Can Vista PC's and XP PC's talk to each other?

shireknight · 17 Jul 2008 at 04:02

I currently have 2 PC's that are both XP SP3, I use the old one exclusively to download stuff from the internet and the newer one is my games computer which never connects to the internet.

I connect the two together via a lan connection when I want to transfer downloaded files such as games patches etc from the internet PC to the games PC.

I have just ordered a replacement games PC which will have Vista Home Premium as the operating system, will it be able to talk to the internet PC via the lan or will I need to install Vista on the internet PC so they can transfer files between each other?

benjo · 17 Jul 2008 at 04:04

They can, but as long as they're on the same workgroup as far as i know!

lsg1r · 17 Jul 2008 at 10:28

yeah they can talk, sp3 is needed really though as I had issues connecting my vista ultimate x64 to xp pro sp2, once updated though the issues seemed to disappear.

bledd · 17 Jul 2008 at 10:30

yup

how are you connecting them? through a router or a direct cable?

through a router is tons simpler

if you don't have one, i really recommend getting one, no more fiddling with internet settings, just plug in and it works

Snakedoctor · 17 Jul 2008 at 10:32

Mine often talk about the weather, the price of food and the mating cycle of the tsetse fly. Yes they can "talk" or see each other as long as you have the same workgroup and file and printer sharing on. Make sure any firewalls allow this through.

willhub · 17 Jul 2008 at 10:35

Mine used to talk all the time even before SP3 was out and they still got along fine, never had any arguments between the two yet

.

Mattus · 17 Jul 2008 at 17:30

Course they can

Reckon lots of people would be peeved if MS released an OS which wouldn't network with any of their previous ones!

shireknight · 18 Jul 2008 at 00:50

Cheers guys

Flukester · 18 Jul 2008 at 08:40

benjo said:
They can, but as long as they're on the same workgroup as far as i know!

workgroups have no bearing on wether two machines can 'see' each other on a network. :confused:

willhub · 18 Jul 2008 at 09:06

Flukester said:
workgroups have no bearing on wether two machines can 'see' each other on a network.

Well if they are not in the same workgroup you cant see the other PC's in network devices or w/e it is.

tres · 18 Jul 2008 at 09:36

make sure they both have usernames and passwords
after days of trying to share files and folders, i found i solved it by having both with usernames/passwords

Pulse · 18 Jul 2008 at 10:06

Flukester said:
workgroups have no bearing on wether two machines can 'see' each other on a network.

It does in XP. XP can only see computers on the network that it's assigned to. I use to have my machine running XP and the only way it would see my Vista laptop was if they were on the same workgroup.