Transfer Files to new PC

Rezident · 22 Oct 2007 at 10:29

What's the easiest way to tranfer large files (20gigs) from old PC to a new PC? Can you just plug a cable into them and copy or do you have to set up a network or something?

Cheers.

Admiral Huddy · 22 Oct 2007 at 10:31

You can plug the two PCs via the ethernet ports but you'll need a crossover UTP cable.

Failing that, buy an external HDD. Always handy for backups anyway and great for file transfers

Rezident · 22 Oct 2007 at 10:44

Ok UTP cable sounds good. I do actually have an external HD but it's not working, not sure if it's just the plug of the adapter or what but it's dead and it's only fairly new. Can't seem to find a replacement adapter for it.

Admiral Huddy · 22 Oct 2007 at 10:58

Remember, it has to be a "crossover" cable, not a standard patch cable

Rezident · 22 Oct 2007 at 11:02

Admiral Huddy said:
Remember, it has to be a "crossover" cable, not a standard patch cable

Ok, I found a UTP cable but it does say 'patch', what's the difference?

Admiral Huddy · 22 Oct 2007 at 11:09

Rezident said:
Ok, I found a UTP cable but it does say 'patch', what's the difference?

A Patch cable doesn't have a solid core. It has copper fibres to make it more flexible between the PC and the network socket. Soild cables are used for the network structure.

As for a crossover cable, the four pairs of cables are physically crossed over to make a two-way connection. The Ethernet port on your PC or NIC is expecting a router, hub or switch.. not another NIC..

Admiral Huddy · 22 Oct 2007 at 11:15

try this..

misterPK · 22 Oct 2007 at 11:24

You could just take the hard drive out of the old machine, put it in the new one and copy the files across. It might take a little longer but you wouldnt need to buy anything.

PK!

Rezident · 22 Oct 2007 at 12:03

Ok good stuff. Thank you all.

Jolly_Jason · 22 Oct 2007 at 12:25

misterPK said:
You could just take the hard drive out of the old machine, put it in the new one and copy the files across. It might take a little longer but you wouldnt need to buy anything.

PK!

This is the fastest method espicially if you put them on different IDE channels. Even Gigabit wouldn't be as fast as this as the only limiting speed would be that of the slower hard drive.

Admiral Huddy · 22 Oct 2007 at 12:26

agreed

Rezident · 23 Oct 2007 at 09:37

Got the crossover cable, plugged in the two PCs, what's the best way to access them from each? (One's Vista, other is XP).

Vista defaults to something like 'Windows Easy Transfer', which, of course, wasn't very easy, and despite saying it had transferred all files, they are not showing up on the new system.

Do I have to set up a network or can files not just go straight through the cable?

Sorry, haven't done this before. Cheers.

Admiral Huddy · 23 Oct 2007 at 10:09

Just set-it up as a network.

Work from your old PC and you should be able to see your new PC in network neighbourhood.. Just copy the files over to selected location.

Rezident · 23 Oct 2007 at 10:35

Admiral Huddy said:
Just set-it up as a network.

Work from your old PC and you should be able to see your new PC in network neighbourhood.. Just copy the files over to selected location.

Ok I'll try that when I get home.

One of the stickies says you need network cards as well as the crossover cable. So I don't need network cards?

Jolly_Jason · 23 Oct 2007 at 10:40

How can you connect a network cable without NIC's (Network Interface Card) :confused:

ALL new motherboards have at least one and many 2 NIC's built into them, however your old motherboard may need a PCI NIC if the mobo doesn't have one built in.

TBH I don't know why you don't just simply connect the old HD onto the other IDE channel/cable on the new motherboard. It's the fastest and easiest method as people have already said!!

Admiral Huddy · 23 Oct 2007 at 10:43

as said above

Rezident · 23 Oct 2007 at 10:44

Jolly_Jason said:
How can you connect a network cable without NIC's (Network Interface Card)

I just stuck the crossover cable into the only ports they'd fit into on the back of the PCs (ethernet?). They light up and all so something must be working.

If the motherboards have ethernet ports, does that mean they already have network card functionality included on the mobo and don't need a separate network card?

Jolly_Jason · 23 Oct 2007 at 10:51

No offence mate but you clearly don't know what your doing! I think the best and easiest method is to simply connect the old HD in the new computer and transfer the files across in windows!! Otherwise you could have a nightmare getting the network working what with having to share files and getting the computers seeing each other!!

Rezident · 23 Oct 2007 at 10:59

Jolly_Jason said:
No offence mate but you clearly don't know what your doing! I think the best and easiest method is to simply connect the old HD in the new computer and transfer the files across in windows!! Otherwise you could have a nightmare getting the network working what with having to share files and getting the computers seeing each other!!

No I don't know exactly what I'm doing because I haven't done it before. That's why I was asking.

The two PCs are connected by a crossover cable. Should anything else be required for the PCs to 'see' each other?

P.S. I transferred the files using HD method but I still want to connect the two PC's, I know it is possible. I'll figure it out eventually, but any advice in the meantime would, of course, be appreciated.

Admiral Huddy · 23 Oct 2007 at 11:12

Ok, assuming you want to continue the route of connecting via Ethernet then once you have the crossover connected between the two PCs, you will have to assign (assuming you are using TCP/IP) an IP address on both machines:

You can do this by selecting properties on the Network connection on both machines and changing to static

For instance :

Machine 1 has an IP address of 192.168.100.100 and a subnetmask 255.255.255.0
Machine 2 has an IP adress of 192.168.100.101 and a subnetmask 255.255.255.0

Then makesure that both machines has the same workgroup (control panel > system settings)

to test, open a command prompt on both and try to ping the other
machine.

i.e. on machine 1 try ping 192.168.100.101 then on machine 2 try ping 192.168.100.100

you should get a message that they are repsonding.

If both respond , you have a working connection.

I made this suggestion because I assumed prior knowledge...

Yes, the Ethernet port built into the motherboard is still refered to as a NIC.