Connect old desktop to new one

[brod298]

Hi everybody, just to tell I have no knowledge about PCs I am only using them )
I have Windows XP , monitor and HP printer. I would like to buy only new desktop as my old one is too slow, two small ??? I added RAM 2 years ago, but now it's again to slow, cannot play games always (loading slow ) etc.
Is there any "easy" way to connect new desktop to existing set and be able to use both of them? I am mostly thinking of being able to access old desktop for "stuff" already on it, not applications that much but pictures, documents on it etc just like a storage and even delete some or most of applications ( I have on it who knows what) as there's so much on it that I am not using at all.
Any patient person there for old lady to explain or give best advice ?
Thanks

PS I have U-verse Internet (ATT stuff) and remote on it, wanting to say you can use laptop with password wireless. If that means anything for my problem )

 

[TrainableMan]

So your internet provider supplies you with a modem/wireless router combination? Could you specify the make and model?
Is your desktop wired to it or connecting wirelessly?
Will your new desktop be wired or wireless?
If both will be wired, does your current device have extra ports where you can plug in the new desktop while leaving your old desktop plugged as well?

I'm guessing you were thinking more like a real network in which case ... if you only have one plug then you will either have to get a wireless card and connect one that way instead (since you said it does offer wireless) or you can get a network switch.

You can actually wire the two computers to each other but this is normally done for one-time transfers, like to copy all your data to the new machine and you normally use the same plug where your modem wire is connected to your desktop now so you wouldn't have internet while using the crossover.

See basic info HERE. And as I said, the 2 computers, 1 cable is normally more for infrequent file transfers.

 

[brod298]

Thank you for your answer TrainableMan ,
These are features of my Internet access:
AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet Details
INCLUDED FEATURES
Built-in wireless home networking
Access to the nation's largest Wi-Fi network
Email account protection with anti-virus software, SpamGuard, and Address Guard™
Network Access Device
- I don't now does it help you any.

I have "gateway" (I guess that's what you called modem/router) with wireless network key to connect computers.My daughter use password and use her laptop wirelessly. It says on papers that I can connect more computers by Ethernet or wirelessly. But I do not want to have 2 PCs connected to Internet separately, just new one ( not bought yet) and have old one somehow connected to new one as additional disk "space" to be able to use what's stored on it: pics, docs etc. I guess I though they somehow become 1 machine so I don't have to transfer/copy all to new one.
This is the link for modem/router picture
http://www.att.com/equipment/access...062&q_sku=sku3950279&q_manufacturer=&q_model=

On my ATT guide it says:You can connect more computers wirelessly with a wireless-enabled notebook or a computer with an 802.11b/g wireless network adapter installed ???

If I buy this:
http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-one-20-2020-aio/pd
can it be wirelessly connected? Is it any good for general use, nothing special )

Hope this can help you to help me))
Thank you very much.

 

[TrainableMan]

It sounds like all you want is to treat your old computer as an external hard drive. The easiest way to do that is to buy a Hard Drive dock or HD case (about $25US at the big online auction site) and open up the old computer, remove the hard drive (2 push-on wires and usually at most 4 screws), then plug that HD into the new dock or case, then that dock/case has a powercord that goes to the wall and a usb cable that runs to your new computer.


The only hard part is figuring out what size and type connector-type your old HD uses. If it is a desktop then it is likely a 3.5 in drive (2.5in drives are normally used in laptops and removable drives). And the connector if very old may be IDE (more recently termed PATA), but more likely is SATA. Some hard drive docks can do both IDE and SATA but IDE is old and there is no need having something twice as large (it has to have two slots instead of one) if you don't need it. So it is best to buy the correct one PATA or SATA for a HD dock and it is critical for a case. If the serial cable connected to the hard drive is about 3 inches wide where it actually connects to the drive then it is the old PATA, a SATA connector is about an inch wide (You can see the case I show above is PATA because it has the wide IDE connector).

 

[brod298]

Thank you very much I guess I'll try that!
What do you think about PC I intend to buy?Any good for basic use?
http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-one-20-2020-aio/pd

 

[TrainableMan]

Do you absolutely need an all-in-one?

I guess for me I wouldn't want less that 22 or 23 inches, 25 would be great. 20 seems small, my nephews little laptop is 17.3.

And the 20 doesn't have a touch screen. Any new machine comes with Windows 8 which is geared more like an ipad or touch-phone so at some point you may want to upgrade to a touch screen ... but you can't because it is an all-in-one. It's kind of like the old TV/VCR combos. If the VCR has to go into the shop then you have no TV to watch and when the TV breaks you had to throw away a perfectly good VCR.

Either move up to the Inspiron One 23 which has a touch screen or get a desktop for the Inspiron one 20 pentium $500 price with either a better CPU or a bigger monitor and also have the ability to go touch in the future.

Personally if it's for a desk then I still want box separate from the monitor even if it had touch. That way I can upgrade one or the other w/o having to buy both.

IMHO.

 

[brod298]

Thank you very much. If you have an advice what exactly to buy, maybe 2-3 option it will be very appreciated. Let me tell you, I am 61 years old, I need new PC just because mine is 8 years old and want to buy it for general Internet, few games, (I play Farmville) and don't need nay fancy applications or else. Of course I don't want anything out-of-date already but nothing expensive , if possible fins tower. I just liked idea all in onem but I see what you say about combo, so I will go separate.
Thank you very much, have a nice day!

 

[TrainableMan]

if possible fins tower

I'm guessing this is a typo but what was "fins" supposed to be?

Is your monitor 8 yrs old too? If not then is it Widescreen? LCD? size?

And how spry are you? Can you fight over a Black Friday deal without busting a hip ?

EDIT:Black Friday is over so I removed the list of suggestions