. There are software programs you can install to transfer your files, or you can do it manually, but that takes time. If you’re running Windows 7, there’s a built-in program called Easy Transfer that allows for quick and easy transfers between PCs. If you’re running Windows 10, Laplink PCmover is a program you can use to transfer files. If you’re looking to transfer manually, you can back up the old computer to an external hard drive, and either upload all the files to the new computer, or go through each file individually and choose which files to transfer. It may be easier to organize all your files into folders first, so you can do a mass transfer, than selecting individual files.
Mac to PC / PC to Mac
If you’re looking to switch up the tech you work with, there is software to do so. Whether you’re transferring from Mac to PC or from PC to Mac, the program Migration Assistant will automatically transfer all your files from the old machine to the new one. Again, you may also choose a form of backup for your old computer files.
Wipe the Hard Drive
An important step that’s often overlooked is wiping the hard drive to keep old data and files out of the wrong hands. Once you’ve determined that you have all the files on the new computer, go back to the old computer and perform a clean sweep. You can do a hard reset, but this doesn’t delete everything from the hard drive, so a computer-savvy thief or hacker can still gain access to information you thought you had otherwise deleted. To counter this, install a program to wipe the hard drive entirely. One such program is Darik’s Boot and Nuke (DBAN).
Back Up Everything
The last step is to have a method of backup for the files on your new computer. We suggest an external hard drive. This is in case the new machine fails, falters, or crashes, so that you’ll have the necessary files in a handy, yet secure, location which only you can access.
At M&H Consulting, we can help your business transfer files between computers. It’s important to follow these steps carefully so you don’t lose anything.
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