I need to transfer a bunch of files (several gb) between two WinXP machines and a WinXP & Win98 machine. I’m wondering about the practicality of using a serial port direction connection? I remember doing this a lot back in the ol’ DOS days and I honestly have no idea how fast this method would be. How easy is it to setup such a connection? (Back in the the world of DOS there was included command line software that would do it quite easily - is there anything similar in the Windows world?).
If this doesn’t work or you guys tell me its really slow, I’ll just setup FTPs on each of them.
(PS. No, networking them is not an option.)
It does more than just serial transfers, but it still does them. You need a serial crossover cable. LapLink calls this a LapLink cable, most stores call them “crossover” or “file transfer” cables.
You can also use HyperTerminal, and a crossover cable (same cable as LapLink would use). The easiest way I’ve found is to zip all the files you want together into one big file. Then connect the two machines together with the crossover cable and light up HyperTerminal on both boxes. Make sure you set to the right com port on both ends, and that your communication parameters match (i.e., the speed, data bits, stop bits, and parity must be same on both ends). Use the highest speed available on both boxes, and use the Z-Modem protocol (if it’s available), or any binary transfer protocol. Click “Send File” on one box, “Receive File” on the other, and wait for it to finish. Unzip on the target box and you’re done.
LapLink gives you lots of “management” functions (auto transfer, auto sync, multiple files, multiple folders, etc) but for a one time thing HyperTerminal works pretty well.
Serial transfers are slow compared to Ethernet or USB transfers, but theu do work, are relatively painless, work across and between all versions of Windows, and all you need is the cable if you’re willing to play with HyperTerminal a little bit.
Pick up a USB file transfer cable. They’re cheap, and a fairly painless way of doing a temporary connection between two machines. MUCH faster than a serial-to-serial connection.
Nope, you’ve got to cross pins 2 and 3 (at the very minimum) to get a connection between two serial devices that are wired the same (such as two computers or two modems, etc.).
You can use a regular serial cable if you use a crossover adapter (often called a “modem eliminator”). You can get these at Radio Shack for $5 to $10.
If you’re handy with a soldering iron, you can buy a cable end, cut one end off your existing cable, and then wire the new end on and cross the appropriate wires as you do it. Of course if you do that the cable will now be a crossover cable and not a regular cable, so you would no longer be able to use it for an external modem or other device.
But even though I’ve made many, many cables myself, I’ve gotten really lazy, so I’d go buy the cable or the adapter.
But these days I’d use probably use USB, ethernet, or even bucket-brigade the files using zip disks (those USB connect zip drives works really well) before I use serial for anything over a few megabytes.
Each computer is hooked up to a router so I can share internet, but I haven’t tried setting up networking capabilities between them. Or rather, I have attempted to set up a network, but I could never get it to work. And, since this is rather time sensitive, I can’t afford to spend time figuring it out.
CDs are also time intensive. My burner is only 8x
…oh, and I know you can’t use a standard cable. My point was that since I don’t have a crossover cable, I’d rather be cheap and avoid buying one
If you want to connect the PCs directly with the ethernet ports, you’ll need an ethernet crossover cable. You’ll get much faster speed than you will with FTP.
Ah, that clears up a few things. Well, if you don’t feel like screwing with getting the Windows Shares working, maybe just get a copy of an instant messaging program on each and just send yourself the files. You may already have something installed.
Get some help setting up a network. You say it’s time sensitive? And yet you’d rather mess around with a serial cable for gigs of data? Don’t go there man. And forget the FTP idea too; don’t know why you think you need it, but you don’t.
If it really is time sensitive, you could get a USB transfer cable like yabob. (Win98 is USB aware, though I don’t know how it handles direct connections). (On preview, I agree that IM might be a quick & dirty solution for you)
Generally though, what you’re talking about is connect several machines in a substandard way when they’re already connected decently. If you’re running an TCP/IP network (as I assume the router is), add “Client for Microsoft Networks” and “File and Printer Sharing” to the network adapter for all the machines. At the very least, some machines will be able to see some others, which cuts down on the number of days you have to wait with your serial thing.
