Computer Guru's

[TAZ]

Boy, this is really the one-stop shop
Issue: I want to move files from old PC to new one to be purchased later this year (holiday time). The PC is 5 years old and only has CD/3.5"/and zip drive. How can I do this efficiently and cost effectively. I do not have alot of info but more than I want to recreate, and a good deal of pictures. The total HD space is only 8GB though.

Backround: Here is where I will lose all the "non-techies". My PC had the 8GB of hard drive in 4 drives. The guy who installed roadrunner for me years ago partitioned (if that is correct) into 2 drives of 4GB. I used to have 4 drives of memory (C,D,E,F) with the Zip (G) and CDROM (H). When he partitioned if off I lost E&F. When I tried to swap the CDROM for a CDRW it tried to make it drive E and it did not recognize it. I stopped there and gave up.

What my limited PC savvy can come up with:
1. 3.5" floppy will not work, too much stuff.
2. Zip will not work since I will not ahave a zip on the new one.
3. Take out my CD and replace with CD+R/RW seems to be the best option but having someone else install it will be $$$.
4. Is there some sort of data link to go from 1PC to another?
5. Free storage space on the web to be the middle man?

Any help is appreciated, thanks for listening to the non-sports topic. I guess I do use the PC to track wagers, there is the sporting connection :thumb:

 

[hoya]

just get an external cd burner, no installation needed, just plug it in and burn. its a little more expensive but if you cant install an internal drive yourself its well worth it.

 

[ryson]

Re: Computer Guru's

Boy, this is really the one-stop shop
Issue: I want to move files from old PC to new one to be purchased later this year (holiday time). The PC is 5 years old and only has CD/3.5"/and zip drive. How can I do this efficiently and cost effectively. I do not have alot of info but more than I want to recreate, and a good deal of pictures. The total HD space is only 8GB though.

Backround: Here is where I will lose all the "non-techies". My PC had the 8GB of hard drive in 4 drives. The guy who installed roadrunner for me years ago partitioned (if that is correct) into 2 drives of 4GB. I used to have 4 drives of memory (C,D,E,F) with the Zip (G) and CDROM (H). When he partitioned if off I lost E&F. When I tried to swap the CDROM for a CDRW it tried to make it drive E and it did not recognize it. I stopped there and gave up.

What my limited PC savvy can come up with:
1. 3.5" floppy will not work, too much stuff.
2. Zip will not work since I will not ahave a zip on the new one.
3. Take out my CD and replace with CD+R/RW seems to be the best option but having someone else install it will be $$$.
4. Is there some sort of data link to go from 1PC to another?
5. Free storage space on the web to be the middle man?

Any help is appreciated, thanks for listening to the non-sports topic. I guess I do use the PC to track wagers, there is the sporting connection :thumb:

Sound like you already have broadband so just buy a router and keep the old system, you can have an internal net for your home systems and they all use the external pipe for access. That way you have 2 systems online @ all times then just move the files @ your leisure. I suggest keeping the old system due to it's nice having one you can tinker with, or if you are married and or have kids there will be no hassle getting on line or the gremlins messing with the new system. Reason I say that is because I work from home and have had the "gremlins" hit my systems @ times, then you get the standard reply of I didn't do anything:shrug: Plus it will also help expand your knowlege of networking, it's VERY easy to set up and the linksys routers go for about $100.

 

[casper]

ryson has the right idea. if you get a router you will be able to use both computers on the internet..if you don't care about using both computers on the net, the easiest thing is to buy a 3 or 4 port hub for 20 or 30 bucks (maybe cheaper) and you can transfer files from one pc to another...you'll need a couple of CAT 5 cables (RJ 45), one will go from pc1 to the hub, the other goes from pc 2 to the hub, and then you just need to configure a few things on each pc (enable file and print sharing, install NETBEUI protocol, make sure both pc's are in a workgroup of the same name.....all of these features are in network neighborhood or my network places, depending on which operating system you have). the hub is just a communication point for the pc's. if you need any more help just post it here

 

[ryson]

Casper,

why would you need NETBEUI installed?

 

[timbo]

Casper and Ryson have the right idea(s)...

Casper and Ryson have the right idea(s)...

....however, another idea is an external Zip drive (even cheaper than external CD burner.) The last I checked they go for about $15.

 

[ryson]

Re: Casper and Ryson have the right idea(s)...

Re: Casper and Ryson have the right idea(s)...

....however, another idea is an external Zip drive (even cheaper than external CD burner.) The last I checked they go for about $15.

$15 for a new 100MB external zip drive? Please provide a link on where your are getting that price...that is a DEAL and I love those drives, please clue me in.

TIA

 

[timbo]

Ryson

Ryson

Sorry, I mistakenly gave out bad information. Thanks for calling me on it. Just did some research and discovered they are much higher now than when I got some for my ex-boss in the past. The reason for my mistake is, at the time I was working for him (he is a registered re-seller/dealer), he got special pricing on computer equipment.

Again, sorry for the bad info.

:embarassed:

 

[ryson]

timbo,

Not calling you on anything bro, if you had a good line on them I wanted 10 I say again....I love those drives.

GLTA

 

[TAZ]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond.

1. Thought about the external burner, but I am USB 1.0 not 2.0 so I would go 4x4x6 or something like that. I missed one on sale at compUSA for $50 last week, probably the best bet.

