Best way to save information from hard drive?

[philphocas]

I want to buy a new computer and I want to save items on my present computer. What is the best method to save information from my old computer?

 

[rolli59]

What I do is I have backups of all my important data on an external drive!

 

[kelthic]

use a usb flash drive, burn a data disc, external drive as rolli said... lots of options.

 

[WyomingKnott]

Note that Microsoft offers a free migration tool to copy settings and personal files from the old machine to the new. If you use it, make backups first as the above posters said. Safety is important.
Here's the XP version: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=10837