Very basic stupid newbie question

  • Thread starter Thread starter coldhands
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coldhands

Hi Everybody,

Sorry if this is the kind of question to make you want to slap me about the head with a wet fish
but...

I have just bought a new PC base unit from eBay and I want to hook it up to my old computer and move
my files over to my new one.

What do I need to do this? Is it just a cable?

My old computer has an AMDK6 366 MHZ running windows 98.

My new one has an AMD XP2500 MHZ also running windows 98.

I thought I could plug all my old stuff (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc..) into my new base unit. Then
hook up some cable from the old base unit power them both up and bobs your uncle.

Is it as simple as that or do I need to get new stuff.

Any help or directions to websites or newsgroups would be much appreciated.

Thanks



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Remove yourself to reply by email.
 
coldhands said:
Hi Everybody,

Sorry if this is the kind of question to make you want to slap me about the head with a wet fish
but...

I have just bought a new PC base unit from eBay and I want to hook it up to my old computer and move
my files over to my new one.

What do I need to do this? Is it just a cable?

My old computer has an AMDK6 366 MHZ running windows 98.

My new one has an AMD XP2500 MHZ also running windows 98.

I thought I could plug all my old stuff (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc..) into my new base unit. Then
hook up some cable from the old base unit power them both up and bobs your uncle.

Is it as simple as that or do I need to get new stuff.

Any help or directions to websites or newsgroups would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Click to expand...

There are several ways of doing it:

1. Remove the hard drive from the old system and put it in the new one.
Pros: it's the fastest way, plus you have the extra storage space of the old
hard drive if you keep it in there.
Cons: old system becomes unusable without a new hard drive if you don't put it
back. And it sounds like you would have trouble installing it (though it isn't
that hard).

2. Network the computers
Pros: all you need is a couple $10 network cards and a $5 crossover cable. One
or both computer might already have a network card.
Cons: not all that easy to set up.

3. Burn stuff to CD-Rs.
Pros: easy to do.
Cons: you probably don't have a CD burner.
 
coldhands said:
Hi Everybody,

Sorry if this is the kind of question to make you want to slap me about the head with a wet fish
but...

I have just bought a new PC base unit from eBay and I want to hook it up to my old computer and move
my files over to my new one.

What do I need to do this? Is it just a cable?

My old computer has an AMDK6 366 MHZ running windows 98.

My new one has an AMD XP2500 MHZ also running windows 98.

I thought I could plug all my old stuff (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc..) into my new base unit. Then
hook up some cable from the old base unit power them both up and bobs your uncle.

Is it as simple as that or do I need to get new stuff.

Any help or directions to websites or newsgroups would be much appreciated.

Thanks



_____________

Remove yourself to reply by email.
Click to expand...

Well you have 2 options that readily come to mind. 1 you can buy a
crossover cable and hook up the two computuers via a ethernet card and
transfer data that way. Or you can pull the hard drive out of the old sys
and throw it in the new one as a slave drive and copy dta that way.

-Chris
 
coldhands said:
Hi Everybody,

Sorry if this is the kind of question to make you want to slap me about the head with a wet fish
but...

I have just bought a new PC base unit from eBay and I want to hook it up to my old computer and move
my files over to my new one.

What do I need to do this? Is it just a cable?

My old computer has an AMDK6 366 MHZ running windows 98.

My new one has an AMD XP2500 MHZ also running windows 98.

I thought I could plug all my old stuff (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc..) into my new base unit. Then
hook up some cable from the old base unit power them both up and bobs your uncle.

Is it as simple as that or do I need to get new stuff.

Any help or directions to websites or newsgroups would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Click to expand...

An option you have is to buy a flash memory USB Pendrive or similar (as
long as both your machines have USB ports and the OSs are 98 SE - not sure
if they work on the first edition). Here's an example of one such device:
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=50090
You just plug it into the port, install the drivers (which came on a CDROM
with mine) and it shows up in your PC as an extra hard drive. They're very
handy things to have and allot more convenient than carrying CDROMs or
floppy
disks around. If you won't need to keep the machine hooked together - i.e.
you
plan to sell the old one and are unlikely to have more than one machine at a
time, that's the way to go. Networking the PCs is unnecessarily complicated
if you just want to do a "one off" transfer of data between machines. If on
the other hand you want to keep them connected then networking them is the
only way to go

Paul
 
Hi,

I think the USB flashdrive is cute, but you're limited by the memory size
you buy and you must be running Win98SE. Far better is installing the
original drive into the new machine. That's easy and fast. The crossover
cable is a terrific idea and not all that difficult to do.
 
Wow, thank you everyone. Your suggestions have certainly given me some food for thought.

I've bought a RJ45 CAT5e cable to hook them up. I just hope that both of them have an ethernet card.

I would take the old hard drive out of my old computer but It kind of scares me. I don't feel
confident enough to be able to do it. That and also my old computer is a "horizontal" desktop and I
understand that they are harder to work on. My new one is an "upright/vertical" one. The only
experience I have of inside my computer was putting in a video card and some extra memory.


The files I want to keep are mostlty Word files and a couple of sound files of my daughter saying her
ABCs when she was about 2.

I could always upload the files I want to my webspace and then download them onto my new one. Just
another option.

I really like the idea of a Pen Drive. It's something I wouldn't have thought of. However, I'm skint
and I can't really afford one right now. But thanks for the idea.

My new computer should be here in the next couple of days. I'll let you all know how I get on.

Thanks again.



_____________
remove yourself to reply by email.
 
Chris Martin said:
If you have problems going the network route, take a look at USB crossover
cables. They're quick and easy and made for just this purpose. (Assuming
your old computer has a USB port).

~Chris
Click to expand...


