Network windows 7 m/c to Windows Me Laptop

[PeterWallace]

I have an old Laptop that has *Stuff* on it that works well but some of the data ineed ocasionally to use on the 7 m/c ... It is NOT worth transferring as it gets updated regularly and softwear is not 7 compatable ....

Can it be networked to 7 m/c...What cables etc ... and what Softwear Req

Thaking all

 

[rclarke250]

You could try a usb drive, but usb devices on ME are little flaky sometimes. Or a crossover cable,to make a small network and shared folders.

 

[PeterWallace]

crossover cable sounds better
I Do have programs on 7 m/c that will extract data I need

besides ... I keep loosing the usb drives .( put them down ... and they Move!!!)

But I do have an Netgear Ethernet Hub ... would that be suitable .... I will have other m/cs that I will want to connect also

Peter

 

[kjv1611]

PeterWallace,

You can network ANY Windows PCs together, so long as they can get on the network... are networkable (meaning, they have the network adapter, you've got the wires or wireless adapters, and in most cases, you've got a router/switch/hub.

It should be no problem networking the two.

Here's the easiest way (yes the ethernet hub will work):

1. make sure you have "standard" ethernet cables - the kind you'd pick up without knowing what you're picking up at Walmart or Office Depot or even Big Lots.

2. Connect one wire from one PC to the hub, and another wire from the other PC to the hub.

3. Make sure both computers are powered on, and are plugged up - power for the laptop in case transfer takes a while

4. Make sure the hub has power, assuming it needs it - I've not seen one with no power requirements.

5. On your Windows ME machine, right-click on "My Computer", select properties, then change the computer name if you want, and also click the "change" button or whatever it says, for changing the workgroup name. Change it to something you'll remember easily... though you can always look at the first computer when setting up the second.

6. OK your way out of all the prompts

7. Reboot the ME machine when prompted.

8. While the ME machine is rebooting, do the same thing on the Windows 7 computer. Getting to the same option will be a little different... right-click on Computer, select Properties, then about the lower middle of the page, you'll see your computer name and workgroup name.. clck the modify button, and you'll know your way by then... change that to the same workgroup name, and of course use whatever you want for the computer name - but not the same as the other computer.

9. Reboot the Windows 7 machine when prompted

10. While the Win7 machine rebooting, go back to the ME machine.

11. Find whatever drive or folder you're wanting to transfer files from, right-click on it, select Properties... click the Sharing Tab, and tell it to share the folder. If you don't need to modify files from the Win7 computer, you should be finished with that... specify a share name if it has a box for that, then OK your way out.

12. Back on the Win7 machine, after it is back up, see if you can browse to: Network/YourMEComputerName/SharedFolder or SharedDrive

13. If you can, start copying files, you're in business.

Of course, you can make some variations in there and all that, but this'll get it done.

Also, if you prefer to do this on a regular basis, you can download some software called SyncBack, and set it up for a scheduled backup or sync, whatever you need.

Post back with additional questions..

Of course, you can use wizards on the machines, but Win7 will try to make you do a homegroup which is no good for you in this situation, and Windows ME may end up letting you skip something.

If that doesn't work, go through the wizard for setting up a home network on the ME machine, and make sure it's set to "share files and printers", default everything else, but make sure you change the workgroup name to the name you chose earlier, b/c it'll default to MSNHome or something like that, I forget..

 

[rclarke250]

Only thing I would add is, it is better to set a static ip, like 10.1.1.x where x is a different number in each computer between 1-255. With a hub you don't get the dhcp server built into the router, so you would have to set the ip's manually.

 

[linney]

I hope I'm wrong but Networking ME with Windows 7 might be a hair pulling exercise as the technology is so different and there will be many problems along the way. Trying to get them "talking" will be a good experience for you, but in the end you might find the USB method the easiest option. Vista and Windows 7 were never tested or designed by Microsoft to communicate with 98 or ME.

Connecting Vista and 98

http://forums.techguy.org/networking/549197-connecting-vista-98-a.html

 

[kjv1611]

linney,

The OP is only wanting to copy files from one to the other. Both have to be installed on file systems that Windows can read, so why wouldn't it work, for just transferring files, anyway?

Now you've got me thinking that maybe (naa, not really), I should go, pull my old copy of ME - if I can get the disk to be read anymore), put it on an old PC - if I can get it to work with the right drivers, and then try to network it.

 

[kjv1611]

Here's another thought that I forgot.

Instead of attempting to browse the ME machine, you could also try setting up a networked drive on the Win7 machine... Start - Right-click on Computer, Map Network Drive..

I've not done this with Vista or 7, I think, but I know I've networked XP to 98 and ME in the past, and I've just recently, without hardly trying, networked Vista and 7 to FreeNAS which is totally different..

Then again, it's probably just something I'm not thinking about... must... stop... thinking... NO! I do NOT want to reinstall M.E. just to try!

 

[linney]

Transfer the ME files to something like SkyDrive, or any online upload site, and then download them to Windows 7.

If I remember correctly the biggest problem is getting the two operating systems to recognize each other. However for transferring files it may be sufficient that only one of the machines sees the other machine? Then it becomes a copy from, or paste to operation, which might be easier than full Networking.

 

[BadBigBen]

KJV1611,

good advice on how to connect the two OS over the HUB, but you forgot one important thing, namely to make sure that on BOTH machines that he needs to have a USER with the same credentials, and that that user has the correct file permissions... otherwise he may not be able to browse the files on any of the PCs from the other...

e.g. on the ME PC, he needs to have the same USER NAME and PASSWORD as the one that he logs in on WIN 7 ...

also have a read:

http://www.msfn.org/board/Cannot-see-Vista-connected-printer-from-t118791.html

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[kjv1611]

oh yeah... forgot about that piece.

Thanks for adding that, bbb.

 

[PeterWallace]

well FIRST... I read msfn.org etc...

 

[PeterWallace]

*Bad Word* ... The Lap top got borrowed !!!!!! so I can not finish trying out network till it returned next week


Peter