Direct Cable XP/XP File Transferrance

Factual Questions
1

After Many Trials and Tribulations, I am Ready to Transfer my Files.

So I plug the Ethernet Crossover cable into both Ethernet ports. Following the Microsoft instructions, I make myself a File Transfer Wizard Disk and tell New Computer to try to autofind the port (although there’s only COM1, I just wanted to verify things were working). Stuff the disk in the Old Computer, do the same. I check both computers, they just can’t see one another. I suspect the problem lies on the Old Computer’s end because it’s been severely acting up since the New Computer arrived.

I do not have any removeable media to change the files over with, only the ethernet crossover cable and a PC2PC cable (USB/USB that shouldn’t work due to it not handling a From Computer being XP, but I got it just in case).

I’m sure the Wizard would be a fast transfer method for me, if only the computers could see each other through them. Can anybody help, or offer a better way to transfer the files without the Wizard, or something? I don’t know any techie people to help me out anymore. And the Search function doesn’t help me out at its current stage.

2

With 2 computers both running Windows XP (either Home or Pro) you should be able to transfer files simply using the RJ-45 Ethernet Crossover cable and nothing else.

Check this link FIRST:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/columns/crawford/november12.asp
If you are still stumped, check this:
http://www.cellarstoneindia.com/cable_pdf/DCC-Windows%20XP%20%20to%20Windows%20XP.pdf

3

This probably won’t help since the only time that I did direct transfer was from a Win 95 to a Win 98 machine using a standard PC cable (not ethernet).

But just in case… I had the same (or similar) problem. Turns out after much frustration, that the problem was that I had given both computers identical computer names. I changed one of the the computer names to something different and the problem was solved.

4

When you start the File and Settings Transfer Wizard, it asks you what kind of transfer you want to make. Given that your only finding COM1, it sounds to me like you selected the serial cable transfer, not the network transfer. Try and run it again, but select the “Home or Office Network” at the transfer method screen.

I don’t remember there being an auto-detect on that screen.

5

The computers do need distinct names and be in the same “Workgroup”.

6

See, see, I was using that guide by that old lady linked above…she was using a different cable, and that’s what wasn’t working, I guess, I thought an ethernet cable would be the same thing as a serial cable (nevermind the day of working to find out Ethernet Cable != Ethernet Crossover Cable).

I’ll try the Network Transfer. They’ve got distinct names but neither of them are Network networked.

The PDF should help – too bad my Adobe Acrobat is sort of broken, so I’m going to have to read it on New Computer to see if it does help out totally.

So I’ll see what I can do then. :slight_smile: Thanks so much. This has been seriously bothering me since I don’t want to buy any removeable media, you know. If I have more problems I’ll find a way to be more specific.

7

Okay, no, the PDF doesn’t help (plus it seems to be missing half of its steps as it refers directly to the other computer’s steps rather than a separate one, which leads to absurdities it seems). Nothing helps. It’s not working. Anybody capable of talking me through this via AIM/ICQ/YIM/MSN, please do. This shouldn’t be this hard. Some single thing is probably missing which no walkthrough sheet can do apparently. The old computer still can’t make itself part of its own network, and after the PDF’s steps both as-is and fixing the seeming errors, still nothing works. They ‘dial’ in to one another and say the other computer terminated them, despite them being even unable of pinging one another.

8

Well we can’t do it via AIM or whatever unless you have a third computer, as the two in question wil only be able to connect with each other. Since you said “XP/XP” in the title, I’m going to assume that both machines are running XP. Instructions follow and assume that there are NO cables hooked up up at this time:

  1. Right-click on “My Computer” either on the desktop or on the Start Menu and select “Properties”. Click the “Computer Name” name tab and make sure that both PCs are in the same workgroup.

  2. Once this is done, set the IP address of the first computer to 192.168.1.1. Do this by right-clicking on “My Network Places” on the desktop and selecting “Properties” or by going to Control Panel > Network. XP will set the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0. Leave this at the default. Leave the “Gateway” settings blank. Also, once you’re done setting this up, make sure that “File and Print Sharing for Microsoft Networks” is installed and enabled in the network settings. If not (it should be), click Add > Service. Click “OK” when done and reboot if asked.

  3. Repeat step 2 on the other PC, but set its network address to 192.168.1.2. All other settings remain the same.

  4. Connect the crossover cable. Verify that the link light is on on the network adapter.

  5. Open a command prompt and verify connectivity by typing ping 192.168.1.x, where x is the last digit of the IP address of the computer you’re NOT on at the moment.

  6. Share the files or folders you want to copy to the new PC: right-click the folder > Sharing and Security > Share this folder. Remember the share name.

  7. On the other PC, click Start > Run and type \computername\sharename. Thus, if you are on a PC called computer1 and created a share called “myshare”, go to the other computer and type \computre1\myshare in the “Run” box.

  8. You will be prompted for a username and password unless you have accounts on both PCs with the same username and password. It’s handy to use ADMINISTRATOR for tasks like these.

  9. When the Explorer window opens, copy the files to your local PC.

Lemme know how this works.

9

Er, I can’t be on the internet with a dialup through my 56k modem and connected through the ethernet port simultaneously? Huh.

Oops! Stumped. No My Network Places anywhere…no place to change my IP except from what I see googling with a command line string. Well, there’sa My Network Places on the ‘sidebar’ in the Network Control Panel thing, but right-click Properties does nothing, and selecting it and right-click Properties in the window it’s in opens up my Network Connections instead. The only place I’ve seen to type in an IP address is in singular Connections with other computers.

Should I do the command line IP change string? That’s fine, if a little uh, convoluted. Or is there something else I can click? I like clicking things.

10

From network connections, right click your local area network connection or network interface card and select properties. Then select TCP/IP and click properties again. There you can specify your IP.

11

:frowning:

I have several Local Area Connections, but one I can see is the ethernet port 'cause it is connected. Properties has no IP thing whatsoever. On either computer. Not on the Local Area Connection or the “Network Bridge” choice. No TCP/IP anything in any Properties anywhere around there.

Maybe I do need to use that command prompt way. ( http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/23652 )

12

toaster, I’m sorry but you really aren’t helping us help you.

Please describe what you see when you open the ethernet port properties. There should be two tabs, one says general, one says properties. On the general tab you should see “connect using…” and it should list your network interface. Below that you should see several things listed, like “Client for Microsoft networks”, “file and print sharing”, and "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

Select “internet protocol (TCP/IP)” and click “properties”. There you can enter your IP address.

If something isn’t clear, you need to try and dig around a little. Don’t be afraid to explore these settings.

13

I’m sorry, I’ve been off and online all day and wasn’t checking the board too much. That and spending about three hours on the other computer messing around to try and make something work. I’m not afraid. I’ve spend several days trying various things I’ve seen online, manipulating what others say, mixing things up, figuring I should be able to fix it myself if anybody else can do it. I was still messing with the settings when I posted and forgot to update when I was done. Needed to take a break. I’m sorry.

Anyway, on the old computer, I see when I open Network Connections: Dial-Up Connection (obviously not what we want here), Direct: New Computer (from the PDF thingy), Incoming Connections (from the PDF thingy), and Network Bridge: Local Area Connection 13 (dunno what it is, it’s always disconnected), Local Area Connection 11 (ethernet), Network Bridge (dunno what it is either, it appeared mysteriously at some point but doesn’t seem to do anything, although it’s labeled as ethernet in the command prompt “ipconfig”).

Right-clicking any of them does result in a Properties.

Local Area Connection 11 has a General tab and an Authentication tab. General has Connect using: Linksys LNE100TX(v5) Fast Ethernet Adapter, Configure…, and Show icon in notification area when connected. It also says it’s part of the Network Bridge. Configure has General, Advanced, Driver, Resources, and Power Management tabs. None of them have anything to do with what I want, it seems; the closest is a Troubleshoot button.

Ditto the Local Area Connection 13, which is either disconnected or disabled, and is a Broadcom 4211 iLine100™ Network Adapter.

Network Bridge now has (after I fiddled for a long long time) the IP specified 192.168.1.1 mask 255.255.255.0 with file and printer sharing allowed as is said above. The same goes for my new computer, too, but with only one Local Area Connection, and 192.168.1.2 instead for the Network Bridge.

The port lights are on. Both computers are on. But pinging the other results in nothing but lost packets. If I try to connect them with the PDF way I get \Base is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. The network path was not found. I already set the folders I want on the old computer to share. Both computers acknowledge the Network Bridge/Local Area Connection thing, saying they’ve been connected for hours and have sent and received a few thousand bytes (dirty lies as far as I can tell). Only Network Bridge says it has an IP address.

I can take screenshots of setups and post them up if necessary, or whatever, I have no idea what is wrong at this point and want to do what I can to expedite the process of me using my injurious machine at its full potential.

14

Ditch the PDF, it confuses even me.
Rex Fenestrarum has the shizznit. Other than I would use “Network Neighbourhood” in step seven instead of typing the network share manually, it’s exactly what I would suggest.

Given your last posting - delete any device in your network window that says “Bridge”. They aren’t what you want, you don’t need them, and they’re possibly screwing things up. Might wanna delete that “Direct: New computer” thing too, but it sounds harmless.

It sounds to me like your old machine has 2 NICs, but it might be an effect of that bridge. In any case, use the enabled one (connection 11), which sounds like you’ve plugged into that. You don’t mention it, but in the “General” tab for that, should be a window saying “This connection uses the following items”, and contain something saying “Internet Protocol”. If you select this line, the “Properties” button should enable, allowing you to press it and change the IP address of your network card as described by Rex.

15

Yes. That PDF sucks. On both/ computers, delete EVERYTHING from the network connections list (except the dial-up connection if you use it). The direct connections and bridge(s) are confusing me, so I can imagine how Windows feels! Once you’ve delete all that stuff, reboot the PCs for good measure. Then set up the Local Area Connections as I described above.

16

Right-click > Properties:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/network_protocols/network_protocols01.gif

Installed components (note TCP/IP on bottom of list):
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/network_protocols/network_protocols02.gif

Edit TCP/IP:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/network_protocols/network_protocols04.gif

17

Here is a link to MS Knowledge Base Article-814981 which explains how to configure a DCC with WinXL.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;814981

18

toaster I apologize if my last post was snippy. It was late here too :slight_smile:

Yes, definitely delete those direct connections and bridges, and try again.

Please let us know.

19

Eleusis, I didn’t think you were being snippy, I know how irritating it is to not give enough information. :slight_smile:

Hm.

Okay, that worked a LOT better, deleting those connections. Before, I swear, there was no such TCP/IP whatever list in the General tab. Now that Network Bridge is gone, they’re back.

I enabled them, set the IPs, etc…

Now Old sees New and pings it very nicely.

But New does not see Old, and gets no reply when it pings.

And I can’t find a Network Neighborhood thingy on either computer. =X I’m sure that’s my meddling with Tweak XP long ago, but I don’t have Tweak XP anymore and I can’t find a Neighborhood anywhere.

The Run command on this computer doesn’t spot the New computer either. \Zig\SharedDocs\ The network path was not found.

We’re getting there.

20

Sounds better now.
Could you run “ipconfig” in a DOS box on each machine and post the results?

And for the love of Og, no more posting stuff about DCC! That’s not what’s going on, and it sux anyhow!