How to migrate user settings and data to new machine?

Posted by torbengb on Ask Ubuntu See other posts from Ask Ubuntu or by torbengb
Published on 2011-02-10T13:07:06Z Indexed on 2011/02/10 15:33 UTC
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user-data

I'm new to Ubuntu and recently started using it on my PC. I'm going to replace that PC with a new machine. I want to transfer my data and settings to the nettop. What aspects should I consider?

Obviously I want to move my data over. What things am I missing if I only copy the entire home folder?

This is a home pc (not corporate) so user rights and other security issues are not a concern, except that the files should be accessible on the new machine!

Please take into account that the new machine is a nettop that doesn't have an optical drive and doesn't allow me to hook the old SATA disk into it, so any data transfer must be handled via home network (I can have both the old and the new machine turned on and connected to the home LAN) and I have an USB thumbdrive with limited capacity (2GB).
This sounds like it might limit the general applicability, but it would in fact make it more general.

I'll make this a wiki topic because there could be several "right" answers.
Update: Or so I thought. I don't see a choice for that.

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