Another computer idiot question...

[Candyman]

Here's the scene.
For about the last 6 months, I have been doing all my computing on a laptop provided by my employer. A fair amount of this has been personal use.
Today I bought an inexpensive home PC for my home and I will have no more need to bring the laptop home as I now have my own machine.

So, the question is...how can I move stuff from the laptop to my new computer? I know if the files are small enough, I can drop them onto floppy and move them that way. But what do I do with files that are larger than 1.4 Mb? The laptop doesn't have a CD-RW or zip. Is there a simple, free way to link the laptop to the desktop? Or should I suffer through e-mailing myself files from my LAN at work?

 

[markallen]

If both pc's have ethernet ports just link them together and transfer the files that way.You will need a cross-over cable.


Mark

 

[El Pirata]

If the company's providing the laptop do the work use that instead of using your own stuff to do their work.

 

[wdavidhicks]

If you don't have tons of files to copy over, Winzip will compress large files over a span of multiple disks.

It can be tedious with all the floppy swappin'. If you have a 20mb powerpoint presentation and it could be compressed to 13.9mb you'd need ten blank floppies.

If you have a lot of jpg images they'll zip too, they just don't compress to a smaller size. (maybe 1 or 2% compression.)

 

[GilBeQuick]

It's not free, but there is software out there you can get to do this. One is called "IntelliMover". It comes with the software and a USB cable to do the transferring. I think it costs about $50, but it makes transferring a breeze.
Here's a link Intellimover

 

[Diver6127]

There's also free FTP sites on the web that will allow you to upload up to 50megs for free. You could upload at work and download everything at home. Hope you have broad band if you're going to go that route. Then there's also doing a file transfer via AIM.

 

[Candyman]

Originally posted by markallen
If both pc's have ethernet ports just link them together and transfer the files that way.You will need a cross-over cable.


Mark

I do have a 10/100 ethernet card in both machines. Is it as easy as using an ethernet cable between both? Can I just put both on my desk at home, link them with a cable and fire them up? Will that link both so I can transfer the info, or will I need software?

Originally posted by El Pirata
If the company's providing the laptop do the work use that instead of using your own stuff to do their work.

That's the plan. Actually, the truth is the other way around. I only bring the laptop home for personal use. I do all my work related stuff at the office on the LAN. When I bring it home, it's just for my stuff. So now I'll be able to just leave the laptop at the office. I won't need it at home.

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

XP has a nifty little thing called Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. If you Laptop has a CD burner that would be the easiest way to make it happen. Its very simple to use and %100 effective in the 60+ times I have done it. Simply get on the lap top, go to START-->PROGRAMS-->ACCESSORIES-->SYSTEM TOOLS then choose the FSandTW. It will ask you if this is your old computer or your new computer and just follow the instructions. The best way I have found to do it is if you have a small router hook both PC's to it for a small network and transfer it that way. Good luck.

forgot to add the Windows compresses all files that it will transfer to help you save space.

 

[Candyman]

Unfortunately I'm screwed there. The laptop doesn't have a burner and is runnin on Win98.

 

[wdavidhicks]

With a cross-over cable, Windows can handle the connection. You'll have to configure both computers to logon to the same workgroup (requires a reboot), then share a directory or drive so the other computer has access to it.

If your work computer logs on to a domain, you'll be sabotaging that configuration temporarily. If you don't change it back you won't get on the domain back at work and your IT guys might get snippy with you.

If your IT guys are pretty cool you might explain it's a new computer and you'd like the personal files on your own computer. They'll join your new computer to the domain and move everything over. Normally IT won't do this as it's a risk of taking a virus-infected computer and bringing it right inside the firewall, bypassing all antivirus solutions.

But if you tell 'em it's a new computer they might do it, if its not XP home edition.

Windows XP home edition will not join a domain.

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

98 OMFG! people still really run that os? Sorry:devil:

Windows XP home edition will not join a domain. [/B]

It will actually join a domain (I have done it many times) The OS just calls it a Workgroup and you have to store the network password in the users file.

 

[Candyman]

OK, let's keep this in English.

So, if I take an ethernet cable and hook it to both computers. Then turn both computers on, what will happen?

 

[mcvickj]

Nothing will happen. You need to make sure that both are in the same Workgroup. You will also have to assign IP address statically to each NIC. Then set up File and Pring sharing on each computer. Make sure you purchase a crossover cable. Or see if one of the IT guys will let you borrow one.

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

Candy to be honest if you have no networking experience and you don't really configure PC's your best bet is to upgrade the laptop to XP. The Files and Settings TRansfer Wizard is the first USER friendy way of getting data from one pc to another in regards to all your files and settings. Simply plugging the cable in and turning both machines will not do anything without reconfiguration of both machines network settings. The have to be on the same workgroup name, the have to IP's in the same scope, subnet mask has to match tripple 255, 0 should work just fine. Put PC 1 to take the IP of 192.168.0.1 and the second one to take the IP of 192.168.0.2 Thing is with 98 it wants to be fussy and you might have a go of it and have to reboot many times. XP has made my networking of Clients a dream and I cannot say enough about the OS.

