How to transfer a Ubuntu user to a new computer
Are you setting up Ubuntu on a new computer? Trying to figure out how to bring all of your configurations, settings, and files to the new PC from the old one? Unsure about how to do it? We can help! Follow along with this guide as we show you how to transfer your Ubuntu user to a new computer!
Before we begin
If you’re unsure of how to move your Ubuntu user to a new computer, you may not be aware of how the operating system handles your user. Everything pertaining to your Ubuntu user is stored in the “home” directory. So, in order to migrate all of your settings and files to the new computer, we must move this folder.
In this guide, we’ll focus on one method for moving the Ubuntu user folder: the Nitroshare file transfer tool. Why? It is easy to understand and use to transfer files, even if you are not familiar with Ubuntu.
Transferring your Ubuntu user with Nitroshare
Nitroshare is a lightning-fast transfer tool that works on Linux. It is perfect for moving Ubuntu user files from one computer to another. To get started with the app, you must install it on your Ubuntu PC.
To start the installation, open up the Ubuntu Software Center on the desktop. From there, locate the search box, and type in “Nitroshare.”
Once you’ve located “Nitroshare,” find the “Install” button and click it. Alternatively, launch a terminal window on the desktop with Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard and enter the installation command below to get it set up.
Note: On the Gnome Shell desktop and the Ubuntu Gnome desktop, you will need to install TopIcons Redux to access Nitroshare in the system tray. To install it, click here.
sudo apt install nitroshare
With the Nitroshare application installed on your old computer, launch it by searching for it in the app menu. Then, follow the step-by-step instructions below to learn how to transfer your Ubuntu user to a new PC!
Step 1: Ensure that Nitroshare is installed and open on the new Ubuntu PC as well as the old one you’re using to transfer files.
Step 2: Read the Nitroshare splash screen that appears once the app opens. Then, find the “Close” button and click it to close it.
Step 3: Find the Nitroshare logo in the system tray and right-click on it to access the options. Click on the “send directory” button and click on it with the mouse.
Step 4: Use the file browser to locate your username folder on the left. Then, once inside of your username folder, find the “up” button to move up a level into the “home” directory.
Step 5: Inside of the “home” directory, you will see a sub-folder with your username. This folder contains all of your Ubuntu user data. Select the folder with the mouse. Then, select the “Choose” button to select it for uploading.
Step 6: Immediately after choosing your username folder in the Nitroshare app, you will see a pop-up window appear on the screen. This pop-up window says “Select Device.”
Look through the “Select Device” pop-up window and click on the new computer running Nitroshare, which you will be transferring your folder to. Then, select the “OK” button to begin the transfer process.
Step 7: The transfer process will take a long time, depending on how large your username folder is. Be patient. When the process is complete, go to the new computer and open up the file manager.
Step 8: Inside of the file manager on your new computer, click on the “Downloads” directory. Inside of the “Downloads” directory, you will see a folder with the name of “Nitroshare.” It holds all of the files from your old PC.
Select the “Nitroshare” folder with the mouse to access it.
Step 9: Look through the Nitroshare folder for your username folder. Once you’ve found the username folder, select it with the mouse to access it.
Setting up your files
Now that your username folder is on the new computer follow the step-by-step instructions below to set up the files from your old PC on it.
Step 1: Look through the username folder for files and folders you’d like to add to your new PC and select them with the mouse.
To select multiple files or folders at once, hold down Ctrl while clicking.
Step 2: Press Ctrl + C to make a copy of the files/folders to the clipboard.
Step 3: In the file manager, locate the “Home” folder, and click on it with the mouse.
Step 4: Press Ctrl + V on the keyboard to paste the files from the old username folder into your new home folder.
When done copying all of your files and folders out of the old username directory, feel free to delete the “Nitroshare” folder in “Downloads.”
Looks useful, but what about login credentials, does it transfer those too? Also, can it be used via he command line?