| My new laptop is fantastic, with it's nice | | | | together with a "Cross Wired Network lead" |
| new squeaky-clean operating system it runs | | | | and a copy of "Networking Computers for |
| like a dream. But it wasn't long before I had | | | | Dummies", but unfortunately my old dinosaur |
| to face the technical challenge of getting | | | | of a computer does not have a network card! |
| all my old data from my old desktop computer | | | | Network cards are cheap enough but I still |
| (which was bursting at the seams with data!) | | | | don't want to spend any money on this old |
| onto my new laptop.I was also intending to | | | | computer and really don't fancy fiddling |
| format and give away my old computer, so I | | | | around inside the desktop. Although it does |
| could not afford to lose any of this data in | | | | sound good to be able to connect the two |
| the process.I sat down at my old computer and | | | | computers together and transfer the data |
| listed all of my important files to assess | | | | through the cable.This is when I came across |
| exactly what and how much data I needed to | | | | a very handy cable called a USB Data Link |
| transfer over to the new laptop.Including my | | | | Cable. Apparently I can just plug one end |
| pictures, MP3's, Office documents, work | | | | into the USB port on my old PC and the other |
| backup's and so on, I was looking at | | | | end into the USB port on my new laptop and |
| transferring about 20 Gigabytes worth of | | | | then as if by magic, I should have a USB |
| data, it seems to build up so quickly! Thank | | | | Network between both computers. Now this |
| goodness for my new laptop's 100 Gigabyte | | | | sounds more like it! Both my computers have |
| Hard Drive, which will allow me to transfer | | | | USB ports and even though my old computer is |
| all of my data to it and still have room for | | | | USB1.1 and my new laptop is USB2.0 the cable |
| a lot more. I know that the main application | | | | should work anyway, although the transfer |
| programmes (Word, Excel and so on) from my | | | | rate will only be at the lower USB1.1 |
| old computer will all have to be reinstalled | | | | speed.After finding more about this cable on |
| on to the new laptop from their original | | | | the Internet I found out that it is also |
| install disks, but how do I get all the rest | | | | known as a USB File/Data Transfer Cable. Once |
| of the data over to the new laptop?Floppy | | | | connected, the transfer of data is done |
| disk? - no way, even if my laptop had a | | | | quickly and effortlessly by simply dragging |
| floppy disk drive I would need about 14,000 | | | | and dropping files from one window to |
| disks!CD or DVD? - Both my new laptop and my | | | | another, just as you normally would when |
| old computer have CD ROM drives, to get all | | | | moving files around on your system. So I |
| my data over using CD's I would need about 30 | | | | ordered one online right away.The USB Data |
| disks as well as some software to package all | | | | Transfer Cable arrived the next day and I got |
| the data up nice and tidily across the 30 | | | | down to the business of getting the thing to |
| disks, viable but a lot of work and time | | | | work, the hardest part was working out the |
| needed. DVD's would be better but my old | | | | blatantly "translated" instructions. All I |
| computer does not have a DVD drive! There | | | | had to do was install the included software |
| must be an easier way.USB Memory Stick? - Not | | | | from the CD, once only on each of my |
| really a viable option, the maximum capacity | | | | computers, then plug the cable into a USB |
| of the USB Memory Stick that I can afford is | | | | port on each computer and run the software. |
| 512MB, so this would require about 40 swaps | | | | Two Windows Explorer type windows appeared, |
| from the old computer to the new and as my | | | | one showing files on the laptop and the other |
| old computer is only USB1.1 which transfers | | | | showing files on the PC, then I simply |
| at 1.5 mega bytes this process is going to be | | | | dragged and dropped files between the two |
| possible but really slow.Networking? - | | | | computers.I was amazed, this USB cable |
| Apparently I could network my two machines | | | | solution was fantastic. |