Dick, You say: "Can someone give me baby step instructions on what kind of files to create and how to transfer them. My tower has a CD-RW drive and my laptop has a DVD-CD ROM drive. I also have a 3.5" floppy drive in each computer, but using a backup file still takes more than one disk to hold the data." I have and use a similar setup. Since both of your computers are using Windows XP I assume your have a USB port on each one. In my case I use a 512 MB Flash Drive to backup my PAF5 files onto. It is very easy to Restore the data from one computer to the other. Most of my work is done on the Laptop since I use it for portability. Quite often I move the Flash Drive to the desk top and update my 12 Databsases. I have setup both computers to use a separate Folder for data storage on the main drive with another separate Folder for backup. It is easy to then save it to the Flash Drive and move back and forth. Ross GH Cotton, Burlington ON CAN 905)639-2929 Genealogy of the COTTON surname is my Enigma. I haven't sent an attachment if the details are not mentioned above. Check out my Genealogy Web Page at www.skylinc.net/~rgcotton GOONS member responsible for tracking the family name COTTON, #1437 Coordinator for Cotton DNA testing Project, Worldwide ----- Original Message ----- From: Dick Cazier To: PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Friday, July 29, 2005 3:31 PM Subject: Re: [PAF-5] ?moving PAF to new computer Hi Group, Somehow I missed this thread or deleted it, thinking I didn't need to worry about it. I have now purchased a laptop computer to take with me on research trips. So I need to transfer/copy, or whatever term is appropriate, my master file (over 32,000 individuals) from my tower computer to my laptop. Both computers have Windows XP Home Edition, with Service Pack II installed. My need for help is about the following items. 1. Downloading PAF5. I have the setup file still on my tower computer desktop. Should I transfer that file to my laptop and install from there, or is it better to go directly to the website and download from there? 2. Moving Data from one computer to the other. I plan to put my entire database on the laptop initially. I want to be able to add information to either one; mostly the laptop, while traveling for research purposes, and then transfer it to my tower computer. I know there has been much discussion concerning the importance, or lack of importance, of RINs and keeping them the same for each individual when info is transferred. Until I actually experience transferring and adding new data, then transferring it back to the other computer, I'd like to keep existing people with constant associated RINs and newly added people winding up with the same RINs after transfers in either direction. I'm afraid transferring the data via a GEDCOM won't maintain the RINs like I want them to. Can someone give me baby step instructions on what kind of files to create and how to transfer them. My tower has a CD-RW drive and my laptop has a DVD-CD ROM drive. I also have a 3.5" floppy drive in each computer, but using a backup file still takes more than one disk to hold the data. Thanks for your help. Dick Cazier Lakewood, Colorado USA ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dolly Ziegler" <dsz@bcpl.net> To: <PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 7:03 PM Subject: Re: [PAF-5] ?moving PAF to new computer > THANKS to Gary, Rollei, Ross, Larry, Bill L., Bill D., Theresa & Alan B. > for taking the time to offer suggestions on the various ways to do this. > I suspect we are not the only ones on list who are very much interested! > Cheers, Dolly in Maryland USA > > > ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== > FreeBMD - Free Access to England and Wales Civil Registration Index > Volunteer as a Transcriber Today! > http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/ > > ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== Replying to Posts When quoting a post you're replying to, omit signatures and taglines that are appended to the post.