Transferring stuff from one computer to another
If the laptops are in the same network, you can use rsync to copy files via ssh.
From the new laptop you can run something like this if the username is the same on both computers.
rsync -av -e ssh user@old_laptop:/home/user /home
- replace user with the actual username
- replace old_laptop with the old laptops hostname (run
hostnameon your old laptop to see the hostname).
This will copy the whole user's home directory to your new laptop.
If you issue the same command again, it will only copy changes.
Note: This command will not copy and global settings made outside your home, e.g. in
/etc. Also some programs might write to/var. You can of course change the command to include/use these directories. You will then need to run usingsudo.
If you have different user name, use this:
rsync -av -e ssh old_user@old_laptop:/home/old_user/ /home/new_user
This will copy the contents of the user directory to your new laptop (note the trailing / behind old_user).
- Add
--deleteto remove files on your new computer that are not on your old computer. - Add
-zto use compression if your network speed is slow, e.g. if you copy via internet.
Your old laptop needs openssh-server installed.
Clonezilla
If the computers are similar enough, a cloned copy of the drive in the old computer will work in the new computer. Things to consider are graphics chip/card and wifi chip/card. Most things are probably working with built-in linux drivers.
I would take the the drive in the old computer out of the computer and put it into the new computer and test if/how it works. But that's me. I understand that you want another solution, and I suggest that you use Clonezilla to
- make an image the whole drive of the old computer to an image in an external drive,
- restore from the image to the drive of the new computer,
- the target drive (in the new computer) must be at least as big as the source drive (in the old computer), not one single byte smaller for this method to work.
Links
Clonezilla web site
use dd to back up transfer hard driver image
Fastest way to copy HDD
CloneZilla: HDD Cloning - Dual Boot (Windows + Linux)