Replacing one desktop PC with another? Desktops bring one practical wrinkle laptops don’t: you usually have a single monitor, keyboard and mouse shared between the old and the new tower. Here is how to transfer your programs, settings and files anyway – two ways.

Option 1: over the network (one screen is enough)

The standard Zinstall WinWin transfer works fine with one monitor – the old desktop simply runs headless during the transfer:

Connect both desktops to the same network (same router, or a direct Ethernet cable between them).
With the monitor on the old desktop: run Zinstall WinWin and leave it running.
Note: You can get Zinstall WinWin here.
Switch the monitor, keyboard and mouse to the new desktop – the old one keeps running without them.
Run Zinstall WinWin on the new desktop, choose what to transfer (or everything), and press “Go”.

Your programs, profiles, accounts, personalization and all files transfer automatically – apps arrive installed and configured.

Option 2: with an external USB drive

Prefer not to run both towers at once? Use Zinstall Migration Kit Pro with an external drive (full guide: transferring with a USB drive): capture the old desktop into a container on the drive, move the drive (and the screen) to the new desktop, and restore.

That’s it!

Once the transfer is done, everything will be on the new desktop – just like on the old one.

The new computer will feel just like home.

Ready to transfer from your old desktop to the new one?

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Video tutorial – how to transfer everything from old computer to new computer

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How to Transfer From One Desktop Computer to Another

Option 1: over the network (one screen is enough)

Option 2: with an external USB drive

Ready to transfer from your old desktop to the new one?

Video tutorial – how to transfer everything from old computer to new computer

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