connecting two laptops one on WinXP and one Win98

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

This is a hardware issue, I think, hence positing to this group and to the
general xp group.

What's the best way to connect two laptops? I need a basic direct cable
connection to retreive data off floppy disks on a machine with No floppy
drive, so I need to network to a laptop that does have a floppy drive....

My father has just received a Windows XP Pro laptop for his work; he
previously had a Windows 98 machine.

He'd previously backed up document files to floppy disk on the Windows 98
machine; however the Windows XP machine doesn't have a floppy drive, so he
can't retrieve those files.

I can show him how to put these on CD if I can get access to the floppy
drive to retrieve the files in the first place.

I need to know what's the best way to link the two lap tops, so I can access
the floppy drive from the XP laptop; My father's PC expertise is that of a
user level rather than technical.

So, I was thinking the best way to connect them would either be

Direct connection by USB cable (?) - probably the easiest?

or serial cable.

I don't want to muck around with cat5 cables - that's more bother than its
worth just to do this task.

Do I need to go through the network connection wizard to make them each talk
to each other? Is there any issue with linking a Win98 and WinXP machine?
i.e. FAT32 vs NTFS (Etc)?

Basically I need to "see" the floppy drive on the Win98 laptop from the XP
laptop to retrieve the files on floppy disks and to copy them over to the XP
harddrive to burn to CD etc.

Thanks for any advice

--
Andrew Murray
Perth Western Australia
http://members.iinet.net.au/~admurray/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please reply to Newsgroup - emails will be blacklisted.

Outgoing messages scanned with VET antivirus.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Network connection. You are describing functions that
networking was designed to provide. There are other issues to
enable and learn. But first the network between both
computers must be installed. This can be through a router
(the preferred solution) or by a special network cable twisted
to interconnect two network cards without a router (slightly
more technically complex).

Andrew Murray wrote:
> What's the best way to connect two laptops? I need a basic direct
> cable connection to retreive data off floppy disks on a machine
> with No floppy drive, so I need to network to a laptop that does
> have a floppy drive....
> ...

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

"Andrew Murray" <Noadmurray@SPAMiinet.net.au> wrote in message
news:42af6861$0$11692$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
| This is a hardware issue, I think, hence positing to this group and to the
| general xp group.
|
| What's the best way to connect two laptops? I need a basic direct cable
| connection to retreive data off floppy disks on a machine with No floppy
| drive, so I need to network to a laptop that does have a floppy drive....
|

Several possibilities laid out here;
http://www.ezlan.net/direct.html

Consider a USB floppy drive. I got a Maddog for $20.00

--
Doug

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details.

Remove shoes to E-mail.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

"Andrew Murray" <Noadmurray@SPAMiinet.net.au> wrote:

>This is a hardware issue, I think, hence positing to this group and to the
>general xp group.
>
>What's the best way to connect two laptops? I need a basic direct cable
>connection to retreive data off floppy disks on a machine with No floppy
>drive, so I need to network to a laptop that does have a floppy drive....
>
>My father has just received a Windows XP Pro laptop for his work; he
>previously had a Windows 98 machine.
>
>He'd previously backed up document files to floppy disk on the Windows 98
>machine; however the Windows XP machine doesn't have a floppy drive, so he
>can't retrieve those files.
>
>I can show him how to put these on CD if I can get access to the floppy
>drive to retrieve the files in the first place.
>
>I need to know what's the best way to link the two lap tops, so I can access
>the floppy drive from the XP laptop; My father's PC expertise is that of a
>user level rather than technical.
>
>So, I was thinking the best way to connect them would either be
>
>Direct connection by USB cable (?) - probably the easiest?
>
>or serial cable.
>
>I don't want to muck around with cat5 cables - that's more bother than its
>worth just to do this task.
>
>Do I need to go through the network connection wizard to make them each talk
>to each other? Is there any issue with linking a Win98 and WinXP machine?
>i.e. FAT32 vs NTFS (Etc)?
>
>Basically I need to "see" the floppy drive on the Win98 laptop from the XP
>laptop to retrieve the files on floppy disks and to copy them over to the XP
>harddrive to burn to CD etc.
>
>Thanks for any advice

The easiest way, if both computers have a network card, is to network
them with a simple "crossover" Cat5 cable (about $10, perhaps less if
you shop around). See http://www.wown.info/j_helmig/guide.htm for
basic networking advice.

Serial cables, and the software to use them, is finicky and slow.

USB connections requires a special cable and you basically configure a
network.

All files on a 3.5 diskette are FAT12 so there are no compatibility
issues. The various file systems (NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, FAT12, etc.
apply to the way the data is organized on the disk and not to the data
content itself. The data content is the same, regardless of the file
system used by the disk that it is stored on.

