Sorry for jumping threads on this topic, but the problems did break down into connection/network ones and actual wizard ones!
Having now found solutions and successfully transferred what was needed, thanks to everyone's help on this forum and sheer time and effort, I'd like to record "how" for others.
First, the connection. I used an ordinary metre length of ethernet cable with a crossover adaptor from Maplins. Thanks for the Firewire cable suggestion from Seb21 which I didn't think of, it might be a bit quicker but I found the ethernet cable perfectly fast enough.
A critical factor I found in connecting the two PCs is that ALL firewalls have to be deactivated. I turned off both Windows firewalls but then discovered there was further one incorporated in my anti-virus software.
Connection without firewalls is best done safely by direct connection ie with internet disconnected.
To create a network you have to have both Users logged in with passwords as administrators, no password, no network creation!
Here is Blencogo’s (from this forum) excellent guide :-
I assume you have two IP addresses like 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.0.2
1. First get identical accounts/passwords on both the XP Pro and XP Home PCs, such as 'Admin' with a password of 'Admin'.
2. Turn off simple file sharing. Explorer -> Tools -> Folder Options -> View. Scroll to the bottom and untick simple file sharing.
3. Ensure both machines are in the same workgroup, this is found by right-clicking My Computer on the desktop and choosing Properties then choose Computer Name then click change, by default XP Pro and XP Home use different workgroup names (Workgroup and MSHOME) for some obscure reason.
4. Share the folders you want access to by opening Explorer and right-click the folder or drive and choose sharing, follow the tabs.
5. Turn off all firewalls.
5. Reboot the PC's (XP Pro first) and pray!!
I had done all that but still had no connection. Then checked on each computer as follows:-
Network Connections – Local Area Connections – right click –Status – Support
- To read the IP address currently assigned to that computer.
Do this on both machines. Then go to Start – Run
-Type in Ping {IP address} (of the other computer)
If it’s working you can see it gets a reply.
In my case I was getting communication only one way – it was then that I discovered the extra software firewall still active on the new Vaio. Once deactivated, it was miraculous to see that little icon pop up in the workgroup computers folder!
After finally managing to connect, everything was quite straightforward, apart from minor problems with making folders shareable. (Per folder :– Tools- Sharing)
The files and transfer wizard works fine after I followed Kee-Lo’s suggestion to use a USB stick. However having established the direct connection I used that exclusively for the files transfer.
It’s simple when you know how –thanks everyone!
