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Moving Pains: You can take it with you
from PC Novice Guide Series Vol. 7 Issue 4
My aim would be to do this in reverse. Win95, the laptop, will be the GUEST; Win98, the tower, will be the HOST. For the price of a bidirectional parallel cable or a serial "null modem" cable, you can take advantage of Win95/Win98's built-in DCC. While it's easier to set up than many networks, it's not exactly a straightforward process, so stick to the guidelines below. Moving great volumes of saved files to a new computer is a great excuse to set up this handy Windows feature. If you are only transferring a few files, though, it's faster to use diskettes. Look at the backs of both computers to see which ports are available (parallel ports have 25 pins, serial ports have nine); buy a cable accordingly. The bidirectional (two-way communication) parallel cable is faster, but you're more likely to have an available serial port than a parallel port. Both can be found for less than $10. The first step is installing the Direct Cable Connection. This is done the same way in Win95 and Win98. Do the Win95 - or HOST - computer first: 1. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs. 2. In the Windows Setup tab, double-click the Communications listing, check the box for Direct Cable Connection, and then click OK and Apply. 3. Insert your Win95 CD-ROM if you are asked to do so. 4. After the installation, click OK, then do the same with the other PC. If your new PC came with Win98 preinstalled, DCC may already be there. At this point, we need to explain the difference between the host (server) and the guest (client). Because you'll want to transfer files from your old Win95 PC - HOST - to your new Win98 - GUEST - machine, think of it this way: Win98 will be a guest, visiting the host Win95, and asking for the files. As a result, your second step is to enable File and Print Sharing to give your Win95 / HOST computer permission to divulge your file folders. 1. In the Start menu, select Settings, Control Panel, and then double- click the Network icon. 2. In the Configuration tab, click the File And Print Sharing button in the lower half. You will see two checkboxes; you only need to enable the one about file sharing. Third, you'll need to give your computers IDs. Starting with the Win95 - HOST - PC: 1. From the Network Control Panel, click the Identification tab. 2. Type a name in the Computer Name field, making sure it is 15 characters or fewer. Win98 - GUEST - will ask you for that name later when you try to connect, so make it easy to remember; it may help to write it down. 3. Create names for the Workgroup and Computer Description fields, and write these down, as well (you won't need them right now, but you might someday). [Your old Windows 95 computer will act as a host, waiting for the Windows 98 guest to call - OR VICE VERSA] Do the same for the Win98 - GUEST - PC, and write down the names. Fourth, in order for your computers to communicate, you need to make sure they are speaking the same language, or 'protocol.' To install the Internetwork Packet eXchange (IPX) protocol on the Win98 - GUEST - computer: 1. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel, and then Network. 2. Click Add, select Protocol, and then Add again. 3. Choose Microsoft as the manufacturer, then IPX/SPX Compatible Protocol, then OK twice. You may be prompted for your Win98 - GUEST - CD-ROM (setup folder). 4. After IPX installation is complete, you must restart your computer. Fifth, the Win98 - GUEST - computer will also need to have a Client service installed. 1. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel, and then Network. 2. On the Configuration tab, click Add, Client, then Add again. 3. Choose Microsoft from the list of manufacturers. 4. Select Client for Microsoft Networks, then OK. You'll see the addition to the list in Configuration. Your sixth step is to designate which folders on your Win95 - HOST - computer you want to 'share.' The Win98 - CLIENT - computer can't access any folders not set up for sharing, much like dealing with a truculent 4-year-old. To share your entire Win95 - HOST - hard drive: 1. Go to My Computer and right-click the hard drive icon. 2. Click Sharing, Shared As, Apply, and then OK. If there is no Sharing listed, click Properties and the Sharing tab. If it isn't there, you may have forgotten to enable File and Print Sharing (see above). Seventh, you are ready to set up the DCC in Win95 - HOST - : 1. Click Start, Programs, Accessories, and then Direct Cable Connection. The Wizard will appear. 2. Select Change Settings, choose Host (remember, Win95 - HOST - has what Win98 - GUEST - wants), and then Next. 3. Choose the parallel (lpt1) or serial port you want to use and connect your cable into the back of the PC. Consult yor computer's manual if you don't know which port is which. Be careful not to damage any of the connector pins. 4. DON'T SET A PASSWORD. It will only hinder you. 5. Click Finish, then Close. Win95 - HOST - will want to reboot first, so click Close. Go through the same process on the Win98 - GUEST - computer. There are a few differences; namely, the DCC is in the Communications subfolder of the Accessories menu, and you want to set this PC up as a Guest. Restart both computers. You are now ready for the eighth and final step, connecting the two systems: 1. Enter Direct Cable Connection on the Win95 - HOST - computer the way you did earlier, through Start, Programs, and Accessories. 2. It should ask if you want it to act as a host, and to 'listen' to its connected cable (rather than as a guest set up to connect to the host). If it doesn't, click Change and make it so (to 'listen' to its connected cable). 3. On the Win98 - GUEST - PC, enter the DCC. If it is set up to act as a guest, go ahead and proceed with both computers. 4. If the Win98 - GUEST - PC tells you it can't read the other computer - HOST - , but asks you for its name, don't worry; just type it in. A new Explorer-type window will pop up, from which you can copy, open, or otherwise manipulate the folder you designated as 'shared' on the Win95 - HOST - PC. If you have trouble copying a folder, double-click to view its contents, use Select All from the Edit menu, then drag the group of files to the new location. If the DCC doesn't work, recheck these instructions or consult DCC's Help topics. Earlier Windows versions can avail this process with the use of Interlink. Interlink will let the Windows 98 guest computer access the host's drives with different drive letters. I'm not going to go into those Windows versions. Now the remainder below is something I'm not clear about, especially if it is for Win3x versions. I'm hoping we don't have to use DOS commands with our transfers: If all goes well, your client computer will eventually settle on Windows Explorer, and will have two or three new drive letters for you to view (D:, E:, and F:). They may be called 'removable disks.' Your server (Win95 - HOST - ) will display the relationship between its drives and the new drive letters showing up on your client. Its hard drive, C:, may show up as E: or F: on your client while its diskette drive, A:, may be represented as D:. You now have free rein to copy your files. When you're done, don't forget to re-edit the Win98 - GUEST - PC's config.sys file. Type rem followed by a space in front of device=c:\dos\interlnk.exe. Save the file and reboot. If you forget to do this, your system will run extremely slowly until you do.
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