I want to transfer all my document and spreadsheet files from desktop pc to laptop. The desktop runs Win Me with a P3 1.2 gig, 128 RAM. Laptop is Win XP, P4, 512 RAM. Simple question: can I connect them with either a USB cable or an ethernet cable and have the laptop recognize the pc as an external drive, then simply copy the files from desktop to laptop via the cable? EJ

I can't see any harm in trying. If that doesnt work there is the good old fashioned way of copying all the files on your computer to a floppy or CD and manually transfering data. Windows XP Home Pentium 4 3.0ghz 256mb DDR 120gb Hard Drive ATI Radeon 9200 Series 16x DVD Dual Layer RW Mart

Not just any usb cable will do the job. You can get usb data patch cables with the software for around 30 to 40 US dollars. I have one and it's fast and very straight forward. Check your local computer stores. I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid...

Yikes! I didn't know they still made floppies! When I did a search in computing.net, someone in one of the posts suggested using a "cable" but I didn't know if that meant a serial cable (like a printer cable, I suppose), a USB cable, or possibly an ethernet cable. I guess I could do the laborious tranfer to USB media, but all I have is a 256 mb thumb drive, and that could take all day. I have a Maxtor external hard drive that could hold all the stuff for transfer. I was hoping someone would say, "It's easy: hook 'em together with a USB cable and select all the files then copy them directly to the laptop." I'll give it a try and report back so others might get some benefit out of the answer. EJ

There is a relatively cheap cable avaliable that connects the parallel ports on boh PCs and then you run a Windows built in program that works like a charm. A mini local area network if you will. Search for a Direct Connect Cable

If they both have Network Interface Cards (NICs) then use a "Crossover cable" which is a Ethernet cable (as you called it) that is actually a UTP (unshielded twisted pair) CAT5 or CAT5e cable that has wires 1 and 3 swapped with 2 and 6 so that it can communicate directly from one PC to another. Even better is if the laptop is part of a LAN using a wireless router. If so, then just set up Sharing on the WinME machine and transfer the files with the equipment you have. Are you using any wired or wireless "routers" (NAT servers actually)? Note: you can pick up a crossover cable for less than $10 US. It dsoes not have to be long in length. Bryan