Help! Need Computer HELP!

[Snake45]

Couple months ago my AOL browser died, so I've been using Chrome for everything. This morning Chrome died. It'll open, but shuts itself off in about one minute. My computer was nearly 10 years old, so this morning I went out and bought a new one--a new HP with all the bells and whistles. As you can see, I have it up and running (this is my first post anywhere from the new one). 

Also bought a USB data cable so I can transfer all my old files. I thoughtfully left the old computer running, Hooked up the cable, can't figger out how to electronically open the old computer. I downloaded some kind of transfer program but it wants the name or IP number of the old computer to connect, which I don't happen to have. Is it possible to get my IP number from an old post here? 

Any ideas? 

[JollySipper]

I hope this may help some, Snake man...... I recently got a newer computer and needed to get my pics and such off of the old one. I just got a flash drive from WallyMart and put the pics on it. When you plug it in, it will open a location that you can move the files to, the drive. Just select what to move, and move it to the drives location. (not up on all the tech terms, sorry.....)

Now if I want to post a pic that was on my old computer, I just plug in the flash drive and select what to post directly from it. Haven't quite figured out how to download ALL the pics to the new computer, but I'm not sure that I want to....... That's that much space on the new computer that could be saved.......

[BlackSheep214]

UAOL is still around? I thought it went away a long time ago.

Edited October 13, 2022 by BlackSheep214

[Snake45]

2 hours ago, BlackSheep214 said:

AOL is still around? I thought it went away a lot no time ago.

Thank you for your unvaluable contribution. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

What I don't understand is why AOL and Chrome becoming inop made you purchase a new computer.

Search engines and web browsers are NOT integral parts of your computer. Did you try another free browser, like say, Firefox?

Or possibly you have old versions of AOL and/or Chrome that just need to be updated.

What operating system were you running on your old machine?

I have a Win7 dinosaur that still functions fine as long as I keep my browsers up to date.

Edited October 13, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy

[Raoul Ross]

5 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Couple months ago my AOL browser died, so I've been using Chrome for everything. This morning Chrome died. It'll open, but shuts itself off in about one minute. My computer was nearly 10 years old, so this morning I went out and bought a new one--a new HP with all the bells and whistles. As you can see, I have it up and running (this is my first post anywhere from the new one). 

Also bought a USB data cable so I can transfer all my old files. I thoughtfully left the old computer running, Hooked up the cable, can't figger out how to electronically open the old computer. I downloaded some kind of transfer program but it wants the name or IP number of the old computer to connect, which I don't happen to have. Is it possible to get my IP number from an old post here? 

Any ideas? 

You've opened a real can-o-worms here. What are you hoping to transfer? Docs, spreadsheets, pix, etc.? If Yes, you're best bet is to buy a large thumb drive to transfer docs, etc. but before you do that install a reputable anti-virus program on the new computer like AVG or Trend Micro(and Pay for it, no freebie stuff!). Then before you transfer the files over have it do a scan on the thumb drive with all the files you want to transfer, just to make sure you don't bring over any 'nasties' to your new computer.

If you don't understand what I'm talking about, PM me and I'll give you more explicit instructions.

Edited October 13, 2022 by Raoul Ross

[Snake45]

11 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

What I don't understand is why AOL and Chrome becoming inop made you purchase a new computer.

Search engines and web browsers are NOT integral parts of your computer. Did you try another free browser, like say, Firefox?

Or possibly you have old versions of AOL and/or Chrome that just need to be updated.

What operating system were you running on your old machine?

I have a Win7 dinosaur that still functions fine as long as I keep my browsers up to date.

It's Win 8. When AOL went TU, I kept getting a message that it needed some type of file in order to start up. The file I needed is not available for Win 8. 

Chrome will start, but it dies in a few minutes. It's been giving me endurable problems for a while now. Supposedly this problem is fixable, but it won't "stay lit" long enough for me to fix it. 

My Explorer has been dead for years. So I have a computer with no working internet browser and no way I can figger out to go online with it and download something else. 

One thing I forgot to try is a System Restore. I think I'll try that today. 

One annoying complication is I only have one monitor and one set of keyboard and mouse, which are wireless and have the plug-in "dongle" things. I can only have one of the two puters "on" at a time; have to reconnect every time I switch between the two. Later this morning I'm gonna switch back to the old machine, try to run System Restore, and grab a few important files on a thumb drive to bring over (such as my passwords list). 

Worse comes to worst, I have a stand-alone hard drive reader; that's how I transferred all my files last time. I was hoping to avoid having to take the machine apart to harvest it but that might be my best option. Hopefully I can get the transfer cable working. 

[Snake45]

11 hours ago, Raoul Ross said:

You've opened a real can-o-worms here. What are you hoping to transfer? Docs, spreadsheets, pix, etc.? If Yes, you're best bet is to buy a large thumb drive to transfer docs, etc. but before you do that install a reputable anti-virus program on the new computer like AVG or Trend Micro(and Pay for it, no freebie stuff!). Then before you transfer the files over have it do a scan on the thumb drive with all the files you want to transfer, just to make sure you don't bring over any 'nasties' to your new computer.

If you don't understand what I'm talking about, PM me and I'll give you more explicit instructions.

I'm paying for MalwareBites; I need to put that on the new machine. Will try to get that done today.

I'm gonna check into how big a thumb drive I can find. Thanks for the ideas. 

[Raoul Ross]

Oh my, Win8 is the poor bastard child of OSs and you should feel lucky Internet Exploder has crashed on it otherwise you'd been infected a long time ago.

Win8 was a highly sought-after target of malware thieves. When you've gotten all you want off it, take it out behind the shed and use it for target practice! ?

..and just as an FYI, I've been doing IT stuff since 1988 so I've pretty much seen it all.

[Snake45]

Okay, ran System Restore on the old machine, and while it was running, ran to Walmart and bought a couple 128 gig thumbdrives (the two-pack was $6 cheaper than the single 256 gig drive, go figger). Came home and got on the old computer and Chrome started up and seemed to be okay, but after a few minutes it shut down again. 

So I started uploading old files onto the thumb drive. Got three of the bigger folders, especially including the one with all my old passwords on it. Got them all downloaded onto the new machine. So I'm relatively happy today. I see that I CAN get everything transferred over eventually, though I expect it will take me the better part of a week. Ah shucks oh well. 

[MrMiles]

if you buy a usb hard drive, you can copy everything over at once and have it backed up in case your new computer fails. it works like the usb thumb drive, but is bigger so you can fit more, the link below will hold 10x more.

something like this https://www.bestbuy.com/site/wd-easystore-1tb-external-usb-3-0-portable-hard-drive-black/6406515.p?skuId=6406515

Edited October 13, 2022 by MrMiles