file transfer old to new puter

[bison]

the headline says it all,how do i go about it?
New Dell puter has a network card,old Dell one does'nt it seems.
I have a cable with the big phone jacks on both ends plugged in both puters,they dont apear to recognize each other
both run windows XP.

I'm stumped.

 

[DieselCash]

Do you have a memory stick or can you burn the info to a CD?

 

[Franko914]

Hello bison,

The "cable with big phone jacks on both ends" sounds like an Ethernet cable (a.k.a. Ethernet patch cord, data cable, network cable, Cat5/Cat5e cable, etc.).

If it's plugged into the old PC, the old PC, most probably has a network card (a.k.a. Ethernet card, NIC, etc.).

The cable will not work if it's a "straight through" cable. What you need to connect both PCs is a "crossover" cable which you can pick up at your local Staples, office supply or computer store. See attached if you might already have one...

Easiest way is what DieselCash is suggesting.

 

[bison]

I cant burn CD's with the old puter,no program
i got a memory card,but it only transferred the pics.
i actually want to transfer the whole shebang from the one puter to the other.
I do have a external hard drive i backed the whole computer contents to a while ago when i thought had a virus issue.
I wonder if i can safely use that one to load the new puter up?

 

[SfcJones]

Since you have a external HD, you can use the windows file transfer and follow the prompts and do it that way, but you will need to use the Newest OS as the file transfer. I bet you went form WIN XP to WIN 7, you must use the Win 7 Transfer program to make it work. Franko is right tho....you would be better off using the Cat5 cable. I bet the old one has Ethernet capapilities. but in case I am wrong you can use the HD method or you can purchase a kit for about 100 bucks...(they are generally crappy) but they will use the USB ports....

 

[JiFaire]

Great advice, guys...

There are a lot of little steps to networking the two together, Simon.

First, as the guys said, you need a null-modem cable - one that crosses-over. Each ethernet RJ45 port (the big phone jack) is designed to connect to a router. If you don't have one of those, you need your cable to 'twist' a few of the wires so that the ins and outs match up... kind of like shaking hands with yourself.

Do you have a router or wireless firewall? You can buy one of those cheap like borscht, too. Then you could just use normal cables and plug both 'puters into that.

Then you would need to enable networking and set both computers to use the same subnet (home network) so they are visible to each other.

Then you need to enable sharing on both computers and make sure you have access to all files and folders.

THEN you can start transferring files...

Personally, I would just use the big external hard drive to do the transfer - store all the files you want to keep on that one, then hook it up to the new one and put then away where you want 'em. Don't transfer anything but data files or program install files (unless you know it's a stand-alone program). Most programs will need to be reinstalled on the new computer.

Unless you're planning to clone the new hard drive to the new one, in which case you need a ghost program or are gonna use Win7 file transfer, as Tim suggests.

 

[bison]

Damm you guys make it sound difficult.
i plugged the ext hard drive in,puter says its working fine,but it doesnt prompt me to do a thing,no window or notting poppin up.
Now you telling me i got to install all the programs again

Fixing that screen was peanuts,getting use of it is an other can off beans it seems

 

[bison]

Since you have a external HD, you can use the windows file transfer and follow the prompts and do it that way, but you will need to use the Newest OS as the file transfer. I bet you went form WIN XP to WIN 7, you must use the Win 7 Transfer program to make it work. Franko is right tho....you would be better off using the Cat5 cable. I bet the old one has Ethernet capapilities. but in case I am wrong you can use the HD method or you can purchase a kit for about 100 bucks...(they are generally crappy) but they will use the USB ports....

There is no prompt to follow theres no ext HD to chose from,instructions are not the same between puters either,both run Win XP.:mad2:

Now what does OS stand for

 

[ak diesel driver]

operating system

 

[bison]

cable connectors do shake hands as far as i can tell...right?

 

[BoostN]

From here it looks like it, hard to tell.

 

[JiFaire]

No they don't, Simon. That is a standard patch cable. It isn't about the ends, but about the wires. In a crossover cable, wires 2 and 3 (at least I THINK it's 2 and 3... haven't built my own cables for years because I am both cheap and lazy, and as I get older, lazy wins more often than not) are crossed over.

Here is a good diagram...

What it means is that the output wire (mouth) on one computer must talk to the input wire (ear) on the other...and vice-versa. What you have now is the mouth talking to the mouth and the ear listening to the ear... think of putting 2 telephone handsets together so the parties on each end could talk to each other... you would have to turn one upside-down, right?

A router crosses that traffic over internally. Without a router, you need a crossover cable.

 

[bison]

Ok i get it

 

[Franko914]

It might be just as easy to connect both PCs, each with a patch cord/straight through cable, into an Ethernet hub, if you already have one.

OR

It might even be easier if you decide to remove the hard drive from the old PC and install it as a secondary hard drive in the new PC, making almost everything on the old hard drive accessible, i.e., no networking, no network configuration, no transfer software. If you want to consider this, you need to complete a few simple preparatory steps, like:

-- identifying how many hard drives in the old PC, and which one
-- identifying the type of hard drive in the old PC (SATA, or if older, EIDE a.k.a. PATA) (get the make/model/part number)
-- identifying if the new PC has space to
1. install the old hard drive
2. data connect the old hard drive, and
3. power connect the old hard drive

If you are game to do this, get your digital camera ready to take pics of the internals of both PCs (available internal drive bays, data & power cable connectors, data interfaces on the motherboard, etc.). I can mail you the stuff you'll need if you can wait for them. Let us know.

 

[bison]

I want to keep both puters fully operational in case one of them goes tits up.
I have 1 phone jack and one as you call it a cat5 jack on each computer.

I used the hard drive from an other old computer and downloaded all the data from from the one puter,but i cant seem to tranfer any data that to the new one as i cannot open that HD for some reason.
like i said,win xp to win xp,puters are yrs 06 and 07

 

[Franko914]

Damm you guys make it sound difficult.
i plugged the ext hard drive in,puter says its working fine,but it doesnt prompt me to do a thing,no window or notting poppin up....<SNIP>...

Okay, then. Before you plug the external hard drive into the new computer:

-- Right-click on [Start] on your task bar (bottom left of your screen)

-- Left-click to select "Explore"

-- You should have a screen with two (2) main sections, "Folders" on the left and "Name, Size, Type, Date Modified, etc." on the right

-- If you do not have the "Folders" on the left:
1. Left-click on "View" on the menu bar at the top
2. Select "Explorer Bar"
3. Select "Folders"

-- Your "Folders" section should show a list including "My Documents" and "My Computer"

-- Under "My Computer," devices installed in/connected to the PC should be displayed including, for example, "Local Disk (C)," "DVD-RAM Drive (E)," etc.

-- Now, plug in your external hard drive (via USB cable, I assume...)

-- Watch closely if anything new appears under "My Computer"

Let us know what happens or does not happen...

 

[SfcJones]

I bet the transfer program is not seeing the external HD.....

 

[bison]

Notting is seeing notting,i just managed to get a bunch of virusses transferred in both puters from the HD.:mad2:.
ran a stinger trough both to kill the virusses.But the virus F'd up both the Mcafee programs.Mcafee could do notting cuz i on dialup(one line only) and i have no cell phone reception where i'm at:mad2:Virtual technician was corrupted the moment it down loaded:mad2:
i Installed AVG virus protection(dont know if its any good),but ofcourse its outdated and need to download updates.It tells me 86 MB has to be transferred.Now the clincher,its happening at the tremendous speed off......3.3 KB/sec.Is'nt that enough to blow ones mind:mad2::mad2:

And all that G-damn BS just cause of that cheapy second puter.I'm thinking off killing that SOB son in law

I'm risking being even online without virus protection,i dont care.

Enough is enough,i ordered high speed satelite today,gonna be installed on tuesday,cost to install $300 + $49/mth.:rolleyes5:

End off rant,i need a :grouphug:

 

[NVW]

Notting is seeing notting,i just managed to get a bunch of virusses transferred in both puters from the HD.:mad2:.
ran a stinger trough both to kill the virusses.But the virus F'd up both the Mcafee programs.Mcafee could do notting cuz i on dialup(one line only) and i have no cell phone reception where i'm at:mad2:Virtual technician was corrupted the moment it down loaded:mad2:
i Installed AVG virus protection(dont know if its any good),but ofcourse its outdated and need to download updates.It tells me 86 MB has to be transferred.Now the clincher,its happening at the tremendous speed off......3.3 KB/sec.Is'nt that enough to blow ones mind:mad2::mad2:

And all that G-damn BS just cause of that cheapy second puter.I'm thinking off killing that SOB son in law

I'm risking being even online without virus protection,i dont care.

Enough is enough,i ordered high speed satelite today,gonna be installed on tuesday,cost to install $300 + $49/mth.:rolleyes5:

End off rant,i need a :grouphug:

:grouphug:

I don't know how anyone can stand dial up, I went online once in the year we had dial up. High speed is too slow.

 

[bison]

Took over 10 hrs to download the AVG updates:rolleyes5:

At least i got protection again:smile5: