Windows 95/98 forum: windows 98 file transfer

Thanks,
I will try it

The very easiest way to save the files from a dying computer, for someone who is not an experienced computer user, is to buy a new computer and then sit the two computers side-by-side.

Connect them together with a data transfer cable, connecting them by their USB ports. Such a cable can be purchased on-line, along with data transfer software, at a cost of about $50. Usually described as a USB data transfer cable.

There are chaper ones, that use the parellel ports (printer ports) instead of the USB ports. But transfer speeds are much slower if you use the parallel ports.

You can use any file transfer program, not just the one that comes with the transfer cable. These cables often come with software that doesn't support Windows 98: if so you just have to download some (free) file tranfer software, that runs on Win98, from the internet. I still use a file transfer program for Windows 98 or Windows ME called LapLink 2000 (oddly, that program must be started twice to run under Windows ME).

Start the software running on both computers, and the transfer program will detect the cable and the other computer, and provide a window much like the Windows 98 Explorer window, showing computer A in the left-hand pane, and computer B in the right-hand pane. Then copying the files to the new computer is just like copying a file with Windows Explorer.

Windows 98 computers do not support booting from a USB device.

They support booting from the floppy drive or from the CD-ROM drive, if the hard disk is inaccessible.

Once booted, even if you boot to DOS from the floppy drive, you can access any USB device that Windows 98 is capable of reading.

Full details of how to access a USB device in DOS is set out at http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/bridip/recovery.htm

In particular, look at this section of that page - http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/bridip/recovery.htm#16

I sort of have the same problem. my old 98 already broke, but i was able to pry out the hard drive from it and put in my newer laptop. it booted 98 successfully, but it has a lot of driver problems. I'm unable to establish an internet connection, it has a horrible display resolution, doesn't support my Kingston data traveler 101 GB. also i don't want to buy an external hard drive just for one use.