File Transfer Between Computers

[H2O]

I will be getting a new notebook very soon and I was wondering what would be the easiest method to transfer certain files from my desktop to the new laptop. The files to be transfered will be mp3s, txt, doc, xls only. The file transfer only needs to be done once.

 

I know that the easiest way would be to burn the files on a CD and then transfer them over, but I got a lot of MP3 and I don't feel like sitting and burning multiple CDs! I am looking into a simple [freeware/shareware] software which would work with a hard wired connection USB/Firewire/cross over Ethernet cable to transfer the files.

 

I will be setting up a wireless network in the very near future for my desktop/laptop system and i have a lot more questions about that, but I will post the questions later on.

 

Any ideas about the file transfer?

 

Thanks for your help.

[ClayMeow]

if you're setting up a network, then that's the easiest. But if you can't wait 'til then, you can always get a crossover cable, which is just a cat-5 cable (ethernet cable), that is capable of transferring in both directions simultaneously. There's a way to do the same thing with usb, but i'm not that familiar with the process...maybe someone else knows.

[Sainou-Kun]

Heres a way to cheat. Use 2 AIM Sn's at the same time and transfer away, Or set up an FTP with full access.

[ClayMeow]

Heres a way to cheat. Use 2 AIM Sn's at the same time and transfer away, Or set up an FTP with full access.

if you can go onto aim on both computers, that would assume you have a cable connection, unless you're using dial-up on both computers on separate lines. Thus, you wouldn't have to go on aim, you can just use the network.

[sykocus]

if you're setting up a network, then that's the easiest. But if you can't wait 'til then, you can always get a crossover cable, which is just a cat-5 cable (ethernet cable), that is capable of transferring in both directions simultaneously. There's a way to do the same thing with usb, but i'm not that familiar with the process...maybe someone else knows.

cross over cable isn't any different from stright though. the pin-out is just changed slightly so the send wire goes from one computer to the receive side on the other and vice versa. i don't think it has anything with the cables abilitry to send and receive at the same time.

 

if both computers have ethernet adapters, that would probably be the easiest way to go, just enabled file sharing though windows.

 

if not you should be able to set up an direct cable connection with a usb cable. trying using the file and settings transfer wizard if one or both computers have xp.

[H2O]

Thanks for your answers. I will go with the crossover cable idea, I did use that method in the past when working on my senior project, but that was to download files directly to a microprocessor using a serial 2 serial connection.

 

If I understand correctly, all I have to do is connect the two computers (using the crossover CAT5 cable [ethernet] ) and setup file sharing. Very simple.

 

On a side note, both machines run on Windows XP and have 10/100 NICs, the desktop has XP Home and notebook has XP Pro. Both on XP should make things even simpler.

[Guest FxXP]

When networking with XP, just make sure you don't enable "Simple File Sharing" on the XP Home box. Just hit the sharing tab on any folder property and click on the warning message displayed. It will prompt for either "Simple File Sharing" or "Just Enable File Sharing". Choose the second option. Simple filesharing works by sharing one folder with only the guest accounts and it can be a pain in the rear.

[ClayMeow]

cross over cable isn't any different from stright though. the pin-out is just changed slightly so the send wire goes from one computer to the receive side on the other and vice versa. i don't think it has anything with the cables abilitry to send and receive at the same time.

well i dunno what it is EXACTLY, but what i do know, is that you can't just use a regular cat5 cable to connect two computers, unless you have a hub. The crossover is sort of like having a tiny hub in itself.

 

but yeah, anyways, h20, if you already have a crossover cable, then definitely just do that. That's the easiest. What i normally do in that situation is i'll choose one of the computers and share the whole harddrive (c:/), and then i'll just access it using the other computer. that way i don't have to fuss with sharing specific folders and such...plus, you don't have to do it on both computers, just one...but if you do it on the one that's empty, just remember to enable write access so you can put stuff on it.

[H2O]

Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate it a lot.

 

The Crossover CAT5 cable is quite a simple cable actually. I don't know whether they retail crossover cable, but it's easy to make one. All one has to do is get a regular ethernet cable [CAT5] and inverse the pin connection by crosswiring the cable.

 

The following website illustrates it with some graphics:

 

Crossover ethernet cable spec

[O(V)eGA_l2el)]

Yep its easy to make one (I did hehe) and it works

All you need is the cable,crimping tool and 2 ends, and a tool to cut the wire with

[ClayMeow]

Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate it a lot.

 

The Crossover CAT5 cable is quite a simple cable actually. I don't know whether they retail crossover cable, but it's easy to make one. All one has to do is get a regular ethernet cable [CAT5] and inverse the pin connection by crosswiring the cable.

 

The following website illustrates it with some graphics:

 

Crossover ethernet cable spec

yeah, they do retail them. i bought a 6 ft one 2 years ago for like $5. I got it at Microcenter i believe. I was just too lazy to do it myself, and for $5 i figured what the hell. they have longer ones as well, but i only use it when building comps, to transfer crap over like mp3z, so i didn't really need longer.