One option that you have not mentioned, and which is probably the
simplest for a non-technical user, is to purchase an external 3.5
diskette drive that connects via USB. These should be in the $40
range. That would solve all of the problems.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Since the other replies dealt with the connection I will state the other
obvious point.
If he used a win 98 backup program he will not be able to access those files
with the XP backup program.
If he used a free standing backup program he will need to install that onto
the XP machine first.
If he just copied those files to a floppy he will be OK
peterk

--
It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about
the problem
"Andrew Murray" <Noadmurray@SPAMiinet.net.au> wrote in message
news:42af6861$0$11692$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> This is a hardware issue, I think, hence positing to this group and to the
> general xp group.
>
> What's the best way to connect two laptops? I need a basic direct cable
> connection to retreive data off floppy disks on a machine with No floppy
> drive, so I need to network to a laptop that does have a floppy drive....
>
> My father has just received a Windows XP Pro laptop for his work; he
> previously had a Windows 98 machine.
>
> He'd previously backed up document files to floppy disk on the Windows 98
> machine; however the Windows XP machine doesn't have a floppy drive, so he
> can't retrieve those files.
>
> I can show him how to put these on CD if I can get access to the floppy
> drive to retrieve the files in the first place.
>
> I need to know what's the best way to link the two lap tops, so I can
> access the floppy drive from the XP laptop; My father's PC expertise is
> that of a user level rather than technical.
>
> So, I was thinking the best way to connect them would either be
>
> Direct connection by USB cable (?) - probably the easiest?
>
> or serial cable.
>
> I don't want to muck around with cat5 cables - that's more bother than its
> worth just to do this task.
>
> Do I need to go through the network connection wizard to make them each
> talk to each other? Is there any issue with linking a Win98 and WinXP
> machine? i.e. FAT32 vs NTFS (Etc)?
>
> Basically I need to "see" the floppy drive on the Win98 laptop from the XP
> laptop to retrieve the files on floppy disks and to copy them over to the
> XP harddrive to burn to CD etc.
>
> Thanks for any advice
>
> --
> Andrew Murray
> Perth Western Australia
> http://members.iinet.net.au/~admurray/
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Please reply to Newsgroup - emails will be blacklisted.
>
> Outgoing messages scanned with VET antivirus.
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

sounds like a lot of work JUST to get access to a damn floppy disk drive!

"w_tom" <w_tom1@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:42AF645F.CD222382@hotmail.com...
> Network connection. You are describing functions that
> networking was designed to provide. There are other issues to
> enable and learn. But first the network between both
> computers must be installed. This can be through a router
> (the preferred solution) or by a special network cable twisted
> to interconnect two network cards without a router (slightly
> more technically complex).
>
> Andrew Murray wrote:
>> What's the best way to connect two laptops? I need a basic direct
>> cable connection to retreive data off floppy disks on a machine
>> with No floppy drive, so I need to network to a laptop that does
>> have a floppy drive....
>> ...

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

The network solution provides far more than just floppy
access. Networking is the solution intended for what you are
trying to accomplish and other things he may also want to do.
The other hardware solutions are better described as kludges.

I have not written about all the possible 'do thises and do
thats' for other solutions. Those would end up sounding like
even more work - and the many neat functions provided by
networks still are not available. Do the networking solution
and don't even look back.

BTW, a function called My Briefcase may be quite helpful
for what you are trying to accomplish. My Briefcase also
works with networking; may not work on those other kludge
solutions. Just another reason why networking is a better
solution - intended for what you want to accomplish.

Andrew Murray wrote:
> sounds like a lot of work JUST to get access to a damn floppy
> disk drive!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

No; he simply copied files over to floppy disk

Basically : Select the files; right-click selected files ; using Send to
floppy (A. option on that context menu.

Nothing more to it than that.

I'll check to see what the optical drive is, whether cd burner or dvd burner
and suggest he use that. I will also suggest he look into getting a USB
floppy drive.


