# Can I DL files from my old laptop to my new PC? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 3, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dl-files-from-my-old-laptop-to-my-new-pc/288193 "2005-02-03T16:57:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dl-files-from-my-old-laptop-to-my-new-pc/288193/1 "2005-02-03T16:57:07Z")
I got a new desktop PC recently, but I still have a five-year-old laptop that is chock full of files that I would like to transfer to the new computer. The laptop doesn’t have a CD burner, but it does have a removable Zip drive. Of course, my new PC _DOESN’T_ have a Zip drive. Also, the laptop is still running Windows ME, while the new PC has Windows XP. Is there a way to just connect the laptop to my new PC and browse and transfer files from one to the other? ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dl-files-from-my-old-laptop-to-my-new-pc/288193/2 "2005-02-03T17:09:30Z")
> [@Kaspar Hauser](#): > > I got a new desktop PC recently, but I still have a five-year-old laptop that is chock full of files that I would like to transfer to the new computer. The laptop doesn’t have a CD burner, but it does have a removable Zip drive. Of course, my new PC _DOESN’T_ have a Zip drive. Also, the laptop is still running Windows ME, while the new PC has Windows XP. > > Is there a way to just connect the laptop to my new PC and browse and transfer files from one to the other? If both computers have a network card (ethernet card) you can set up a simple home network (possibly just connecting the two with a ‘crossover cable’) and set up file sharing to transfer them that way. I’m doing something like that myself at the moment. Note that if you’ve been using broadband internet of any sort, you probably have the broadband connection plugged into your ethernet socket… you’d still be able to do this, it just requires both machines being off the internet for the time it takes to transfer all files. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dl-files-from-my-old-laptop-to-my-new-pc/288193/3 "2005-02-03T17:10:04Z")
If both PCs have a network card connecting them is simple. Either use a crossover ethernet cable (can be had at any computer supply store) and plug them into each other or hook them up to a hub with two regular ethernet cables. Then make your PCs part of the same workgroup, share the folder with your stuff in it and copy the files over. You could also zip up the files and e-mail them to yourself. Depending on how much you have this may be a hassle but is an alternative in a pinch. You could also zip them up, copy them to a floppy and move them that way. Again slow and a real drag if you have lots of stuff but it can be done. WinZip will automatically span multiple disks if the zip file is too big for one disk which is helpful. You just need to be sure to have enough floppies on hand to handle it all. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dl-files-from-my-old-laptop-to-my-new-pc/288193/4 "2005-02-03T17:18:48Z")
> [@Kaspar Hauser](#): > > I got a new desktop PC recently, but I still have a five-year-old laptop that is chock full of files that I would like to transfer to the new computer. The laptop doesn’t have a CD burner, but it does have a removable Zip drive. Of course, my new PC _DOESN’T_ have a Zip drive. Also, the laptop is still running Windows ME, while the new PC has Windows XP. > > Is there a way to just connect the laptop to my new PC and browse and transfer files from one to the other? You can get half a gig ( 512 meg) USB thumb drives for around $30-40 after rebate from Circuit City etc. You can network the two, but the thumbdrive is considerably less hassle (appears to system like a hard drive) and has lots of future utility beyond just the transfer project. 1 gig sizes are also available. ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dl-files-from-my-old-laptop-to-my-new-pc/288193/5 "2005-02-03T17:34:14Z")
I don’t have a network card for the laptop. The thumb drives sounds like the right idea, actually. Thanks, everybody! ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dl-files-from-my-old-laptop-to-my-new-pc/288193/6 "2005-02-03T17:44:07Z")
Is a “USB memory key” the same as a thumb drive? Because I did in fact receive one of those with my new PC. If so, would it be compatible with Windows ME? The laptop has a USB port, so that part is fine. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dl-files-from-my-old-laptop-to-my-new-pc/288193/7 "2005-02-03T17:46:35Z")
- - - They also sell USB computer-to-computer cables that allow this–transferring files. Prices I’ve seen were $10-$15, not a lot. * * * …Overall I’d rather have one of the 4gig thumb drives of course, but that costs a lot more than $15… ~ ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dl-files-from-my-old-laptop-to-my-new-pc/288193/8 "2005-02-03T18:23:34Z")
> [@Kaspar Hauser](#): > > Is a “USB memory key” the same as a thumb drive? Because I did in fact receive one of those with my new PC. If so, would it be compatible with Windows ME? The laptop has a USB port, so that part is fine. Yes, and maybe. My particular USB drive came with a link to a web site where I would have to download a driver to use the drive on a Windows 98 machine. I don’t know if that driver would have shipped in Windows ME or if you still need it. In any case, with the windows ME machine you should be able to make a USB drive work on it. Of course, a free USB drive is probably not going to be more than 64 megs or so, so it may take a while to transfer all the stuff. -lv ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dl-files-from-my-old-laptop-to-my-new-pc/288193/9 "2005-02-03T18:46:02Z")
> [@LordVor](#): > > Of course, a free USB drive is probably not going to be more than 64 megs or so, so it may take a while to transfer all the stuff. > > -lv True, but it’ll be much quicker than if I did it 3.5 MB at a time! It’s only .docs and pics anyway. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dl-files-from-my-old-laptop-to-my-new-pc/288193/10 "2005-02-03T19:21:29Z")
Most usb thumb drives I have seen operate as USB mass storage devices. I believe that windows ME comes complete with drivers for USB mass storage devices. ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-dl-files-from-my-old-laptop-to-my-new-pc/288193/11 "2005-02-04T13:09:01Z")
Any WinOS above 98 will work with and recognize the USB drive.