How "laplink" Win98SE and Vista Home Premium laptops?

[rjbull]

Please, how can I "laplink" between my old Win98SE laptop and my new Vista Home Premium one, as the latter doesn't have "legacy ports?"  Can I use a USB cable, or do I need something else?

TIA...

[mwb1100]

Ethernet would be the best way, but there are some 'NULL modem' USB cables made for hooking 2 computers up - I've never used one, so I don't know how well they work.  An example:

  - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812200198

[patthecat]

'Networking' Options:
1. Ethernet cross-over patch cable - directly connect between the laptops.
2. If the laptops are connected to wired router, then just use regular ethernet cables to connect laptops to router.
3. Over wifi-router - the machines are connected to same wifi network
4. Direct connect the 2 laptops over wifi using your wifi card to setup an ad-hoc network
5. USB transfer cable such as the Vantec Ezshare Adapter (CB-TAU001).  It has the transfer software built in. But it may not support win 98.

Once the machines are networked for options 1-4, you can do following transfer options:
1. you can enable folder sharing to see if it can see the other machines (need to be in the same windows workgroup)
2. install ftp server on one machine and use ftp client on other machine to transfer
3. install a remote control software which can do file transfers such as TightVNC.  If I remember correctly, this is the way I transferred data from a win 98 machine.  Ran TightVNC server software on Win 98 machine, ran TightVNC client on win xp machine to remote control win 98 machine.  Then downloaded files.

[rjbull]

Thanks, folks...  I went to the local computer shop, and the man said he'd tried USB null modem cables and had problems with them.  He suggested just using a USB stick, and pointed out that if I used Ethernet or the router, I'd have to set both machines to the same workgroup, which sounded complicated, especially if I had to do it on Win98.  In the event I just used a WD Passport USB HD.  Less convenient, but at least possible.  I'll have to keep the old laptop around just to be sure I can resurrect something I'd forgotten.

[sword]

I got an USB to serial [ nine pin male ] cable to do this from a box with Win 98 SE to Toshiba laptop XP. I have WinLink 2000 that says it can use serial ports. If your laplink documentation says it can connect to serial ports this might be an easy,low-tech solution. I have not tested this.

[mwb1100]

One thing to be careful of if you go the serial port route is that if the hardware and/or software limits you to old-fashioned serial rates (like 115Kbps), you'd be looking at it taking a full day - 24 hours -(or probably more) to move 1GB.

[mwb1100]

He ... pointed out that if I used Ethernet or the router, I'd have to set both machines to the same workgroup, which sounded complicated

If you're using dedicated transfer software like Laplink, it often doesn't need workgroups, network shares or mapped drives.  It will often use it's own connection setup and authentication which can simplify connecting over the network.  Software that does this will usually have the characteristic that you need to install the software on both machines to do the transfer.

[rjbull]

In fact I was hoping to do the transfer using Total Commander as I don't have "real" LapLink, but I don't think there's anything in the TC help file about how to use USB ports.  I'm probably OK for  now, having gone the clumsy but certain route, but I might look into dedicated transfer software just in case.
Thanks!

[MilesAhead]

rjbull you may be better off using "sneaker net" for the time being.  I can remember mixing flavors of Windows for simple file and printer sharing and before XP it was really a pita.  You had to have a "master browser" meaning the machine that was the master browser was like the server and had to be started first.  So if the other machine happened to be running, you had to shut it down, start the master browser machine, then start the "slave" or "client" machine etc...  not worth the trouble.  XP is not as smooth connecting to Vista or W7 as to another XP machine, but at least you can get it to go and stay stable.  Before XP it's not worth the trouble unless the other machine is also Win98.

[MilesAhead]

btw what kind of drive is in the Win98 machine?  Might be easiest to just copy all the contents onto a new Sata drive if you have a USB port.  I have one of those USB Docking stations.  They even come in flavors with multiple connectors so you can leave more than 1 PC hooked up.  For a one time copy though, you can get the plain vanilla USB one for about $35 new.  Makes it easy to rotate backups too.  Nothing you can't do with external drives but I find I'm more enthusiastic about making more frequent image backups if I don't have to plug in the power supply, the data cable etc.. I just dig the drive out of the box and swap it with the one in the dock and store that one.  That way I have recent backups not hooked to the machine so the virus can't jump on 'em.