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I have just bought a laptop and wonder what is the best way to connect to my existing desktop PC to transfer files, etc. What equipment would I need?

FYI the desktop has Vista, while the laptop has Windows XP

Any technical wizards on here who can advise?

An external hard drive would be the quickest and easiest way.
You could try using a flash drive too.
If you have a network in your home (or wherever you are), have both machines connected to the same network and in the same workgroup, and share the hard drive of the computer you want to copy from.
You might be able to do so with a USB cable too...I just haven't tried that yet.

The absolute easiest way:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6812119156

Doug "it's cheap, too"

http://www.prolific.com.tw/eng/Products-2.asp?ID=10

PCLinq a cable and some software. Good stuff, esp since my laptop doesn't like USB2, rather, USB2 doesn't like my laptop (OLD!)

but, yeah, an external hard drive is a lot easier and faster given USB compatibility.

I will echo the external drive... and then you have already archived a backup!

I have used an external hard drive once and a CAT 5 cossover cable once. The cable was quicker(new CAT 6 is even faster) and cheaper. The hard drive let me pick and chose what to transfer easier. If you're going to have to buy the stuff, go with the cable.

If you decide to set up a wireless network, make sure to google it, as there are a few compatibility issues between XP and Vista, but these are easily fixed.

I think, even if you have A LOT of information to transfer, a not-expensive flash drive would be the best choice. The computer-to-computer cables made for [realistically] whole hard drive transfers (after Vista came out) are much more expensive than a small flash drive. If you have a lot of material you want to transfers, it might take a few "trips" back-and-forth, but it should not take long at all.

Your options for data transfer between computers are obviously many, Neptune.

You can use an intermediary medium or you can connect computer to computer.

Intermediary media all provide a backup unless overwritten. They include:
1) thumb/flash/USB drives which are plug-and-play devices under Vista and XP. You can get them cheaply and they are reusable. Capacities up to 64 GB aren't that expensive these days. I carry a couple of these, one 4 and one 8 GB.
2) External Hard Drives. These aren't especially cheap, but they are plug-and-play under Vista and XP, and they are the fastest at transferring your data. Important if you have huge amounts of data to transfer. eSATA drives are the fastest, but USB or firewire drives are usually fast enough.
3) CD or DVD RW or ROM. These can transfer files, and the media are inexpensive. This is awkward and slow compared to the other choices.

Computer to computer connections can be the fastest. These can be:
1) Wired, usually via ethernet connection:
a) with a router and/or switch which networks your computers. 1000 Mbps networking is fairly inexpensive and is insanely fast for home use. 100 Mbps equipment is very cheap but not as fast. I wouldn't set up a home network unless it would serve some purpose, such as sharing a broadband internet connection. But if I did, I would go for the fastest available. I use 1000 Mbps D-Link products and am very happy with them.
b) direct connection, computer to computer. This option requires a crossover cable, unless your ethernet port(s) autodetect its connection and autoconfigures itself. Not recommended for the faint of heart, and very limited in terms of utility.
2) Wireless, or so-called wi-fi:
You can actually have both worlds if you purchase a wireless router with wired ports, such as my D-Link DIR-655 which incorporates all wireless specs. up to IEEE 802.11n as well as 1000 Mbps wired networking. The setup of these systems is much easier now with 'wizards' and such that the manufacturers include. Your laptop almost certainly includes a wireless ethernet radio, probably IEEE 802.11g which at 54 Mbps is fast enough for most data transfer and internet surfing. The big 'gotcha' with wireless is security. I would recommend at least 128 bit WEP encryption. Invent a 'key', write it down, and use it.

Remember that you won't really know how useful it is to have computers networked until you do so, and after you've done so, you won't want to enisle them again. But it's also really easy to go out and grab a USB flash drive and be done with it.

Tubaryan12 wrote:Data Drive Thru The Tornado File Transfer Micro-Computer W/ FREE PC Eraser

Thanks a lot! Just ordered one.

I have tried USB transfer cable and using my wireless router without success, so will see how this does. Reading reviews, it sounds exactly what I require.

I have just received the 'Tornado' and connected my laptop to desktop PC and it is really great Does exactly as it says on the tin, so I would highly recommend!