If both computers are running WinXP and have Ethernet network cards, set up each as a member of a home network. Use XP Home's default of MSHOME as the workgroup on both computers. Share the entire C: drive on the Old computer.
Purchase a crossover ethernet cable from your local Office Depot. Connect the two computers together with the crossover cable. (Note: If you have an Ethernet hub, you can use standard Ethernet Patch Cables and connect each computer to the hub.)
Run the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. Select Other as the transfer method, browse to My Network Places and select the old computer's shared network drive.
One way, if the old machine has USB 2.0 ports, is to buy a memory stick (1 Gig for ~ $26) and transfer that way. That's probably the cheapest way out and the 'stick' can always be used for other uses.
I think this is a software problem, but it is rooted in hardware issues. I would like to move files from my old computer to my new one; both are running Windows XP. There is a file transfer wizard in XP; however, it wants to use serial ports. My new Dell doesn't have any of those. I did buy a USB - serial cable; however, the software didn't locate the ports and I couldnt find them 'manually'. There are USB ports on the old computer; but I didn't find any USB cables with the correct plugs. The old computer does not write to CD disks; using 3.5 floppies would take forever.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
Open old computer, remove hard drive, temporarily plug it into cable that cd/dvd is on in new computer, copy data, remove hard drive.
I second Rickmktg's recommendation if you do not have an ethernet card in one of your machines. Simple and effective means of getting data onto your new computer.
If you don’t feel confident about the hard drive swap over & since both PCs have USB port connections, then as previously suggested the simplest method is to use a USB flash drive device.
USB type device buy options in order of likely increasing costs are:
(a) DELL’s Transfer MyPC (a USB to USB bridge cable + Software included)
(b) USB flash drive (512MB is normally a useful capacity for transfer & backup purposes)
(c) USB ZIP drive
The lower cost DELLs Transfer MyPC system has its disadvantages, USB bridge cable length dictates location/proximity of PCs. But if I recall there’s application transfer limits, number of times you can use it & appears to be a rather complicated data transfer tool if you haven’t been using conventional My documents type storage locations & the correct Identities on your old PC?
Your question quote “How do I tell if the old computer supports USB 2?”
Open the following path Start > Control Panel > System > Hardware Tab > Device Manager > USB Controllers, if there is a USB Host Controller that includes the word Enhanced then you have USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed). If old PC only has USB 1.1, since the USB 2.0 480 Mbps speed is a theoretical max., then unless you are using a large capacity USB mass storage device & transferring large (GB) of data (also depends on type of data), then you won’t see a lot of difference in time it takes you to transfer personal data.
Thanks to everyone who responded. Just to let you know -
I did go the USB 'thumb' drive route (got a 1G on sale at Staples for about $35. [counting rebate]). My old computer didn't support USB 2, but it was quick enough.
In point of fact I had two old computers. My Pentium running Windows 95 had developed problems, so my sister gave me hers running XP (poorly). I took my old hard drive, reset it to 'slave', and popped it into her computer.
I then made two folders on the new computer to hold info from the old hard drives. I've now transferred via the USB thumb drive most of the data files I wanted to save into these folders. They are now available as I need/want them.
I do want to burn some CD's to back them up (which I couldn't do with the old computers); but the archive on my new computer is really convenient.
tgsmith
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June 7th, 2006 02:00
chuket
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June 7th, 2006 02:00
RonTroup
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June 7th, 2006 10:00
chuket
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June 7th, 2006 11:00
addyb
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June 7th, 2006 12:00
rickmktg
2 Intern
•
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June 7th, 2006 15:00
tgsmith
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June 7th, 2006 16:00
RonTroup,
I second Rickmktg's recommendation if you do not have an ethernet card in one of your machines. Simple and effective means of getting data onto your new computer.
Tony
BELL BOY
1.1K Posts
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June 7th, 2006 22:00
RonTroup
If you don’t feel confident about the hard drive swap over & since both PCs have USB port connections, then as previously suggested the simplest method is to use a USB flash drive device.
USB type device buy options in order of likely increasing costs are:
(a) DELL’s Transfer MyPC (a USB to USB bridge cable + Software included)
(b) USB flash drive (512MB is normally a useful capacity for transfer & backup purposes)
(c) USB ZIP drive
The lower cost DELLs Transfer MyPC system has its disadvantages, USB bridge cable length dictates location/proximity of PCs. But if I recall there’s application transfer limits, number of times you can use it & appears to be a rather complicated data transfer tool if you haven’t been using conventional My documents type storage locations & the correct Identities on your old PC?
Your question quote “How do I tell if the old computer supports USB 2?”
Open the following path Start > Control Panel > System > Hardware Tab > Device Manager > USB Controllers, if there is a USB Host Controller that includes the word Enhanced then you have USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed). If old PC only has USB 1.1, since the USB 2.0 480 Mbps speed is a theoretical max., then unless you are using a large capacity USB mass storage device & transferring large (GB) of data (also depends on type of data), then you won’t see a lot of difference in time it takes you to transfer personal data.
RonTroup
7 Posts
0
June 9th, 2006 15:00
Thanks to everyone who responded. Just to let you know -
I did go the USB 'thumb' drive route (got a 1G on sale at Staples for about $35. [counting rebate]). My old computer didn't support USB 2, but it was quick enough.
addyb
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June 12th, 2006 12:00
RonTroup
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June 12th, 2006 21:00
addyb
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June 15th, 2006 12:00