My operating system crashed so I used it as the excuse I needed to get a new computer. The old HDD, 250GB, is nearly new so I have installed it in the new computer, it all works fine. My new operating system is Vista, is there any easy way that I can transfer files and programs from one HDD to another without using DVD's?

Welcome to AWF

If you have installed the old drive correctly so that you have two drives installed, then you should be able to see the second drive as another drive letter and just copy and paste files as you would do normally.

As for programs, these must be re-installed from scratch. Don't try to copy them.

Chris

Thanks a lot for that, I thought that was the case, just wishful thinking.

You could use a piece of software like Acronis True Image or the likes.

Use Acronis to take an image of your old HDD, then copy this to your new HDD, and it will handle the resizing etc too. Acronis is about £29 or so iirc.

Another product they have is 'Acronis Migrate Easy', designed primarily for your specific task - I like the true Image product though, because of all the extras you get for the little increase in price.