Advice Wanted: XP Laptopn - How do I connect laptop to Drive on Win98 Desktop to use Older PC for ba

[David Probett]

Hi

One of my neighbours has a relatively new laptop running Win XP and an
old Win98 desktop PC.

Rather than junk the old desktop, I believe that it would be both
economic and sensible for her to use the hard drive in the desktop's
casing as a cheap backup unit.

(At the moment she is going through a ridiculous number of CDs when
performing the back-up!)

I am more than able to use her old monitor to extend her Win XP
desktop for her.

Can anyone advise re how to wire this up. We will have no real need
for the old PC to function in its own right - although that would be a
bonus if it were to be capable.

Many Thanks, in advance

David.
David Probett
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Anna]

Hi

One of my neighbours has a relatively new laptop running Win XP and an
old Win98 desktop PC.

Rather than junk the old desktop, I believe that it would be both
economic and sensible for her to use the hard drive in the desktop's
casing as a cheap backup unit.

(At the moment she is going through a ridiculous number of CDs when
performing the back-up!)

I am more than able to use her old monitor to extend her Win XP
desktop for her.

Can anyone advise re how to wire this up. We will have no real need
for the old PC to function in its own right - although that would be a
bonus if it were to be capable.

Many Thanks, in advance
David.
David Probett
(e-mail address removed)

David:
Since you say at the end of your post that while your neighbor "will have no
real need
for the old PC to function in its own right - although that would be a bonus
if it were to be capable.", why not let that old PC function as is, and
simply purchase a USB external hard drive device for her to use with her
laptop? Wouldn't that accomplish your/her twin goals?
Anna

 

[David Probett]

Hi

She's a recently-bereaved pensioner in the UK = lack of cash.

(I use an external hard drive system and that's fine for me, but I'm
earning.)

Someone said that a "null modem cable was require - but this is going
into areas where I have no experience.

Any other ideas?

Thanks

David

David:
Since you say at the end of your post that while your neighbor "will have no
real need
for the old PC to function in its own right - although that would be a bonus
if it were to be capable.", why not let that old PC function as is, and
simply purchase a USB external hard drive device for her to use with her
laptop? Wouldn't that accomplish your/her twin goals?
Anna

David Probett
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Anna]

David Probett
(e-mail address removed)

Hi

She's a recently-bereaved pensioner in the UK = lack of cash.

(I use an external hard drive system and that's fine for me, but I'm
earning.)

Someone said that a "null modem cable was require - but this is going
into areas where I have no experience.

Any other ideas?

Thanks

David

David:
I'm assuming that what you (and she) are aiming for is a routine backup
system, one that she will use to back up her data from time to time, and
that this is not just a one-shot backup situation where she would have no
plans to perform routine backups in the future. If this assumption is
correct, I don't think the null cable methodology is really practical.

All in all, in my opinion, under the circumstances you outlined, she would
be best served by having a USB external HD at her disposal to conduct
routine backups. Since she cannot afford such a single-unit device, why not
use her HD from the old desktop computer, purchase a USB enclosure, and
install the HD in that enclosure? I realize there would be an expense
involved for the enclosure, but hopefully she could afford just the purchase
of an enclosure. Here in the States one can purchase (online) one for about
$20 or so. Assuming prices in the UK are comparable, could she not afford
that?

The only other alternative that comes to mind is using a jump (memory, pen,
thumb, stick, etc.) drive of sufficient capacity to hold her backups, but
from a cost-capacity point of view I don't know if that's practical in this
situation.
Anna