off topic computer question

Stormin Mormon · 2009-07-29T00:33:41+00:00

A fellow I know, but never met. He's got two computers. Desktop running XP, and laptop running Vista. He wants to copy a couple gb of files, from one to the other.So far, he's been copying some with a flash drive, and dump them onto the other computer. It's taking a long time.Suppose he takes a USB cable, from one computer to the other. Would each computer show up as another drive, to the other? Use windows explorer to click and drag and drop? Send the data through the USB cable.And what if one of the computers was turned off? Would the USB cable provide enough power to spin the other drive, and allow the data transfer?

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HeyBub 17 years ago

On a machine containing stuff you want others to use, you announce to the network what "resource" you will share with others. You give that resource a name by which it will be known to the network. That resource could be a printer or a disk folder (directory).

For example, if you want others to be able to view your "C:\\BadFarmGirlsAndGoats" folder, you right-click the "BadFarmGirlsAndGoats" folder name, pick the "Properties" option, then select the "Sharing" tab. This allows you to assign a network name (i.e., "DailyPrayers") to this folder and set a couple of other options.

Thereafter, other users on the network have the capability of adding access to this shared resource to their own machines. On these other machines, you'll use the "Map Network Drive" function.

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salty 17 years ago

He's right. Unless of course, your computer was built in 1982 and the hard drive is an MFM or RLL type.

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Doug Miller 17 years ago

I don't have to see your system to know that the hard drive is faster than the USB interface.

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Doug Miller 17 years ago

But if that's the case, it won't have any USB interfaces...

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salty 17 years ago

Which is why it is quite safe to assume that his hard drive is much faster than his USB drive, even without seeing his computer.

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mm 17 years ago

I don't know if it is good quality or not, but OPtimized Cable Company had Cat5E 100 feet with no-snag covers for 25 dollars, no charge for shipping, when BestBuys had 50 feet for 38 dollars.

Opt has lots of lengths and lots of colors and doesn't charge much more for Cat6 either.

I haven't used it yet, to go from the second floor to the basement, but my needs are small and if it is low-quality, I probably won't be able to tell.

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JC 17 years ago

An architect/homebuilder by the name of Tom Tynon writes a column in the Houston Chronicle. You could probably find the one of this past week in which he advocates a "booster" tank to go along with a tanked (in my college days that meant something else) water heater. The picture showed what looked like a small tankless unit. Said it provided instant, constant hot water as it somehow signaled the tank to heat up more water. ??????

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JC 17 years ago

Damn, I guess I'm tanked. How this got onto this thread baffles me.

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Stormin Mormon 17 years ago

One's laptop, other is desk. The old fart is in the nursing home, doubt he's got any tools.

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Stormin Mormon 17 years ago

Good ideas, thanks.

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Stormin Mormon 17 years ago

Simply no clue. The drives, he got off the internet, I'm guessing.

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Stormin Mormon 17 years ago

Oh, that opens up a heck of an idea. I wonder if he could get a free trial Carbonite account. Load everything up. And then load it to the other computer. Send me the log and pass. I can then load up to the Carbonite a lot of stuff, and then make a backup of his stuff.

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Phisherman 17 years ago

A hub will do the job. It can be Ethernet or USB. Both machines need to set up a shared folder and Vista has some security options you may need to change for it to be visible on the local LAN. If there only a couple files, a flash drive is the way to go. There may be a crossover cable that can be used for two computers, instead of a hub. A USB cable can supply a few watts of power, not enough to power a typical PC.

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PatM 17 years ago

Or better yet, use the paid carbonite. Upload all of his stuff. Get his id and pass. Then use it yourself with his payment to you for helping him being that he just paid for a year of carbonite. if I refer you I get a free month or something like that.

It's a little slow on the upload, so a small network and a NAS might be a better solution for him as primary backup.

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Steve Daniels 17 years ago

On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:00:40 -0400, against all advice, something compelled "Stormin Mormon" , to say:

He needs, maybe, a Phillips screwdriver.

'Course, then there's knowin' how . . .

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Doug Miller 17 years ago

You run into the same problem there as trying to email it: ISPs provide *much* slower upload speeds. Just network the two machines together and be done with it.

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mm 17 years ago

Thanks for the idea. This might work for data too. ....OKay, I googled "data tank" and they come from 1 quart/1 kilobyte, all the way up to 40,000 gallons/3 terrabytes. I guess I won't know what size I need until I've started using the cable.

I saw your second post too. :)

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