2. RYSON, I do have broadband and did plan to hook them both up so I can have this site up, while the kids have nickjr.com at the same time, no fighting. This will sound stupid, but in laymans terms how does the router help me? I understand the network concept from work (Everyone shares programs and files on shared directories). Would it be that easy? I could pull up files on new PC with more space and save them to the hard drive and take them off the old one.

I think I like the network idea best. I get the best of everything. I am not opposed to buying a USB burner or ZIP, just would not need it after moving the things.

Next question I thought of after posting this:
I only have 64MB of RAM. 2 DIMMS of SDRAM whatever that means. In english there are 3 memory slots with 2 of them occupied. I tried to put in a 64MB chip of SDRAM in addition to these, with one 32MB, and by itself. No dice, computer would not recognize it. I get alot of lockups when using a few windows at a time which I assume is because of this. Any suggestions here?

Again, thanks for taking the time. I know the correct answer is to buy a PC from this century, which I will do, I just want to salvage this one for the kids.

Thanks!

 

[ryson]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond.



2. RYSON, I do have broadband and did plan to hook them both up so I can have this site up, while the kids have nickjr.com at the same time, no fighting. This will sound stupid, but in laymans terms how does the router help me? I understand the network concept from work (Everyone shares programs and files on shared directories). Would it be that easy? I could pull up files on new PC with more space and save them to the hard drive and take them off the old one.

Thanks!

TAZ,

The only stupid question is the one you don't ask ....picture your network as your house with a fence around it , one way in one way out..let's call that your gateway. In you house you can have as many folks as you want living there coming and going @ their leisure but they all have to go thru one gateway. Same thing with a home network, you have a line coming in (i.e broadband cable/DSL) the router has a direct connect to incoming and outgoing data stream (i.e broadband cable/DSL). Then you hook your computers that are in the house to the router and all data to the external world flows thru that one data stream (hence the gateway analogy). Here is the beauty of it, since you control the router you control the data, due to every system behind the router is a private system and only has the ability to be accessed from your private network (no network is hack proof :brows: )...so if you want to restrict or allow certain sites you may. What you will be doing is running a network in your house. The following link shows a diagram which may help spell it out ... the link forget about all the switch stuff just look @ the data stream to the router and to the home system.

glta

 

[casper]

ryson,

assuming one of the pc's isn't going to use the internet with a hub, you'd just need netbeui, but if both are using the internet tcp/ip would be fine. but i'm sure you know this already you are obviously knowledgable of this stuff.

taz, you should definately get a router they are easy to use, you can get a decent one for 70-100 bucks, and it will prob come with firewall software that you should use. routher's are easy to use, b/t the instructions that come with it and the internet you'll be fine. as far as your RAM problem, i'm a little confused as to what you have. you said you have 64 mb RAM, but then say you filled a third slot with 64, with one 32. but if you had 64 originally you'd need 2 32's, not one. anyway, explain it again i might have a suggestion. it's prob because you need a certain amount of memory to fill a 'memory bank', which sort of means the computer won't recognize the memory if it's not in increments of 64, or 128, etc. (if it's how i think you have it, you currently have 2 64's and a 32, in which case you'll need to change it to either 3 64's or 2 32's and 1 64, i think ) i'm not an expert but i'll try to help, gl

 

[yak merchant]

If money is the issue. Just throw a second $10-15 10/100 NIC Card in your new computer, and get the cheapest 4 port 10/100 hub you can find (around 30 dollars). Throw the second NIC card into your new computer. Turn on Internet Connection Sharing and plug them both into the the HUB. Takes about 30 minutes total.

 

[Felonious Monk]

I only have 64MB of RAM. 2 DIMMS of SDRAM whatever that means. In english there are 3 memory slots with 2 of them occupied. I tried to put in a 64MB chip of SDRAM in addition to these, with one 32MB, and by itself. No dice, computer would not recognize it. I get alot of lockups when using a few windows at a time which I assume is because of this. Any suggestions here?

Got a little confused there. You say you have 3 slots with 2 already occupied so that would make it (2) 32MB sticks with one more slot available. Then you mention you added a 64MB stick but then went on to say something about "one 32MB, and by itself."

As long as you have say (2) 64MB sticks in there you should be OK. Everything has the be balanced out, meaning you can't have (3) 32MB sticks at once or (2) 64MB sticks and (1) 32MB stick. Since memory is so cheap nowadays, I would put in (2) 128MB sticks. I have some if you are interested. Let me know and I can get them for you cheap.

 

[TAZ]

Sorry for not responding, I have been away since Friday.
I think I have settled on the router for the sharing of files and internet and such.
I reread my post about memory and it does seem confusing, this may help:
I have 3 hubs (area's?) for memory:
Currently have 32mb+32mb+empty
Tried: 32+32+64
Tried: 32+64+empty
thought I tried 64+empty+empty, maybe I did not, from what I read that may be the solution.
Monk, I will contact you about memory.

Thanks all!

 

[Felonious Monk]

TAZ,

check your mail.

I'm not sure if you can do a 32 + 32 + 64. I've always heard that it has to be an exact match ie. 64 + 64.

I have (2) 64MB sticks of SDRAM. Just let me know if it's PC100 or PC133.

 

[Turfgrass]

My 2 cents....

The best way to hook two computers together is using a crossover cable. Easy as pie..... If you already have NIC (Network Interface Card) in both. It's called a Peer to Peer network. Check it out if you don't want to get too fancy. It will only cost you about $10 and you can move files from one to the other with no prob.