Ethernet for Win8 and WinXP

[DMartin9N-2N]

I want to connect two computers, one has Win8, the other has WinXP. Both have ethernet ports, so can i just plug in a cable and transfer files from one computer to the other?

 

[old_bc]

I want to connect two computers, one has Win8, the other has WinXP. Both have ethernet ports, so can i just plug in a cable and transfer files from one computer to the other?

You would need to hook both computers to a router or ethernet switch to make that work but it can be done.

 

[MarkB_MI]

You would need to use a 'crossover' cable, which switches some of the wires around from a standard ethernet cable so the the two computers can talk to each other. And you have to manually set the IP addresses for each computer, since there's no DHCP server to assign IP addresses. Then there's the matter of setting up the actual software (e.g. FTP) so the two machines can talk to each other. I've done it in the past, but it's so much easier to use a USB thumb drive.

If both computers have RS-232 serial ports, you can connect them using a 'null modem' RS-232 cable, but again you'll need to run special software to transfer the files.

 

[onefarmer]

You would have to use a hub or router with standard cat cables. OR hook up direct with a special crossover cable

 

[TheOldHokie]

I want to connect two computers, one has Win8, the other has WinXP. Both have ethernet ports, so can i just plug in a cable and transfer files from one computer to the other?

Yes but you will need an ethernet crossover cable.

In the past I used crossover cables to connwct datacenter machines for the express purpose of bulk data transfer. Pretty much transparent - just configure the ports with private IP addresses.

Dan

 

[DoubleO7]

How about removing the XP hard drive and installing it as a slave drive on the Win8 machine?

 

[TheOldHokie]

How about removing the XP hard drive and installing it as a slave drive on the Win8 machine?

This is 2024 - no need to move hardware. Just mount the XP drive on the W8 machine (and/or vice versa) and let the file system handle the network data transfers.

Dan

 

[DoubleO7]

This is 2024 - no need to move hardware. Just mount the XP drive on the W8 machine (and/or vice versa) and let the file system handle the network data transfers.

Dan

Okay.
But now Please tell difference between installing and mounting on/in machine.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Okay.
But now Please tell difference between installing and mounting on/in machine.

Not sure what your question is but I will try.

In file system speak mounting Is a software operation where a drive that is physically installed in one machine is made to appear as if it is also physically installed in a second, or third, or ... machine. All machines have transparent access to the same drive.

I have three desktop machines in my office and ALL of the physical drives/partitions are mounted on ALL of the machines. Machine A has direct access to all of the files on Machine B and C and vice versa.

That help?

Dan

 

[MarkB_MI]

Not sure what your question is but I will try.

In file system speak mounting Is a software operation where a drive that is physically installed in one machine is made to appear as if it is also physically installed in a second, or third, or ... machine. All machines have transparent access to the same drive.

I have three desktop machines in my office and ALL of the physical drives/partitions are mounted on ALL of the machines. Machine A has direct access to all of the files on Machine B and C and vice versa.

That help?

Dan

But you still need some sort of network connection: ethernet, USB, Bluetooth or whatever.

 

[TheOldHokie]

But you still need some sort of network connection: ethernet, USB, Bluetooth or whatever.

I never said otherwise.

Dan

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

You would need to use a 'crossover' cable, which switches some of the wires around from a standard ethernet cable so the the two computers can talk to each other. And you have to manually set the IP addresses for each computer, since there's no DHCP server to assign IP addresses. Then there's the matter of setting up the actual software (e.g. FTP) so the two machines can talk to each other. I've done it in the past, but it's so much easier to use a USB thumb drive.

If both computers have RS-232 serial ports, you can connect them using a 'null modem' RS-232 cable, but again you'll need to run special software to transfer the files.

RS232 only as a last resort. Serial is VERY slow. You will die of old age waiting for the files to transfer, if you can figure out how to make the connection.

Ethernet should be plug-n-play on these computers.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

How about removing the XP hard drive and installing it as a slave drive on the Win8 machine?

Instead of doing that, portable USB hard drives are cheap enough, you can get one of those, copy the files you need from the one computer to the portable USB drive, then access them on the other computer by simply unplugging and moving the drive over.

 

[DoubleO7]

How about removing the XP hard drive and installing it as a slave drive on the Win8 machine?

I had two or three old windows PC's When I got a new one I just opened it up and put the old hard drives in as slaves.
Chucked out the old PC's eliminating interconnection cables as well as the old PC's.
That was what I did from 1995 to 2010 or so when I went to laptops and tablets.
That is why I was asking.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I had two or three old windows PC's When I got a new one I just opened it up and put the old hard drives in as slaves.
Chucked out the old PC's eliminating interconnection cables as well as the old PC's.
That was what I did from 1995 to 2010 or so when I went to laptops and tablets.
That is why I was asking.

Yeah on laptops it's a severe pain in the hind end to do that. They usually only have one drive slot anyway, so you need an external enclosure to put the drive in. Plus it's major surgery to extract the old drive. Just got done doing that on a dead old laptop.

 

[johndeere720GA]

I want to connect two computers, one has Win8, the other has WinXP. Both have ethernet ports, so can i just plug in a cable and transfer files from one computer to the other?

Another option if you have internet access is to sign up for cloud storage: Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft One. etc. Then, you can have the files on both computers and even share files via a link to allow others to see and use the files. For example, I share my recipes on Google Drive with friends and family. I can even allow them to add recipes of their own.

 

[sotxbill]

Not sure what your question is but I will try.

In file system speak mounting Is a software operation where a drive that is physically installed in one machine is made to appear as if it is also physically installed in a second, or third, or ... machine. All machines have transparent access to the same drive.

I have three desktop machines in my office and ALL of the physical drives/partitions are mounted on ALL of the machines. Machine A has direct access to all of the files on Machine B and C and vice versa.

That help?

Dan

set up a share on one computer that is open to everyone, on the other attach to the "\\share" with any needed password and you see the shared drive and can do a copy or what ever you need.

 

[sotxbill]

set up a share on one computer that is open to everyone, on the other attach to the "\\share" with any needed password and you see the shared drive and can do a copy or what ever you need.

Or if that is too difficult, as others have said,, get a thumb drive.. and copy... and then paste... I would do the share myself and then let the computers work it out, over night if needed pending on how fast they are and how much data is involved.

 

[wp6529]

Or if that is too difficult, as others have said,, get a thumb drive.. and copy... and then paste... I would do the share myself and then let the computers work it out, over night if needed pending on how fast they are and how much data is involved.

This is by far the simplest option if you don't already have an established network. I have a rather large network here and still I keep a 256GB thumb drive on my keychain that gets plenty of use.

 

[DMartin9N-2N]

Thanks for the many responses! I used a (USB) thumb drive, put it in the old computer and copied the files I wanted, then put the thumb drive into my modern daily computer and I can copy or whatever. End of problem, so end of thread. Thanks to all!!