# Transferring Files From One Computer To Another **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 3, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862 "2010-04-03T22:45:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/1 "2010-04-03T22:45:48Z")
Transferring XP files to Vista. I have the cable (Realtek), but it won’t accept 64 bit which I run my gaming on, and Realtek advises installing Service Pack 2, and I tried that but got an error on it, probably because of the 64, right? I’d like to transfer those files, but I don’t want to lose my 64 bit capability as it was a real headache to load 64 when Vista didn’t like it, so somehow a friend managed to get both on the same computer. Can anyone tell me if I can switch to the 32 bit long enough to transfer my files without endangering my gaming speed, because I don’t wanna lose my Warcraft. Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/2 "2010-04-03T23:47:43Z")
Backtrack a bit. You have some files on a computer that’s running Windows XP to a computer that’s running Windows Vista, right? Or do you have one PC which runs / dual-boots 32 bit XP and 64 bit Vista? What quantity of files? A few MB? 100 GB? What sorts of files? ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2010, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/3 "2010-04-03T23:51:02Z")
Your OP is confusing. You’re running 32-bit and 64-bit Vista dual-boot on the same machine? What cable do you have specifically? You can start the Vista machine in 32-bit and copy the files to something like C: ransfer, then boot to 64-bit and copy them (I assume to your profile). I don’t see why you couldn’t install the 64-bit SP2 running that OS, and the 32-bit running that OS. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/4 "2010-04-04T00:39:27Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Backtrack a bit. You have some files on a computer that’s running Windows XP to a computer that’s running Windows Vista, right? Or do you have one PC which runs / dual-boots 32 bit XP and 64 bit Vista? > > What quantity of files? A few MB? 100 GB? > What sorts of files? I have two computers, yes and computer#1 is carrying the files I want (music and pictures) and it 32 bit Windows XP, computer #2, the receiving computer is running Vista and 32 and 64. I can tell this when I left click on the icons and check properties. One specifically says Explore with 64 and the other says nothing at all. The model cable is “Address a problem with PL-2301 USB to USB Bridge Controller (EOL)” Thanks Quasi ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/5 "2010-04-04T01:57:59Z")
When you start the Vista machine do you have a choice of which Windows version? If not you’re running 64-bit only. You can’t switch to 32-bit. I assume the USB cable is “Prolific” brand? There is no 64-bit driver. You can use a flash drive if you don’t have a lot of files. Or buy an external drive to copy them to. You should have one anyway for backup purposes. If you can remove the drive from the XP machine you can hook it to something like [this](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002) and plug it into the Vista machine. Or maybe get your friend to help temporarily install it in the Vista machine. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/6 "2010-04-04T10:36:38Z")
Are both machines connected to the same network, for example via a hub? If so, you can transfer the files over the network. How you would do this with Microsoft Windows I have no idea; just about every other operating system nowadays includes standard network copy programs such as rsync and scp. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/7 "2010-04-04T12:04:32Z")
I find [Dropbox](http://www.dropbox.com) to be the easiest way to transfer files from one machine to another, as well as serving as a backup. ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/8 "2010-04-04T13:53:16Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > How you would do this with Microsoft Windows I have no idea; You set up the drive as a shared drive and the shared drive on the first computer becomes a network drive on the second. I did this all the time back when I had one computer running XP and another running Vista. You just drag and drop as normal. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/9 "2010-04-04T17:49:57Z")
> [@srzss05](#): > > You set up the drive as a shared drive and the shared drive on the first computer becomes a network drive on the second. I did this all the time back when I had one computer running XP and another running Vista. You just drag and drop as normal. Thanks, I’ll try that! I found the box and it’s called an INTELLIMOVER: [Detto | The Future of Real Estate](http://www.detto.com/intellimover-transfer-files-support.php). It says it won’t support 64 bit. Damn! We gamers are really behind the 8 ball when it comes to 32 bit, huh?:mad: Appreciate all the answers. Q ---
**Author:** ![Discipline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@Discipline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discipline)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/10 "2010-04-04T18:09:26Z")
Threads like this confuse the hell out of me. If you have two computers, why aren’t they networked? If they are networked, why wouldn’t you use file sharing? It networking is too complicated why not just go get an external storage device? You can pick up a flash drive or portable hard drive with significant capacity for pretty cheap. (Though, frankly, a hub and a length of network cable would be just as cheap and a better solution long-term) ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/11 "2010-04-04T18:48:26Z")
Thanks for your help. I’ll try to get someone to do this for me. I used to be able to figure these things out, but it’s a little tough for me these days. Q ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/12 "2010-04-05T16:15:05Z")
Easiest way to do this might be to pick up a $10 USB flash drive. Plug it into the XP computer and copy the files onto it, then unplug it, carry it over to the Vista computer, plug it in, and copy the files onto the Vista computer. (This is the old reliable ‘sneakernet’ protocol). The only hassle is getting somewhere to buy the drive, and since you can probably find them at drugstores these days, that’s not a big barrier. The cost is less than a cable, of course. You’ll wait a tiny bit while the files transfer, probably a couple minutes to fill up a 2G drive, but not crazy amounts of time. ---
**Author:** ![krebbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/85e7bf/32.png) [@krebbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krebbin)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transferring-files-from-one-computer-to-another/534862/13 "2010-04-05T17:53:19Z")
If it’s World of Warcraft then from what I’ve read you can just login to your account and download from there. They keep your status on their servers, apparently. > **[Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos](https://www.yahoo.com/)** > > Latest news coverage, email, free stock quotes, live scores and video are just the beginning. Discover more every day at Yahoo! Col.