Home :: Software :: Utilities :: PC Maintenance  

Backup
Cross Platform
File Compression & Decompression
File Conversion
Handheld Utilities
Internet Utilities
Memory Management
Other
Partitions
PC Maintenance

Screen Savers
Virus Protection
Voice Recognition
Alohabob PC Relocator 3.0

Alohabob PC Relocator 3.0

List Price: $49.95
Your Price:
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 >>

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Works Great
Review: --This review is for Version 4.0--
I transferred some graphics programs (Photoshop, Quark, etc.) from a Windows 98 machine to a Windows XP system. Everything copied perfectly and all of the programs work.
Just follow the prompts and read the directions while you use this program. (When you first install the software you will need an internet connection to download the latest version. I made a copy of that update file for the installation on the newer computer.)
When you select programs to transfer, I recommend copying one program at a time - it takes longer, but to me it feels safer to test each one after installation. If you do it this way, plan on spending a while copying each program depending on the speed of your computer.
I saved some PC Relocator files to a CD and others to a USB microdrive - both ways were fine. PC Relocator saves your previous computer settings in case you need to revert to them, but I didn't need to. This program worked really well for me.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Reading the reviews, I thought I'd be done in about 3 hours
Review: But, like the song said, "It just didn't work out that way."

Some background: I was transferring software, files, and settings from an old (but by no means ancient) WinXP machine to a new WinXP machine over a LAN. I performed all the preliminary recommended steps (ScanDisk, virus check, etc.).

Then I installed the software, per the user guide, and ran it. The software "couldn't find" the network -- odd, since the machine had no trouble finding it for the previous year. Tweaked things, uninstalled & reinstalled, still "couldn't find" the network.

OK, this is taking longer than just re-installing stuff off the old CDs . . . so I'll just use the included cable. Or not: the software "can't find" my port -- odd, since devide manager shows it working correctly, as does the device that normally plugs into it. Tweaked some more things, uninstalled & reinstalled, still "couldn't find" the port.

OK, this is really stupid now, but, damn it, I paid for this program and I'm going to get it to work! So I decided to use the "last resort" option and burn the data to CD-R, even though it takes the longest and is the least feature-rich. Software starts running (no "lost" ports or networks to contend with), analyzing what it will send to the new computer, and things are looking good. Or not: Stop box indicating "Module 0000h has caused an error 0000-0000x at line 0". Really, that's the verbatim text. So, I looked at the online help; nothing applicable there. Emailed tech support; three days later, no acknowledgement of receipt. Emailed them again; four days later (total of a week now), no acknowledgement of receipt.

By then, I just wanted my money back, and emailed their "customer service" department. Five days later, no acknowledgement of receipt.

It's like the bad old days of Packard Bell "customer service," except at least PB "acknowledged your value as a customer" before completely blowing you off and leaving you swinging in the breeze. This almost feels like a scam company using a mail drop to avoid detection by dissatisfied customers. I have still yet to receive any contact from anyone within the company (12+ weeks).

On top of all this, there was supposed to be a ...rebate on this product, with a handling time of "6-8 weeks." It's been 12+ weeks now, and still no rebate.

Stay away. Find another product. It may [stink] as badly as this one does, but at least you'll have a chance of paying less or getting to interact with live humans when it fails to perform.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Buy Aloha Bob Before you Buy a New Computer
Review: Buying a a new computer is fun. But as soon as you open the box, the nightmare begins. You turn on your new PC. It's fast! But none of your software is there. The Desktop is different. You can't find anything!

After a week of reinstalling all of your software, trying to remember all of your settings for Word, and all of the rest, you are almost back up. Hopefully you copied key files to floppies or backed up to cd so that you can reinstall al of them on the new pc.

But what about all of your e-mail and address book entries? Do you know all of the tricks to backing those up and copying them to the new pc? What about all of the passwords that the old PC has memorized?

40 hours later, you still are not back to where you used to be. If you are like me, it had gotten to the point where it was not worth buying a new PC. And you still have two programs that you can't find the "Key CD disk" for so they will not run. Tech support has gotten you mostly back on-line. Your e-mail is mostly back up and working.

Buying a new PC is like buying a nicer, bigger house. It sounds great until you have to move and unpack. It wil be a year before you can find everything again.

Then along came Aloha Bob.

You connect your old computer and new either through the included parallel cable or better still through a network. If it is on a network you will have to set up the Network Neighborhood Properties for the new PC. Load Aloha Bob on each PC and run it.

What happens next is amazing. Aloha Bob carefully copies all of your software, data, and settings from the old PC to the new. This includes what you have on your desktop and all of those cool settings you have made in Word and all of your other programs. Your e-mail works. You log right into your internet connection.

You are completely moved in and unpacked and everything is right where you want it.

I do not work for Aloha Bob or have any afilliation to them. I just have never seen anything like this product. It is amazing ...

If you do not have a network it will probably take all night to copy over every file and program from the old computer to the new computer. They key thing to note is that you get to sleep.

You got your new computer. Everythings works. You did not lose a month out of your life. Your spouse didn't divorce you.

All because of your new best friend, Aloha Bob.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Use with extreme caution
Review: I bought this product on the assumption it would help me in reloading my Windows 98 OS and alleviate me from the tedium of reloading all my applications. Fortunately, I did a disk image of my C drive (using Drive Works) before starting.

