Linking Desktop to Laptop

[RSDonovan]

I have a new Laptop and am slowly migrating stuff to it from my old Desktop. My desktop has several external drives that I want to get files from onto the laptop.

Is there an easy way to directly connect Laptop to Desktop so I can see ALL the Desktop files from Windows explorer on the Laptop (or Vice Versa) rather than what I'm doing at the moment which is detaching the USB drive leads from the Desktop, attaching them to the Laptop, copying stuff, reattaching leads to Desktop, repeat ad nauseum, and of course the biggest problem is that if I want to get stuff from the Desktop's internal disks, I first have to copy them to a USB external drive, the go through alll the lead-changing hoo-hah!

May seem like a small problem, but it's taking me forever to keep swapping leads, which is fine if you get everything right first time, but a real pain if you don't ... and I'm sure all this faffing around isn't going to do my USB leads or connectors any good!

Unfortunately the Desktop is too old to have wireless connection else I could probably set up a home network?

Any ideas gratefully received

[VHG]

Does the desktop have an internet connection (network card)?

And do you have a router for broadband?

If so you can connect both the laptop and the desktop to the same router, then set up file sharing between both computers.

Once this is set up then each computer will be able to "see" all the files on the other computer, and you can copy or move the files between each computer.

I have 4 computers in my house all connected to the same router and I can "see" any file on any PC. I can even "edit" a Word file or Excel file on another PC, or play music or look at digital photos on the other PCs.

If you need more info on how to do this just ask.

[VHG]

In your question you say "My desktop has several external drives"

Do you mean "external drives", plugged into the USB port of the desktop?

If so why cant you unplug the external drives from the desktop and just plug them into the new laptop.

Then you can copy files from external drive straight to laptop.

Or am I missing something.

[VHG]

re my second append above, after re-reading your question it seems that is what you ARE doing, using the external drive to move stuff from desktop to laptop.

When I first read it I thought you were using a small memory stick to move the data.

If it is taking a long time I can only guess that you are moving a LOT of data, or your external hard drives are very small.

If your external hard drive is small why not buy a large 500Gb or 1Tb (or even 2tb) external hard drive, and copy everything to that.

Then you have it all backed up.

Then only copy to the laptop what you actually NEED on a day to day basis.

[RSDonovan]

Thans for your answers and follow up questions:

1. (See last para of original question) No the desktop does not have a network card; it has wired broadband from the wireless router. The Laptop does connect wirelessly to the router.

2. (See 2nd & 3rd paras of original question) Yes I can get stuff from the USB drives by swapping the cables, but unless I get it right first time (unusual!) I am constant changing the cabling which is very time consuming and may well damage the USB cable or connectors if I keep doing it.

Also, as I said, getting stuff from the desktop's INTERNAL drive is a 2-step process; first copying from INTERNAL to EXTERNAL USB drive, then cable swapping, then another lengthy transfer.

As I have 4 external USB drives attached to the desktop, and only two available USB ports on the desktop, this is a tedious process, especially as the external drive connectors are at the back of the desktop tower, in a very awkward position to get to.

I was hoping there may be an easy way to do this but maybe I'm asking the impossible. I CAN do it as I'm now doing, but it would save an awful lot of time if there was an alternate method.

Thanks for your help.

[RSDonovan]

Re your third message to this thread which I only saw after I read your second message!

I have 4 external USB drives; 2 x 256meg, 1x500meg, 1x1gig; so yes, there is an awful lot of data!

I should have said that both the desktop and laptop will be in use for some time, so I will need the USB drives connectable to both for a while.

I don't know exactly what I'm going to need until I need it (if you see what I mean!), which is why the USB switching scenario is very cumbersome. Also, if the dektop is currently using one of the files I want on the laptop, I can't just whip it out from the desktop while it's still in use!

Anyway, none of the above would solve the problem of when I need something from the INTERNAL drive of the desktop; I'd still have to copy to a USB EXTERNAL, rework the USB cabling, and copy from USB EXTERNAL to laptop!

[ChuckFickens]

"1. (See last para of original question) No the desktop does not have a network card; it has wired broadband from the wireless router. The Laptop does connect wirelessly to the router."


Errrrm, so it has got a network card then? (or is it a USB connection to the router?)

[ChuckFickens]

OH and if it is a USB connection just spend £5 on a network card to put in the desktop and all your problems will be solved (or made a whole lot easier at least)

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[RSDonovan]

"Errrrm, so it has got a network card then? (or is it a USB connection to the router?)"

