I rememebr someone talking about this.

I just got a new PC for Xmas and I want to transfer some large files from my old to new PC.

Cant I just use a printer cable and connect the two?

If so, how do I make my computers know what to do after that?

Thanks for any help you can give!!

Get "Aloha Bob PC-relocator". I think it goes for around $30, and it'll transfer as much (or as little) as you want, from the old to the new.

Frankly, the fastest way would be to take the hard drive out of the old PC, set it up as a slave (unless you live in L.A.) in the new PC, and copy the files over.

That looks like a good tool, but I dont really want to have to buy software to transfer a few folders.

Do you know what I mean?

I dont know how to do all that [v]

If all you are doing is transfering a few folders, burn them onto CD's or network the two machines and just transfer the folders.

I do, indeed. I assume these files are too large to fit onto a data CD, or that you don't have a CD-burner, then. Being majorly computer illiterate, those are the only 2 options I'd probably try. I've ended up buying a DVD burner, primarily just to be able to back up damn near my entire computer on only a couple of disks.

My old PC doesn't have a CD writer.

My new one does everything but wipe my ass (unless I haven't found a button for that, yet)

I really thought you could just wire the old PC to another and you could do it....

Im trying to think if there is another way...

IMHO, this is worth PAYING someone to do. There's always something on that old computer that you forgot to migrate over. If you have it installed as the 2nd hard drive, that information will be at fingertips. Basically, your new computer has:
A: drive - flppy
c: drvie - Hard disk
D: drive - CD ROM, or DVD ROM
E: drive - 2nd CD ROM

Now, install that other hard drive in your computer and you get:
A: drive - flppy
c: drvie - Hard disk that was in new computer
D: drive - Hard disk from old computer
E: drive - CD ROM, or DVD ROM
F: drive - 2nd CD ROM

The "optical" drives then just move up a letter and everything is happy. I [b]always[/b] do this with new computers. [:)]

You should be able to set up a serial cable connection between the two.  $15 serial cable plus however much time it takes you to mess with your network settings enough to make it work.  There should be enough information in the Windows help file that you could figure it out...

If you have network cards in both you can get a crossover cable [red] Not a regular network cable a CROSSOVER cable [/red] and direct connect them.  Set-up file sharing on both and copy them over.  This is not the quickest way.

Taking out the old drive and re-installing as a slave in the new machine brings everything over.  You do need to make sure you back it up first as you don't want to accidently wipe the drive if the installation instructions and/or software is confusing.  (I just added a new drive to the computer yesterday and even using the Western Digital instructions off the web page, it was confusing)  Assumes you have installation software for the drive or can get from the mfr webpage,  Also assumes you want to open things up and you have the data cable, power connectors and drive slot available.

Makes the Relocator seem like the way to go doesn't it?

I'd avoid the Crossover cable and just install your current drive as a slave, and trasfer the data, as suggested above.  Unless you REALLY know what you're doing, getting two computers to talk together (I'm assuming you might have two different OS's) through a Crossover cable is a PITA.  

If you cannot slave your hard drive, get a parallel or serial cable (a null modem cable?) and link the two machines together. I used to do this in college all the time to duplicate my machine.

You may need LapLink software if your version of Windows does not support this on both machines. You can usually find freeware or shareware that you could temporarily use to accomplish this task.

If you have broadband with a router, you can use the MS Home Network Setup Wizard to do a little network or break the files into compressed parts use the fast connection to upload files to yourself or a website. But the Slave HD is a better option. It's not that hard. But on the other hand, the printer cable your referring to I believe is the PC to PC data transfer cable (both ends 25-pin female). It's slow but can get the job done. USB transfer canle are available too. They too cost money.

I did the cross over cable thing a whil back.  took all of  15 minutes between setting up the computers connection settings and rebooting.  Transfer rate is fast enough for your needs

I'd go with the crossover cable as well.  It's fairly cheap and nopt that hard to do.  I just hook my laptop to my desktop wait a few seconds and open the network places folder or my shared files folder.  Works every time.

I would just install the old drive has a slave then you have plenty of extra hard drive room.

hell I upgraded the memory in my system with 1G
of ram found out I can bank another 512 Megs
plus there is room for another drive. not bad at all. 2.5 Ghz 1G of ram with more room for another 512 meg plus thing really flat out flies.

