# Moving Files **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 23, 2003, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678 "2003-06-23T02:50:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mske](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@mske](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mske)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678/1 "2003-06-23T02:50:09Z")
What is the best way to move files from a computer with Windows 95 to a separate computer with Windows 98? ---
**Author:** ![kunoichi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4da419/32.png) [@kunoichi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kunoichi)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678/2 "2003-06-23T03:00:17Z")
What sorts of files? If you’re moving your documents (word processing files, pictures, etc) you should just be able to copy them to a zip disk or burn them to a CD. Also, if you have them networked or have a crossover cable, you could set up file sharing and drag and drop. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678/3 "2003-06-23T03:00:54Z")
There are many options: [ul] [li]Floppy drive[/li][li]Network (LAN)[/li][li]e-mail attachment[/li][li]Removable drive (MO, Zip, etc)[/li][li]CD-R or CD-RW[/li][li]Recordable DVD (DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, etc)[/li][li]USB memory devices[/li][li]Remove hard drive from one computer and install it in the other[/li][li]External hard drive[/li][li]External _portable_ hard drive[/li][li]Flash memory cards (like those used on digital cameras)[/li][/ul] Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Perhaps you should specify more information if you want us to help you narrow down the choice. What kind of interfaces, networks and drives does each computer have? How much data? Is it a one-time transfer or will you need to do it every day? ---
**Author:** ![mske](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@mske](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mske)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678/4 "2003-06-23T14:10:46Z")
Sorry, my mistake for the lack of details. We are getting a new computer, which will have Windows 98. Our current (and much older) computer is Windows 95. There are a bunch of different type of files we would like to move. Emails, documents, pictures and the like. Zipping them onto floppies would take a looooong time and the old computer does not have a CD burner. Really what I am looking for is a simple, and hopefully inexpensive, networking-type option. A direct link between the two computers, copy the stuff over, and be done. ---
**Author:** ![SteveAtlanta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@SteveAtlanta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveAtlanta)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678/5 "2003-06-23T14:20:26Z")
I have two suggested plans. Plan A: Remove the drive from the Win95 machine and install it in the Win98 machine. This only requires that there be a vacant plug on a ribbon cable, assuming both drives are IDE cables, and a vacant power cord. You don’t even have to bolt down the old drive. Use Windows Explorer to drag files from the old drive to new drive. (This plan assumes the drive is easily movable from one computer to another. If one computer is a laptop, then switch to plan B.) Plan B: Buy an Ethernet network interface card (NIC) for each computer. That’s about $5 for a PCI NIC and maybe $35 for a laptop NIC. Buy an Ethernet crossover cable for about $5. Install the NICs according to directions. Connect cable. Set up the c: drive on Win95 machine to enable drive sharing. On the Win98 machine, “map” a network drive, which means tell Win98 to assign a letter to a drive that is shared elsewhere on your very local network. Use Windows Explorer to drag and drop files between your old drive and the new drive. In either case, you already seem to indicate that you are only moving data files. Any old programs, if wanted, would have to be reinstalled on the new computer. ---
**Author:** ![hobbes730](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/97f17d/32.png) [@hobbes730](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobbes730)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678/6 "2003-06-23T14:21:08Z")
I found a great use for my digital camera beyond just taking pictures - when I need to back up files, I just transfer them to the camera’s memory, which holds 256 MB, and since it’s USB, I can plug it into any other computer and _poof_ instant portable hard-drive. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![hobbes730](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/97f17d/32.png) [@hobbes730](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobbes730)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678/7 "2003-06-23T14:22:11Z")
Of course, you’d first need a digital camera for that plan to work 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678/8 "2003-06-23T15:35:38Z")
Or just a Scandisk type of USB compatible flash card reader instead of the camera. But a 256 card and a reader will run you about $100. Unless you can borrow wone from someone. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678/9 "2003-06-23T15:38:48Z")
Your best bet would be to swap the harddrive from the 95 to the 98 or network the two comps. as **SteveAtlanta** suggested. ---
**Author:** ![mske](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@mske](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mske)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678/10 "2003-06-23T16:00:24Z")
I’d initially planned on pulling the drive out and temporarily installing it in the new computer. Since there does not appear to be any “magic cable”, I guess I’ll still go that route. BTW **whuckfistle** - thank you for the help in my electrical problem thread. Turns out, it was a GFI plug that got tripped - in a totally different room that I thought was on a different circuit. Anyways, problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678/11 "2003-06-23T17:15:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mske \* > \*\*I’d initially planned on pulling the drive out and temporarily installing it in the new computer. Since there does not appear to be any “magic cable”, I guess I’ll still go that route. > > BTW **whuckfistle** - thank you for the help in my electrical problem thread. Turns out, it was a GFI plug that got tripped - in a totally different room that I thought was on a different circuit. Anyways, problem solved. \*\* Great! I was wondering about that… ---
**Author:** ![micco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@micco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/micco)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-files/183678/12 "2003-06-23T18:01:59Z")
There are utilities that allow you to link computers via serial or parallel cables. [Laplink](http://www.laplink.com/) is one. I haven’t used laplink in over a decade, but it’s still available in new versions, though a bit spendy. Back when I used it, it was a great little app allowing you to essentially map drives between connected machines as if they were networked. Win95 also introduced Direct Cable Connection (DCC) which uses a serial or parallel cable to connect two machines. You set them up as host/client as if it were a RAS (dialup) connection. I’ve never used this, but it may be an option.