Connect your old PC to a new model

Q I would like to know whether it is possible to connect my old computer to the new one I am thinking of buying, so I can use the old one as storage.

The old PC has Windows XP Professional installed while the new desktop PC will have Windows Vista Home Premium. I do not know the make of the old PC, but it has an 80GB hard disk.

Eddie Foster

A It is possible to link two computers together but perhaps not in the way that you intend. It really depends on what you mean by wanting to use the older computer for its storage.

If you have documents on the old computer’s hard disk, you can either copy these over to the new computer, or remove the hard disk from the old computer and insert it into a spare drive bay inside the new computer.

That may sound like a tricky procedure but it’s not particularly taxing and will be much less work in the long term. You can remove the old hard disk by opening the old computer’s case, unscrewing the disk and removing the cables from its rear, then sliding it out of its bay.

Then perform the reverse operation on the new computer: open the case, find a spare drive bay, slot the disk in, screw it in place and connect the appropriate cables. The next time you restart Windows the old disk should appear as a second disk icon under My Computer, and you will be able to access your old files from there.

If this sounds like too much work, any reputable local computer shop or computer technician will be able to do the job.

If there are no files on the old disk that you wish to keep, and you just want to use it for spare storage then you can remove it from the old PC and install it in a caddy, an enclosure for disks so that can be connected to the new PC by USB. See our free video Workshop on how to create an external hard disk.

If you do decide to connect the computers together, you can do so by creating a home network. If you have a home broadband connection using a router with several network sockets on the back, connect both computers to it using network cables. You will then be able to access the files from one on the other.

The same applies if you have a wireless network at home. If you don’t have either, you can purchase a network hub or switch (not the same as a USB hub) for around £20 or less from any computer shop. Then connect both computers to this using network cables.

However, using this method, the older computer has to be switched on when you want to access its files, which uses up extra electricity and space in the home.

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