Transferring Data from old to new computer

Question

I bought a new Dell Dimension 9100 and want to load massive files, about 60gb from my old computer to my new (I'm a photographer and have lots of image files).  Is there a way to hook the two computers together and transfer from one to the other?    --Don

ejn63 · Answer

Yes, with a hub or switch and pair of network cables, or a crossover RJ45 cable, as long as the older system has a network interface on it.

DoyleDH · Answer

Both computers have NIC cards and either or both can connect to a linksys wireless router. Do I just take one of the ethernet cables and plug each end into the NIC outlet of each computer? Do I need any software to access the old computer from the new one?  Or will the old computer be recognized, as 'new hardware' by Windows XP?

rickmktg · Answer

@DoyleDH wrote:

Both computers have NIC cards and either or both can connect to a linksys wireless router.

Do I just take one of the ethernet cables and plug each end into the NIC outlet of each computer?

Do I need any software to access the old computer from the new one? Or will the old computer be recognized, as "new hardware" by Windows XP?

Hook both to the router and setup the network and move all the data you want.

You cannot connect 2 computers together with an ethernet cable, you need a crossover cable. Router is MUCH BETTER solution.

DoyleDH · Answer

My new intercomputer network is now chugging away, and will only take 2 hours to transfer all my 60+ gb of files!  It took a little work setting up the network between the two computers, but XP walks you through the process.  For those who follow this thread with similar questions: you should have a thumb drive or something to copy the netsetup.exe file from computer 1 to computer 2.  It makes this much easier to do.    Thanks for your generous help.   --Don

korrson · Answer

An easy way if you don't have the cables to connect from one to the other is to simply take the old hard drive out of the old computer and connect it to your new computer.
Then restart the new computer and Windows plug and play should see the drive and you can copy from drive to drive.

This does mean you have to open the cases. But you don't have to install the old drive into the new computer using rails because its just temporary. Just make sure it connects to the new hard drive cable then remove it back to the old computer when done. IDE cable if you an older computer SATA cable for newer drives.

I've done this when I was lazy and don't want the computers to ever be on a network.
If you want them networked together this is another way to move files drive to drive ...by setting up a home network between the two computers.

Message Edited by korrson on 08-08-2005 06:16 PM

rickmktg · Answer

@DoyleDH wrote:

My new intercomputer network is now chugging away, and will only take 2 hours to transfer all my 60+ gb of files!

It took a little work setting up the network between the two computers, but XP walks you through the process. For those who follow this thread with similar questions: you should have a thumb drive or something to copy the netsetup.exe file from computer 1 to computer 2. It makes this much easier to do.

Thanks for your generous help.

--Don

Glad it worked. If both computers are XP, you actually don't need to use the setup file, you can simply run the process on each machine.

Storage, Drives & Media

Transferring Data from old to new computer

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