 

[Candyman]

OK. It's starting to look a little more like English.

Here's where I am right now. The laptop is Win98. The PC will be Win XP Home. Is there anyone willing to go through the process of explaining in real simple, plain English how I go about assigning all this stuff so that I can do it? And is the crossover cable a special cable or is it just a plain cable that plugs into both nic cards?

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

If you want to call me I can walk you through it Candy (or at least try) I refuse to type that much in one go sorry. PM me if you want my digits.

 

[Candyman]

I will keep that in mind HB. I ordered my PC through Dell and it will be here by the end of the week. I'm on vacation for the next 8 days so I'll be working on getting what I can onto floppy, but I know I'll have a few larger files that may not transfer well.

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

GO BUY A USB MEMORY STICK SCREW FLOPPY'S

You don't have to get the 1GB, but at least for $50 or under get a 128mb stick a floppy is 1.2MB, you have a good job I know you can drop $50 on this. This is assuming you have a USB port on the laptop (god I hope so).

http://www.usbflashstore.com/usbfldr11.html

 

[wdavidhicks]

Originally posted by Candyman
So, if I take an ethernet cable and hook it to both computers. Then turn both computers on, what will happen?

To specifically answer your question, nothing. They'll boot like they always do.

It has to be a crossover cable unless you're plugging into a hub or a switch.

Both computers have to logon to the same workgroup. In Win98 you get there through the properties of Network Neighborhood.

In XP the workgroup is set through the properties of My Computer on the Network Identification tab. (I think... I'm using Win2k at home and 98 on one old laptop.)

In 98 file sharing has to be enabled.

In windows explorer on one machine you'll select a directory to share and give it a share name. On the other computer you'll map a network drive to that share.

If the sharing computer's name is "candyman", and the share name is designated as "files" then you would map a network drive to \\candyman\files.

If you don't create a share name you can still map an administrative share path of \\candyman\c$.

This really isn't the easiest thing to tell somebody how to do. That's kinda why I was suggesting the WinZip solution. What is the OS of your new computer? I can't be sure I've even covered everything.

If the computers have been connected to the internet or a network they most likely have TCP/IP installed. That's necessary.

Edit: Oh poop... yeah! What Humboldt said!

This thread took a few hits while I was composing!

 

[mcvickj]

First configure your IP on the laptop

1. Right click on Network Neighborhood. There should be an icon on the desktop. If there isn't you can get to the settings by going to the control pannel and double clicking the network tab.

2. You will see a scroll down box with at least one Client and a few Protocols. You will be looking for one that says TCP/IP -> (Network Card Name). The one in my computer is a 3COM. Select that and click Properties.

3. Now you want to “Specify an IP address”. For the IP type in 192.168.1.1 and the Subnet Mask as 255.255.255.0. Click OK.

4. While we are here you will want to add File and Print Sharing. Click on Add, Services and select Microsoft and then select File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks.

5. Click on the Indentification tab and make note of your Computer Name. Also change the default workgroup to “Workgroup”

6. Reboot


Now lets configure your home computer

1. Go to the Control Pannel and select Network Connections. Inside here you will see Local Area Connection. Right click on select Properties.

2. Scroll down and find Internet Properties(TCP/IP). Select that and chooe Properties.

3. Select Use the following IP addres. For this computer we will want 192.168.1.2 and a Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0

4. I believe File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks comes installed by default. Double check that its in the list.

5. Now we need to check the Workgroup setting. Right click on My Computer, and select Properties. Click on the Computer Name tab. It will tell you the Workgroup name. If it is anything different than “Workgroup” we will need to change it. Select the change button and type in Workgroup.

6. After you do all of this you might have to reboot.Now lets configure your home computer.


So what we have did is made both computers a part of the workgroup “Workgroup.” We have assigned an IP of 192.168.1.1 to the laptop and an IP of 192.168.1.2 to the home computer.

Plug the crossover cable into both of the computers. To see if you have communication between the two computers go to your laptop, go to Start, Run and type in command. It will open up a DOS box. Type in ping 192.168.1.2. What we are doing is pinging the home computer from the laptop. If you received a successful response you are good to go for the next part.

After both computers have rebooted you will need to set up the share. Go to your laptop and open up Windows Explorer. Right click on the C:\ drive and select Properties. If you did this correctly you will see a Sharing tab. Select Share As. The default share name is fine. Make sure you select Full as the Access type. You will now see a hand underneath the little icon that is next to the C:\.

Now go to your home computer and open up Windows Explorer. Select My Network places, Entire Network, Microsoft Windows Network. You should see Workgroup. Open that up. What we are looking for is the name of the laptop. Double clikc on that. You should see the share of C. Double click that and now you will see the contents of the hard drive. Select what you want to copy over and copy them over to the new computer.

A cross over cable is the same as a network cable except pins 1 and 3 and 2 and 6 are crossed so you can go directly between NIC to NIC. A Best Buy or CompUSA will have the cable but they will want an arm for it. If there is no rush on this I can make a cable for you and ship it for free.

I am also free to guide you through this. LMK and I can PM you my number.

-JR