backing up laptop?

-Nick- · 8 Apr 2007 at 19:44

my brother is home from uni and i want to back up his whole laptop so i re-install windows onto it.

but my computer have vista ultimate edition on it and his laptop only has xp pro. is there anyway i can connect these to together? i have tried ethernet cable but don't know how to set it up with the 2 difference O/S's. we are both using the same wireless network could i do anything through that?

i have a spare hdd for i don't have an enclosure, is the only way to back it up to get an enclosure?

Werewolf · 8 Apr 2007 at 20:31

it should just be a case of running the network wizards on both machines to create a home network, and connecting them together with either a crossover network cable, or a pair of cables and a hub/switch (or the lan ports on a router).

fail at the internets · 8 Apr 2007 at 20:32

You could buy a usb to usb cable of the bay.

-Nick- · 8 Apr 2007 at 20:33

Hornchurch said:
You could buy a usb to usb cable of the bay.

is the transfer rate on that not quite slow?

Namsnik · 8 Apr 2007 at 20:46

we are both using the same wireless network could i do anything through that?

I certainly use our network to back up data files - don't see why you would need extra equipment.

You may need to right click on the c:drive of your brothers computer and share it. I don't know what software would be best for your backup. Are you just trying to backup data files or settings for all his programmes, or make an image of the disk?

-Nick- · 8 Apr 2007 at 20:51

i want to back up like his music and his uni work (word documents, pictures, videos)

Snapshot · 9 Apr 2007 at 07:29

-Nick- said:
is the transfer rate on that not quite slow?

Not if it's USB2. Ethernet is still largely 100Mb/sec in most home network, USB2 is 440Mb/sec. How the actual throughput compares, I don't know.
The wireless network should work but will be quite slow.

Assuming you go with the wireless network as you have it and it works:

1. You need to make sure both PCs are in the same workgroup. You do this from Control Panel/System/Computer Name in XP and I hope there's something similar in Vista.

2. Make sure there's a user ID and password that's the same on both PCs.

3. On the laptop, share the appropriate folders which you do by right-clicking on them in Windows Explorer and selecting Sharing and Security.

4. On the PC, map the network drive(s) you've just created on the laptop. It's under Tools in Windows Explorer in XP but, again, I don't know about Vista.

5. Copy the files across, using the Explorer on the PC.

If your brother's been sensible, everything will be in My Documents so it'll be easy....

Jonathan

Snapshot · 9 Apr 2007 at 07:31

On the other hand, just buy an external enclosure for your extra HDD and plug it into the laptop. Simple and fast....

Jonathan

valerian · 9 Apr 2007 at 07:36

Werewolf said:
it should just be a case of running the network wizards on both machines to create a home network, and connecting them together with either a crossover network cable, or a pair of cables and a hub/switch (or the lan ports on a router).

good luck!