Most new, commerical PC's, such as HP, IBM, Dell, etc... often include a utility for transferring settings & files.

Most work on USB, if you have that available, or a serial cable.

I'd check you new machine first, and see if they provide an "upgrade" utility

I think I've tried about every suggestion listed so far in this thread at one time or another.  If you have an existing home network going, then that's the way to go.  Otherwise, my suggestion is the temporary hard drive swap.  It goes something like this:

* shut down/unplug old computer
* open case to old computer
* unplug data and power cable from hard drive
* unbolt hard drive
* on the back, there's a jumper plugged into a few pins...compare to a diagram on the drive...it's probably set to "Master"...if there is no diagram, go to the hard drive manufacturer's web site (with the new computer...hehe) and get the diagram. You probably won't have to change it to "Slave" but you may.
* shut down/unplug new computer
* open case to new computer
* Look at your current setup....your "new" computer's hard drive is typically the master (of it's cable).  The CD-ROM may be on the same cable set up as a slave or it's on it's own cable as a master.  If you are going to hook up your "old" hard drive to share with an existing master, make your "old" hard drive the slave...if it gets its own cable, keep it the master.  There's other options too.
* bolt in old hard drive
* attach power and data cables (to an [b]unused[/b] data cable plug...you still want the new computer to boot from it's regular hard drive, your old hard drive is just along for the ride)
* Boot up the new computer
* Windows typically sees the old hard drive and gives it another drive letter.  Go to the Windows Explorer program and drag and drop the files you want to the new hard drive.
* after you're done, shut down the computer and put the hard drive back in your old computer...be sure to set it back to master.
* close up the cases and you're done.

Total time including 10 minutes of file copying is typically around 20 minutes.

Note, some drive manufacturer's use the "cable select" setting...this is even easier since the master/slave thing is determined by which drive is plugged into the middle or the end of the cable, you don't have to choose anything.

don't forget to assign static ip's

I used a program called "Detto IntelliMover" that I got from Dell.  It allowed me to move everything without any problems.  All my photos, e-mail addresses, documents, etc.

Came with a cable and a disc that had very simple instructions.  Worked great.

Crossover cable.  This is a no-brainer.

Got USB on both?  How about a Databridge?  $19.00 INCLUDING software.  Nothing else to buy.
6-12 Mb/second transfer rate steady state so its pretty fast.

[url]http://usbfirewire.com/unetwork.html[/url]

I think we scared him away....  [8)]

I do this all the time, with my laptop that I travel with, my home computer, and my work computer. Also, transferring large files and entire folders from one computer to another.

Go to [url]www.filevan.com[/url]

This program links quickly and easily, unlike Windows "Direct Cable Connection" which nobody I have talked to can make work.  

Don't try to move whole programs, as Windows has stuff spread all through the system.  Install programs from their original install disks.  But you can move large folders of data.

At the top of the main page of Filevan you can also order the correct cables.  If both computers have USB ports, that is the fastest, but the USB to USB cable is usually about $50. From Filevan you can get the cable AND the program for $30.  [url]http://www.filevan.com/usb.html[/url]

The parallel port cable is cheaper, about $15 in stores, I think.  Mine is made by Belkin, purchased at Circuit City.  It has two male plugs, it is not a regular printer cable.  It is hooked from LPT1 on one computer to LPT1 on the other.  You can also order the correct parallel cable from the Filevan site for only $5 if purchased with the program, and I advise you to do so.  You still need to buy the program.  [url]http://www.filevan.com/cable.html[/url]

The site tells you just what cables do and don't work.

The program is installed on both computers, and you simply start the program from the Program Menu on each, and almost immediately, it will tell you that they are linked.  Then you tell them which is sending and which is receiving.

The rest is easy.  You will need no tutoring or manual.  Like working with Windows Explorer.

Get the two computers set up on a network using simple crossover cable.  The new computer will obviously have XP on it so setting up the network will be easily done.  If the other computer is running an older OS then all you have to do is us the XP cd on it and the process is the same as on the new computer.  Honestly, if you don't know computers don't try putting in the old hard drive as a slave in the new computer.  You'll have to deal with getting the jumpers set correctly which can confuse some people new to computers.  Using some crossover cable to put them on a network is the easiest and most practical way.  Make sure you have the NIC's set to 100Mbps, however, and not 10Mbps.  

-GL