Really? Do these just connect from USB to USB. Do you still need an Ethernet card in each computer?
 
coldhands said:
Hi Everybody,

Sorry if this is the kind of question to make you want to slap me about the head with a wet fish
but...

I have just bought a new PC base unit from eBay and I want to hook it up to my old computer and move
my files over to my new one.

What do I need to do this? Is it just a cable?

My old computer has an AMDK6 366 MHZ running windows 98.

My new one has an AMD XP2500 MHZ also running windows 98.

I thought I could plug all my old stuff (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc..) into my new base unit. Then
hook up some cable from the old base unit power them both up and bobs your uncle.

Is it as simple as that or do I need to get new stuff.

Any help or directions to websites or newsgroups would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Click to expand...


1) Take one floppy, place in old computer,
2) copy as much data as you can
4) then run to new computer with floppy
5) copy data onto new computer
6) goto step 1
 
coldhands said:
Hi Everybody,

Sorry if this is the kind of question to make you want to slap me about the head with a wet fish
but...

I have just bought a new PC base unit from eBay and I want to hook it up to my old computer and move
my files over to my new one.

What do I need to do this? Is it just a cable?

My old computer has an AMDK6 366 MHZ running windows 98.

My new one has an AMD XP2500 MHZ also running windows 98.

I thought I could plug all my old stuff (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc..) into my new base unit. Then
hook up some cable from the old base unit power them both up and bobs your uncle.

Is it as simple as that or do I need to get new stuff.

Any help or directions to websites or newsgroups would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Click to expand...


Put new drive in *old* computer as a slave, copy (copy paste) contents of
old
drive onto new slave drive.



Remove the new slave drive you just added and put it back in the
new computer as master.

Job done.
..
 
coldhands said:
Really? Do these just connect from USB to USB. Do you still need an
Click to expand...
Ethernet card in each computer?

No Ethernet cards (or opening up the machines) would be needed. Pendrives
are available quite cheaply too if you get a smaller capacity one e.g. 64 or
128 MB What operating system(s) (version of windows) do you use on the
machines?

Paul
 
Ethernet card in each computer?

Yes, you just connect a USB crossover cable from one computer to the other.
Usually you can purchase a set (the cable and the software that allows it to
work easily). I am not talking about pendrives, as someone else just
suggested, as they just don't hold enough information to be a viable option
for transfering all of your files, usually. You do not need an ethernet
cable for this USB crossover, just usb ports on both computers.

~Chris
Click to expand...

.... and yet in the long term, adding NICs to both would be a
much better option, maybe cheaper too in addition to faster.
 
If both machines have LAN cards in them, then you can purchase a special
Cat. 5 CROSSOVER cable to move files between machines.
 
coldhands said:
Wow, thank you everyone. Your suggestions have certainly given me some food for thought.

I've bought a RJ45 CAT5e cable to hook them up. I just hope that both of them have an ethernet card.

I would take the old hard drive out of my old computer but It kind of scares me. I don't feel
confident enough to be able to do it. That and also my old computer is a "horizontal" desktop and I
understand that they are harder to work on. My new one is an
Click to expand...
"upright/vertical" one. The only
experience I have of inside my computer was putting in a video card and some extra memory.


The files I want to keep are mostlty Word files and a couple of sound
Click to expand...
files of my daughter saying her
ABCs when she was about 2.

I could always upload the files I want to my webspace and then download them onto my new one. Just
another option.

I really like the idea of a Pen Drive. It's something I wouldn't have thought of. However, I'm skint
and I can't really afford one right now. But thanks for the idea.

My new computer should be here in the next couple of days. I'll let you all know how I get on.

Thanks again.



_____________
remove yourself to reply by email.
Click to expand...


If you have problems going the network route, take a look at USB crossover
cables. They're quick and easy and made for just this purpose. (Assuming
your old computer has a USB port).

~Chris
 
coldhands said:
Really? Do these just connect from USB to USB. Do you still need an
Click to expand...
Ethernet card in each computer?
Yes, you just connect a USB crossover cable from one computer to the other.
Usually you can purchase a set (the cable and the software that allows it to
work easily). I am not talking about pendrives, as someone else just
suggested, as they just don't hold enough information to be a viable option
for transfering all of your files, usually. You do not need an ethernet
cable for this USB crossover, just usb ports on both computers.

~Chris
 
I notice earlier that the OP said he had a CAT5e cable already. He does not
say if it is a crossover but, if it is not, you can get a very cheap
converter plug to adapt it (Screwfix do them in the UK for £2).

Keith Willcocks
(remove .nospam from address to reply)
 
I notice earlier that the OP said he had a CAT5e cable already. He does not
say if it is a crossover but, if it is not, you can get a very cheap
converter plug to adapt it (Screwfix do them in the UK for £2).

Keith Willcocks
(remove .nospam from address to reply)
Click to expand...

Why on earth would anyone buy a crossover or adatper these days
with a Gigabit NIC doing that automatically? Sure, they cost
slightly more, about $15 for typical generic type.
 
kony said:
... and yet in the long term, adding NICs to both would be a
much better option, maybe cheaper too in addition to faster.
Click to expand...

From a simplicity standpoint, though, the USB crossover has it's perks.
Some people just aren't up to tackling networking.. even if it is PnP much
of the time.

~Chris
 
Why on earth would anyone buy a crossover or adatper these days
with a Gigabit NIC doing that automatically? Sure, they cost
slightly more, about $15 for typical generic type.
Click to expand...

Now if you can just find me a nice affordable gigabyte router or switch.
 
Now if you can just find me a nice affordable gigabyte router or switch.
Click to expand...

Have heard of 'em down around the $50-65 mark now, but at present
the OP didn't need more than 2 boxes linked.
 
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