No it hasn't. It has a wired USB connection to a Virgin cable router. The laptop accesses the router wirelessly.

[VHG]

>>>No the desktop does not have a network card; it has wired broadband from the wireless router.

I am a little confused by this statement which seems to contradict itself.

It says "the desktop does not have a network card".

But then says:

"it has wired broadband from the wireless router".

So can you just confirm:

Is the desktop PC connected to the router or not, and can it get to the internet?

If the desktop PC CAN connect to the router and internet via a wire, and if the laptop CAN connect to the same router via wi fi then you CAN still set up a home network.

[VHG]

>>It has a wired USB connection to a Virgin cable router.

So it DOES have a network card.

You can have a WIRED network card and a WI FI network card (your laptop will have both).

Sounds like your desktop has a wired network card.

So you CAN set up a home network.

The desktop and laptop can "talk" to each other via the router.

[ChuckFickens]

I'm a little confused here to be honest...

The superhub appears not to have a USB connection!

if you are plugging into one of the yellow ports on the back of the hub that is NOT a USB connection, it's a wired network connection.

[RSDonovan]

So can you just confirm:

Is the desktop PC connected to the router or not, and can it get to the internet?

THE DESKTOP IS CONNECT TO THE ROUTER WITH A WIRE, AND CAN CONNECT TO THE INTERNET

If the desktop PC CAN connect to the router and internet via a wire, and if the laptop CAN connect to the same router via wi fi then you CAN still set up a home network.

BOTH THOSE STATEMENTS ARE TRUE.

I ASSUMED BOTH COMPUTERS HAD TO BE WIRELESS FOR A NETWORK TO BE VIABLE. YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT IS NOT THE CASE. WOO-HOO!

SO I GUESS THE NEXT QUESTION IS: HOW TO I SET THAT UP? CAN YOU POINT ME TO A HOME NETWORKING 101 SITE? THANKS

[RSDonovan]

Chuck,

"if you are plugging into one of the yellow ports on the back of the hub that is NOT a USB connection, it's a wired network connection."

Yes Chuck that is exactly what I am doing! I assumed it was called a USB connection but you are telling me that it is called a Wired Network! I'm sorry I confused you; I didn't know there was any difference. Someone else in the thread has said I can do exactly what I want - be able to see all files from both computers - now all I have to do is find out how! Thanks again.

[VHG]

This is how I setup a home network on my PCs (there are automated ways of doing this but this is how I do it).

1) Make sure both PCs have the same Windows "workgroup" name. This is easy to change in any version of Windows. Reboot.

2) Make sure both the dekstop PC and laptop have a Windows userid and password to logon to Windows.

3) Make sure whatever userid / password you use to logon to the PC or laptop is also registered on the other PC (so if you logon to the laptop with userid "rooney" password "football" make sure that is registered on the other PC and vice versa).

4) Make sure there it least ONE shared folder on each PC (right click on the folder name and select Share or Sharing).

5) Make sure your firewall is not blocking access to the other PC.

6) After making all these changes reboot both PCs.

7) Now go into the "Computer" option in Windows 7 and select "Network" in the bottom left and you should "see" your desktop PC.

Click on the icon and you should be able to see various files and folders.

8) You can make an external hard drive shared by right clicking on the folder on the desktop PC and select Share or Sharing. Now you should be able to "see" this from the Windows 7 laptop.

You may need to play around with this for a while to get everything working, but eventually it should all work.

As I said, I share 4 PCs at home and I can see all the files on all of them.

P.S. It may be worth you getting a NAS drive to plug into your Router. This is like an external hard drive but because it is plugged into the router it is a Network device so all the PCs on the network can see it.

[dr b]

I agree that setting up a home network is a good idea and a wonderful thing, but isn't the most direct answer to the OPs question (how do I move files from an internal hard drive to a laptop) to use Windows Easy Transfer? Get a Belkin cable, connect, transfer.

http://www.amazon.com...Windows/dp/B002PAR0AQ

[VHG]

p.s. Windows has some great help that many people dont know about.

Go into the Windows 7 menu, then select "Help and Support" and then search for "Home Network".

There will be loads of results like "Setting up a home network", "What you need to set up a home network" and so on.

Note that Windows 7 has a networking option called "Homegroup" that I have never used. I think it is good for setting up ONLY Windows 7 computers but not so good for linking Windows 7 to Windows XP computers.