I created a file of my applications using the automatic feature, reformatted the drive, loaded Windows 98 and then ran the restore option of PC Relocator. I then found that only a few of my applications had been processed.

I restored the C drive, redid the Relocator function choosing the custom selection. When I was finished, I discovered that none of my old MS-DOS applications had been transferred.

By the time I finished, I figure it would have been simpler to just reload all of my software from the source discs and CD's.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Use with extreme caution
Review: I bought this product on the assumption it would help me in reloading my Windows 98 OS and alleviate me from the tedium of reloading all my applications. Fortunately, I did a disk image of my C drive (using Drive Works) before starting.

I created a file of my applications using the automatic feature, reformatted the drive, loaded Windows 98 and then ran the restore option of PC Relocator. I then found that only a few of my applications had been processed.

I restored the C drive, redid the Relocator function choosing the custom selection. When I was finished, I discovered that none of my old MS-DOS applications had been transferred.

By the time I finished, I figure it would have been simpler to just reload all of my software from the source discs and CD's.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great at automating some mundane tasks!
Review: I got this product free after rebate a while ago, and decided to use it to transfer a Win ME system to a Win XP system. I ran into very little trouble, although there were some things it could do better with.

In short:

pros - transfers EVERYTHING including settings/cache/bookmarks/etc automatically; once you have the computers connected everything is done automatically (no prompts are given) so you can leave; it works! all programs transferred and ran well from Windows ME to Windows XP (note the instructions though about program versioning), i expected there to be some problems but there weren't any

cons - transfers EVERYTHING (I say this because it could be a con for some, you should do a manual sweep of uninstalling programs or deleting files you don't want first); the only options are all programs or only files, it would be nicer to see more fine-tuned control, especially in being able to not transfer temp files

I had no problem installing the softare, downloaded the latest 3.x version from alohabob's website, and followed the manual for both machines. This brings me to my first point: this software will transfer basically EVERYTHING, including temp files, cookies, cached content, etc. So, save time by doing first a manual sweep through the old system, uninstalling programs and deleting files (especially temp files) that you don't want to transfer.

After connecting, the target PC scans the drive of the source. The program was crashing here when browsing the Temporary Internet Files folder of WinME. I had to manually delete the browser cache on the source machine for it to continue. However, once that was done, everything transferred easily, and all settings were on the new PC! It took a lot of time with the parallel cable, but you don't have to sit and watch it. It saved a lot of time over swapping disks or CD-Rs back and forth.

In summary, the software is relatively easy to use (though not for complete beginners) and works fine if you follow the instructions. You need to do some manual work beforehand as in uninstalling unnecessary applications (and uninstalling virus-scan software so it doesn't transfer), preparing machines that have different versions of programs on them, and deleting files. After it's set up, it works fine though and you'll have everything transferred nicely =)

I recommend this but you should look for it at a cheap price, as I said I got mine free after rebate =)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Works Great
Review: I transferred some graphics programs (Photoshop, Quark, etc.) from a Windows 98 machine to a Windows XP system. Everything copied perfectly and all of the programs work.
Just follow the prompts and read the directions while you use this program. (When you first install the software you will need an internet connection to download the latest version. I made a copy of that update file for the installation on the newer computer.)
When you select programs to transfer, I recommend copying one program at a time - it takes longer, but to me it feels safer to test each one after installation. If you do it this way, plan on spending a while copying each program depending on the speed of your computer.
I saved some PC Relocator files to a CD and others to a USB microdrive - both ways were fine. PC Relocator saves your previous computer settings in case you need to revert to them, but I didn't need to. This program worked really well for me.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent Product, Easy to Use
Review: I used it to move my Windows 98 machine to Windows XP Home. It worked like a charm. Set up the source and target over the network, and 3 hours later all my files and setting were on my new PC. I highly recommend this product for any one wishing to migrate to a new PC. It was as simple as click and go.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great Product, but...
Review: It's a great product and does EXACTLY what is says it does, however the product ships with a Parrellel transfer cable and doesn't know how to handle two machines having Mircrosoft Office (even if they are the same versions, PC Relocator installs the MS Office from the old computer onto the new computer even if the new computer has MS Office already installed). Maybe version 4.0 addresses this issue. But overall, great product and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND anyone looking to transfer their "old computer" to their "new computer" to obtain this product. Just be sure to have a USB File Transfer Bridge Cable and appropriate drivers installed on both computers for a faster transfer.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Alohabob worse than bad barney reruns
Review: The facts: archaic, very-difficult-to-comply-with activation/registration feature (even worse than Microsoft's, if that is believable). Reminder and Activation screens are not minimizeable while in process, website was down, and no one was at the office(it was after business hours) and there is no automated registration line. And, oh, did i mention that if you do not activate/register, the program automatically "undo"s everything you transfered?
Timing: parallel cable, 1.5 gigabytes of data (technically 1.58) screen and guidelines in box estimate 5-6 hour transfer time per gigabyte. Estimated rate of transfer 50+ kilobytes per second. Actual time 19 hours, rate of transfer fluctuated between 30-40 kilobytes per second.
Features: did not use, transfered data files only.
IF: more honesty from the company, better expecations, and better customer service, THEN adequate product. BUT given the failure of the first tenets, this product is worthless.
Check out PCSYNC from Linksys


<< 1 2 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates