connecting two laptops one on WinXP and one Win98

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w_tom

Network connection. You are describing functions that
networking was designed to provide. There are other issues to
enable and learn. But first the network between both
computers must be installed. This can be through a router
(the preferred solution) or by a special network cable twisted
to interconnect two network cards without a router (slightly
more technically complex).
 
This is a hardware issue, I think, hence positing to this group and to the
general xp group.

What's the best way to connect two laptops? I need a basic direct cable
connection to retreive data off floppy disks on a machine with No floppy
drive, so I need to network to a laptop that does have a floppy drive....

My father has just received a Windows XP Pro laptop for his work; he
previously had a Windows 98 machine.

He'd previously backed up document files to floppy disk on the Windows 98
machine; however the Windows XP machine doesn't have a floppy drive, so he
can't retrieve those files.

I can show him how to put these on CD if I can get access to the floppy
drive to retrieve the files in the first place.

I need to know what's the best way to link the two lap tops, so I can access
the floppy drive from the XP laptop; My father's PC expertise is that of a
user level rather than technical.

So, I was thinking the best way to connect them would either be

Direct connection by USB cable (?) - probably the easiest?

or serial cable.

I don't want to muck around with cat5 cables - that's more bother than its
worth just to do this task.

Do I need to go through the network connection wizard to make them each talk
to each other? Is there any issue with linking a Win98 and WinXP machine?
i.e. FAT32 vs NTFS (Etc)?

Basically I need to "see" the floppy drive on the Win98 laptop from the XP
laptop to retrieve the files on floppy disks and to copy them over to the XP
harddrive to burn to CD etc.

Thanks for any advice
 
| This is a hardware issue, I think, hence positing to this group and to the
| general xp group.
|
| What's the best way to connect two laptops? I need a basic direct cable
| connection to retreive data off floppy disks on a machine with No floppy
| drive, so I need to network to a laptop that does have a floppy drive....
|

Several possibilities laid out here;
http://www.ezlan.net/direct.html

Consider a USB floppy drive. I got a Maddog for $20.00

--
Doug

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details. :)

Remove shoes to E-mail.
 
Andrew Murray said:
This is a hardware issue, I think, hence positing to this group and to the
general xp group.

What's the best way to connect two laptops? I need a basic direct cable
connection to retreive data off floppy disks on a machine with No floppy
drive, so I need to network to a laptop that does have a floppy drive....

My father has just received a Windows XP Pro laptop for his work; he
previously had a Windows 98 machine.

He'd previously backed up document files to floppy disk on the Windows 98
machine; however the Windows XP machine doesn't have a floppy drive, so he
can't retrieve those files.

I can show him how to put these on CD if I can get access to the floppy
drive to retrieve the files in the first place.

I need to know what's the best way to link the two lap tops, so I can access
the floppy drive from the XP laptop; My father's PC expertise is that of a
user level rather than technical.

So, I was thinking the best way to connect them would either be

Direct connection by USB cable (?) - probably the easiest?

or serial cable.

I don't want to muck around with cat5 cables - that's more bother than its
worth just to do this task.

Do I need to go through the network connection wizard to make them each talk
to each other? Is there any issue with linking a Win98 and WinXP machine?
i.e. FAT32 vs NTFS (Etc)?

Basically I need to "see" the floppy drive on the Win98 laptop from the XP
laptop to retrieve the files on floppy disks and to copy them over to the XP
harddrive to burn to CD etc.

Thanks for any advice
Click to expand...

The easiest way, if both computers have a network card, is to network
them with a simple "crossover" Cat5 cable (about $10, perhaps less if
you shop around). See http://www.wown.info/j_helmig/guide.htm for
basic networking advice.

Serial cables, and the software to use them, is finicky and slow.

USB connections requires a special cable and you basically configure a
network.

All files on a 3.5 diskette are FAT12 so there are no compatibility
issues. The various file systems (NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, FAT12, etc.
apply to the way the data is organized on the disk and not to the data
content itself. The data content is the same, regardless of the file
system used by the disk that it is stored on.

One option that you have not mentioned, and which is probably the
simplest for a non-technical user, is to purchase an external 3.5
diskette drive that connects via USB. These should be in the $40
range. That would solve all of the problems.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm
 
Since the other replies dealt with the connection I will state the other
obvious point.
If he used a win 98 backup program he will not be able to access those files
with the XP backup program.
If he used a free standing backup program he will need to install that onto
the XP machine first.
If he just copied those files to a floppy he will be OK
peterk
 
No; he simply copied files over to floppy disk

Basically : Select the files; right-click selected files ; using Send to
floppy (A:). option on that context menu.

Nothing more to it than that.

I'll check to see what the optical drive is, whether cd burner or dvd burner
and suggest he use that. I will also suggest he look into getting a USB
floppy drive.
 
The network solution provides far more than just floppy
access. Networking is the solution intended for what you are
trying to accomplish and other things he may also want to do.
The other hardware solutions are better described as kludges.

I have not written about all the possible 'do thises and do
thats' for other solutions. Those would end up sounding like
even more work - and the many neat functions provided by
networks still are not available. Do the networking solution
and don't even look back.

BTW, a function called My Briefcase may be quite helpful
for what you are trying to accomplish. My Briefcase also
works with networking; may not work on those other kludge
solutions. Just another reason why networking is a better
solution - intended for what you want to accomplish.
 
Since you have a USB port on both--just buy a cheap USB thumb drive or micro
drive or what ever they call them there, and just copy the file to the thumb
drive, then you can use them on any other. Some 256 mg thumb drives are
getting pretty cheap these days. You might be able to get a "loaner" from a
friend, even a 64 meg drive is about equal to 40 floppies.

Hope this helps
Mr Nobody
 
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