I recently got a LAN set up using my old computer and a new one. It didn’t seem that hard to set up the router, or to get both machines to connect to the internet. However, getting them to talk to each other is driving me craaaazy. I want to use the Windows Transfer Wizard, but they can’t seem to see each other, or at least not to see each other in the same way. Using a CD to transfer everything is impossible - it would take a whole stack of CDs - or maybe several stacks. I have many gigs of music, and an awful lot of images. Further, the whole idea is to have a reserve computer that I synch periodically with the one I’m using.
I’ve run the router setup on both machines - or at least the person who hooked everything up ran it on the new one, and I ran it on the old one. I even went out and bought a laplink, but neither machine could see that, either.
It’s possible I’m missing something obvious. Anything is possible. Right now, I don’t care how stupid I look. I just want to get this whole mess working together.
To forestall those who think I just want an unnecessarily elaborate backup: I’m disabled - mobility impaired and aging - and live alone. My computer (system) is my connection to the world. I’ve had a couple of experiences with something going wrong with a one and only computer, and I don’t want anymore, thanks. Nor do I wish to risk losing an awful lot of data, some of it older than you’d imagine - legacy stuff copied from one PC to another for >10 years.
Just that I don’t know squat about Media Center.
First be sure they can see each other.
Click START, RUN, and in type CMD
That gets you to a pseudo DOS prompt.
Type IPCONFIG and the PC will tell you it’s IP address, 182.168.1.2 here for example.
From the other PC START, RUN, CMD and type PING 182.168.1.2 (0r whatever address your guy has)
The expected respons is REPLY FROM 182.168.1.2 and some info about how long it takes.
Are you using Norton Internet Security, or Norton AntiVirus on either of these machines? If so, uninstall it using Add/Remove Programs, then run the Norton Software Removal Tool. Norton products are notorious for fubar-ing LANs.
I’m avoiding Vista like the plague, at least for a couple of years. And then I may just go Linux instead.
Vista, pfeh. A newbie friend’s got a Vista computer and asked me to help her. I really couldn’t, which was embarrassing. It felt like old home week opening the faux DOS window.
