criptik28

Just bought a new laptop, with 80 gigs of HD space. I've been using a desktop PC for a few years now. What's the best way to transfer lots (30-40 gigs) of files from my desktop to laptop?

Wireless broadband?
Laplink (parallel cable)?
Burned CD-ROMs?
Zip Disks?

Is there a simple way I can just connect a USB cable between the two? Or Firewire?

X

Probably USB or Firewire, whichever is easier. Firewire would probably be faster.

There's at least a USB networking method, depending on your OS (which I don't see mentioned).

criptik28

But what would I need for this? A simple two-ended USB or Firewire cable? Do I need special software? Or can Windows XP handle this file transfer?

Sorry, specs:

Desktop: Win XP Pro, 1 gig RAM, 60 gig HD x 2, Pentium 4 1.3 GHz
Laptop: Win XP Home, 1 gig RAM, 80 gig HD, Pentium M 2 GHz

namja

If you have a router, then plug both into the router (100 mbps). If not ... why not????

criptik28

I do have a router, a wireless one (Netgear MR814). I can just plug both computers into it via Ethernet cables and they'll show up on the same network? Or do I have to configure a home network?

Sorry for the idiotic questions.

OldDude

You'll have to do a little network configuration and enable file-sharing on both computers. But it will be way faster than any other way, especially if you have 100 mbps Ethernet.

Here's an alternate thought. Are any of these 40 GB of important files backed up? It'll take a bunch of CDs, but burning them all to CD, loading on new machine, then keeping CD would be a way of backing all that stuff up at the same time as transferring, Then you know you can at least recover to the state at time of transfer. I don't back up often enough and most people don't, so I'd give this some serious consideration.

criptik28

Good suggestion...unfortunately, my new laptop has the DVD burner, while my desktop has a regular CD burner. I wanted to use the DVD burner to do backups.

criptik28

OK, I now have both computers on the same network (MSHOME), and tried sharing a bunch of folders from my desktop PC. Each computer can see the other computer in "My Network Places," but I can't access the shared files. I can't even view them. What am I doing wrong?

Sloth911

How do you go about connecting two computers with USB ports?

criptik28

Anyone know how to set up this home network thing?

toq

Since both computers can see each other, the next step would probably be to make sure you've setup the same username and password on both machines.

twikoff

start.. run... \\ipaddressofcomputeryouwanttoconnectto\sharename <enter>

if you have the same admin pw setup on both

you can use
\\ipaddressofcomputeryouwanttoconnectto\c$ <enter>

X

http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/usbmain.htm

It's easier (cheaper) to do it via Firewire though, if you have it.

http://www.tweakxp.com/tweak127.aspx

criptik28

Hmmm...I don't even have a username/password set up on either machine. Never needed logins for them (I'm the only one that uses them). I'll try that out, thanks!

Sloth911

x - thanks for the info - shame it costs $50

networks arent all that hard to setup, but you would think with there would be a quick/cheap plug in play way to transfer files from an old pc to a new one.

EDIT: not to bad at all $13 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...732698906&rd=1

X

The easiest and cheapest way is to just get a crossover ethernet cable and plug it into the two machines. Plugging both of the machines into the Netgear router is about the same thing though.

criptik28

I've tried plugging both machines into my Netgear router. They can still both access the Internet, and in "My Network Places" they can see each other, but can't access each other's shared files. I've used the same admin login/password for each computer, too.

Maybe I'll try directly connecting the two machines via crossover cable, and see what happens.

criptik28

Update: Doesn't work. Back to connecting both computers through the router. Damn this is tough.

HN

hmm, you have an ipod, yes?
using it as disk mode, just copy your desktop pc files over to the ipod and then from the ipod to the lappy.

toq

At what point exactly do you have the problem with the network? Is there an error message associated with the problem?

namja

Did you enable share on the host computer?

68ShelbyGT500KR

Have you tried the Files and Transfer Settings Wizard since you are using XP?

Lynkz

I transfer files by using parallel cable and program Total Commander installed on both computers.
Lunch the program on two computers, click Net - Port Connection To Other PC, then choose 'client' or 'server'. Choose the 'client' for computer you will manage your files with.

criptik28

I wasn't able to get the network setup either via a crossover cable (direct PC-PC connection) or patch cable (through a router). However, I tried simply plugging in a Firewire cable between my desktop and laptop, and lo and behold, the network connection was made!

Thanks for everyone's help.