I have an HP computer with windows vista on it. I use it as my main puter because I have a decent antivirus program working on it. I also have an older Sony Vaio with windows xp. The vaio machine does not have an anti virus PGM so I do not go on the internet with it. I would like to download some things for my vaio machine on my HP and check them later with the antivirus PGM. The question is then, can I use an ethernet cable to go from the HP machine and the Vaio machine to send stuff I have dowloaded on the HP machine to the Vaio machine.

I'll move you to our Tech forum. The experts there can help you.

The short answer is no. Unless you set up a network between the two machines, that won't work.

However, you could certainly download something to the Vista computer and copy it to a flash drive and then plug the flash drive into the XP machine and load it from the flash drive.

And good move on keeping the XP computer off the internet, especially with no AV program!

Thanks Draclvr, that is way cool. I just happen to have some of those and I forgot about them. I had even considered getting an external floppy and going at it like that. Good thing I got a decent backup commitee or I would be in trouble.

You'd need a crossover cable -- not a regular ethernet cable.
If you're interested, here are instructions for how to set it up
***Microsoft instructions on how to connect two computers using a crossover cable***

It's easier to just use a flash drive, like Draclvr said.

I have one of those crossover cables - paid quite a bit for it about 7 years ago. It worked great but I'm so glad things have moved on and gotten easier...

If both support Wi-Fi why not just create a network share on the HP rig and transfer the files wirelessly?

Can fredaz do that without putting the XP computer on the internet? He doesn't want to connect it at all.

With a home router, he could also connect the computers through the router -- using two regular ethernet cables to connect each computer to the router (any router can be temporarily disconnected from the Internet, whether it has wireless capability or not).

But unless the files are huge (and won't fit on the flash drive), or file transfers will be done often and on a regular basis -- it's still easier to just use a flash drive, which doesn't involve setting up sharing on either of the computers.

You can, it would be a pain, but it can be done. Personally I wouldn't worry about be connected to a Wi-Fi router so long as you didn't browse the net. There's a small chance you could be hacked, but it's so small that I wouldn't worry about it. All of my wireless devices (Phones, IP Cams Media Servers etc...) connect to my router wirelessly, I never give them a second thought.

Using a thumb drive is the way to go for most files. I was just curious why no one mentioned allocating a network share on the Vista machine.