Quick URL structure question

[EricPacifico]

Say you've got 5,000 articles. Each of these are from 2-3 generations of taxonomy. For example:

• example.com/motherboard/pc/asus39450
• example.com/soundcard/pc/hp39
• example.com/ethernet/software/freeware/stuffit294

None of the articles were SUPER popular as is, but they still bring in a bit of residual traffic combined. Few thousand or so a day. You're switching to a brand new platform. Awesome new structure, taxonomy, etc. The real deal. But, historically, you don't have the old taxonomy functions. The articles above, if created today, file under

• example.com/hardware/

This is the way it is from here on out. But what to do with the historical files?

1. keep the original URL structure, in the new system. Readers might be confused if they try to reach example.com/motherboard, but at least you retain all SEO weight and these articles are all older anyways. Who cares? Grab some lunch.
2. change the urls to /hardware/, and redirect everything the right way. Lose some rank maybe, but its a smooth operation, nice and neat. Grab some dinner.
3. change the urls to /hardware/ DONT redirect, surprise Google with 5k articles about old computer hardware. Magical traffic splurge, go skydiving.
4. Panic, cry into your pillow. Get job signing receipts at CostCo

Thoughts?

[EGOL]

I would stick with the old URL structure.  If you redirect there could be some loss of anchor text on inbound links and perhaps in linkjuice.  If you are making nice money and these pages have external links don't walk the tightrope just to get  tidy file names.

[AdoptionHelp]

Option 2. You'll want to use a 301 redirect to send all traffic going to the old URLs straight to the new URL. Your users may be a little disoriented seeing the new URL but they'll at least arrive to the information they're looking for. The robots will see your new URL and assign the link juice there. Win for robots and humans.

Unless you don't care that much, in which case option 1 is clearly the easiest.