"peterk" <peterk@nomalarky.net> wrote in message
news:%23fiRq3TcFHA.3280@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Since the other replies dealt with the connection I will state the other
> obvious point.
> If he used a win 98 backup program he will not be able to access those
> files with the XP backup program.
> If he used a free standing backup program he will need to install that
> onto the XP machine first.
> If he just copied those files to a floppy he will be OK
> peterk
>
> --
> It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much
> about the problem
> "Andrew Murray" <Noadmurray@SPAMiinet.net.au> wrote in message
> news:42af6861$0$11692$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>> This is a hardware issue, I think, hence positing to this group and to
>> the general xp group.
>>
>> What's the best way to connect two laptops? I need a basic direct cable
>> connection to retreive data off floppy disks on a machine with No floppy
>> drive, so I need to network to a laptop that does have a floppy drive....
>>
>> My father has just received a Windows XP Pro laptop for his work; he
>> previously had a Windows 98 machine.
>>
>> He'd previously backed up document files to floppy disk on the Windows 98
>> machine; however the Windows XP machine doesn't have a floppy drive, so
>> he can't retrieve those files.
>>
>> I can show him how to put these on CD if I can get access to the floppy
>> drive to retrieve the files in the first place.
>>
>> I need to know what's the best way to link the two lap tops, so I can
>> access the floppy drive from the XP laptop; My father's PC expertise is
>> that of a user level rather than technical.
>>
>> So, I was thinking the best way to connect them would either be
>>
>> Direct connection by USB cable (?) - probably the easiest?
>>
>> or serial cable.
>>
>> I don't want to muck around with cat5 cables - that's more bother than
>> its worth just to do this task.
>>
>> Do I need to go through the network connection wizard to make them each
>> talk to each other? Is there any issue with linking a Win98 and WinXP
>> machine? i.e. FAT32 vs NTFS (Etc)?
>>
>> Basically I need to "see" the floppy drive on the Win98 laptop from the
>> XP laptop to retrieve the files on floppy disks and to copy them over to
>> the XP harddrive to burn to CD etc.
>>
>> Thanks for any advice
>>
>> --
>> Andrew Murray
>> Perth Western Australia
>> http://members.iinet.net.au/~admurray/
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Please reply to Newsgroup - emails will be blacklisted.
>>
>> Outgoing messages scanned with VET antivirus.
>>
>>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Thumbdrive, USB memory stick or the like would be least expensive and quick.

Andrew Murray wrote:

> No; he simply copied files over to floppy disk
>
> Basically : Select the files; right-click selected files ; using Send to
> floppy (A. option on that context menu.
>
> Nothing more to it than that.
>
> I'll check to see what the optical drive is, whether cd burner or dvd burner
> and suggest he use that. I will also suggest he look into getting a USB
> floppy drive.
>
>
> "peterk" <peterk@nomalarky.net> wrote in message
> news:%23fiRq3TcFHA.3280@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>
>>Since the other replies dealt with the connection I will state the other
>>obvious point.
>>If he used a win 98 backup program he will not be able to access those
>>files with the XP backup program.
>>If he used a free standing backup program he will need to install that
>>onto the XP machine first.
>>If he just copied those files to a floppy he will be OK
>>peterk
>>
>>--
>>It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much
>>about the problem
>>"Andrew Murray" <Noadmurray@SPAMiinet.net.au> wrote in message
>>news:42af6861$0$11692$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>>
>>>This is a hardware issue, I think, hence positing to this group and to
>>>the general xp group.
>>>
>>>What's the best way to connect two laptops? I need a basic direct cable
>>>connection to retreive data off floppy disks on a machine with No floppy
>>>drive, so I need to network to a laptop that does have a floppy drive....
>>>
>>>My father has just received a Windows XP Pro laptop for his work; he
>>>previously had a Windows 98 machine.
>>>
>>>He'd previously backed up document files to floppy disk on the Windows 98
>>>machine; however the Windows XP machine doesn't have a floppy drive, so
>>>he can't retrieve those files.
>>>
>>>I can show him how to put these on CD if I can get access to the floppy
>>>drive to retrieve the files in the first place.
>>>
>>>I need to know what's the best way to link the two lap tops, so I can
>>>access the floppy drive from the XP laptop; My father's PC expertise is
>>>that of a user level rather than technical.
>>>
>>>So, I was thinking the best way to connect them would either be
>>>
>>>Direct connection by USB cable (?) - probably the easiest?
>>>
>>>or serial cable.
>>>
>>>I don't want to muck around with cat5 cables - that's more bother than
>>>its worth just to do this task.
>>>
>>>Do I need to go through the network connection wizard to make them each
>>>talk to each other? Is there any issue with linking a Win98 and WinXP
>>>machine? i.e. FAT32 vs NTFS (Etc)?
>>>
>>>Basically I need to "see" the floppy drive on the Win98 laptop from the
>>>XP laptop to retrieve the files on floppy disks and to copy them over to
>>>the XP harddrive to burn to CD etc.
>>>
>>>Thanks for any advice
>>>
>>>--
>>>Andrew Murray
>>>Perth Western Australia
>>>http://members.iinet.net.au/~admurray/
>>>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>Please reply to Newsgroup - emails will be blacklisted.
>>>
>>>Outgoing messages scanned with VET antivirus.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Since you have a USB port on both--just buy a cheap USB thumb drive or micro
drive or what ever they call them there, and just copy the file to the thumb
drive, then you can use them on any other. Some 256 mg thumb drives are
getting pretty cheap these days. You might be able to get a "loaner" from a
friend, even a 64 meg drive is about equal to 40 floppies.

Hope this helps
Mr Nobody