Help with setting up a network

[Phuquit]

Ok - first off, please try to avoid using jargon when replying, because I want you to imagine that I don't have a fucking clue when it comes to computers...

Right then, here's what I've got:
Current pc (WinXP), connected wirelessly to router.
New pc (Vista), still unboxed, but with 4GB quad core, which is capable of shitting on the the other pc from a very great height.

There isn't a phone socket in this room, but both computers will be in the same room.
I'm guessing I'll need to uninstall Vista on the new one, and replace it with XP.
I want to be able to execute programs installed on my current pc from the new one without having to install them on there.
Also, I'd like to have access to all my bookmarks and logins without having to start over.

Assuming those key criteria can be met, should I connect the pcs with a cable, and install a wireless on the new one so it can connect to the router?
Will I need additional software/hardware to create the network? Is there anything else I need to take into account, or any further information I need to add?

[Q80Thug]

i think there is more to it than just setting just a network if you wanted to run applications from new PC via old PC.....

simplest way to connect old PC with New PC is with a single Ethernet cable (cross over). which should enable you to get internet from new pc via old pc.

Cross over cable: is your normal Ethernet cable where the pins in one end are reversed/crossed compared to the other end (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Vergleich_2von2_Crossoverkabel.gif)

there are some minor details like setting up a static IP and making your wireless connection shared. i pass these to our lovely tech mods where they can elaborate more.

as for running xp apps on vista, im not sure about the best/simplest way :(

[Jacx]

Ok - first off, please try to avoid using jargon when replying, because I want you to imagine that I don't have a fucking clue when it comes to computers...

Right then, here's what I've got:
Current pc (WinXP), connected wirelessly to router.
New pc (Vista), still unboxed, but with 4GB quad core, which is capable of shitting on the the other pc from a very great height.

There isn't a phone socket in this room, but both computers will be in the same room.
I'm guessing I'll need to uninstall Vista on the new one, and replace it with XP.
I want to be able to execute programs installed on my current pc from the new one without having to install them on there.
Also, I'd like to have access to all my bookmarks and logins without having to start over.

Assuming those key criteria can be met, should I connect the pcs with a cable, and install a wireless on the new one so it can connect to the router?
Will I need additional software/hardware to create the network? Is there anything else I need to take into account, or any further information I need to add?


First, before we get into the jargon..what router do you currently have, you said its wireless..but does it have any wired points available on the back? Basically your network might be ready to go already.

So get that info, then we can move onto the rest.

Secondly copying bookmarks is easy enough, you can make a backup/transfer them from one pc to the other.

Question, why do you want to run programs that are on the old one from the new one...becuase in effect what you are doing is turning your old PC into your mainframe and using the new pc as a dumb terminal.

Aka the program running on the new pc via the old one will only run as quick as the old pc can process it, also adding the transfer units from one pc to the other its gonna be shitty slow.

What im saying is it will only run as fast as the mainframe can process and that being ur old pc, will be slow, wasting your new pc's potential.

[Dymond]

What Jacx said.. First not all application can be run from a machine they weren't installed on, especially since alot of applications put stuff in the registry as well. Now I have another idea you might like. Have you given some thought to a KVM switch? Its a switch that allows you to have two computers hooked to one monitor and keyboard. I have two pcs at home and thats what I use and I get the feeling maybe that would work for you as well.. You probably want to keep the old machine around for what I call work stuff, word processing, surfing the web etc, and your new machine will be for gaming etc. Thats how mine is set up, I just hit scroll-Lock twice and it switches from one machine to the next. I love it.

[Flechette]

thanks for the help. because i need him to hurry up and get online :P

[Phuquit]

Thanks for the replies.

The router itself is wired to the dinosaur pc (not previously mentioned), and plugged into the only phone outlet in the house. I fitted a wireless antenna thing to my current pc (not the new one) so that I could connect to it without draping cables all around the house.

The reasons I want to access programs from the other pc directly are
1: preserving space on the new HDD (gotta save room for more pr0n)
2: some of the software took me a long time to patch, stabilise and get working properly, and also I have customised the working environments to the nth degree. I guess I could probably copy and paste the application data and temporary folders onto the new pc. Dy mentioned the registry data, and this was another reason I didn't want to have to re-install. Let's just say I don't always pay the full retail price for my software, mkay?

I was hoping the new pc would take the responsibility for processing the programs installed on the current pc, and thus improve performance. The fact I've got it arse about face just rams home my opening statement in the first post...

The KVM switch sounds like a great idea, and I'll definitely look into it. Will I still need some sort of ethernet cable, or would that be included with a KVM?

[Red Dragon]

Maybe this is a dumb idea, as it is early in the morning here and I haven't had coffee yet...

Why not just take the hard drive out of the old machine and set it up as a slave in the new machine, then you have the extra space, the programs, and can render the applications from the faster machine

[Dymond]

Maybe this is a dumb idea, as it is early in the morning here and I haven't had coffee yet...

Why not just take the hard drive out of the old machine and set it up as a slave in the new machine, then you have the extra space, the programs, and can render the applications from the faster machine

LOL DUH!!! Thats a great idea as well! You would need Ethernet to both machines if you go the KVM route Phuq.

[Phuquit]

Maybe this is a dumb idea, as it is early in the morning here and I haven't had coffee yet...

Why not just take the hard drive out of the old machine and set it up as a slave in the new machine, then you have the extra space, the programs, and can render the applications from the faster machine
Omg - this seems like the perfect solution, because not only would I not have to make additional purchases, but it would also help keep my workspace a little bit tidier.

It still leaves me with a few questions though:
1: will I need to replace the OS on the new pc so that they both have XP, or can I simply use the compatibility tab to set the programs to run in XP?
2: for a job like this, should I leave it to a trained technician, or is it relatively straightforward? I generally get cold sweats whenever I open up the tower to make hardware modifications such as installing a new video card.
3: for practical purposes, will it function like an external HDD? What I mean is, will it appear as "Drive Q" or whatever on my list of hard drives in My Computer?

Once again - thank you for your input :)

[Red Dragon]

So the new one has Vista?

You shouldn't have to purchase another version of windows, because you are not booting off the slave drive - you would just be using it to store documents, files, folders, and applications. It really doesn't even need an OS. Some programs you may have to right click - properties - compatibility mode - windows xp

Other than that it should be very simple. Open your case, put the drive in an open bay, screw it in, then plug in either the IDE cable or SATA cable, depending what type of drive it is. I am guessing IDE if it is old (that's the old ribbon cables) hopefully you have a port for it on your motherboard - it's the same looking plug as your CDRom or DVD drive would use. There are some different options for you if you don't have an extra IDE port

If it is an IDE drive then you will most likely need to move the jumper on the back of it, just flip the drive over and look for some tiny letters that usually say MSTR or SLV then get some tweasers and put the jumper on the pins labled SLV or slave instead of MSTR or master.

If it is a SATA drive then it doesn't use jumpers and you can just get another SATA cable (if your new computer didn't come with one) and plug it into SATA2 your master hard drive will be plugged into SATA1 on the motherboard. Plug it in then you should be set.

Edit: and your last question you could set your new drive as C:\ and the old drive as D:\ or depending what you have free - yes it will show as a different letter.
I have a similar setup now, I have Vista machine with a SATA drive, but I also have my old IDE drive in here for storing music, videos, documents, and even some programs.

In Vista:
*Go to start -> control panel -> administrative tools -> computer management -> storage -> disk management -> Here you will see all of your drives and how they are partitioned (how the space is used) just thought you should get familiar with this area as you may need it later