Serial/data transfer cable, getting it working..

**Brett** · 26-07-2008, 12:35

Ive got a **** load of work on at the moment so Ive taken my PC box home with me over the weekend to carry on with some work. I've been leant a serial/data transfer cable so I can connect it to my laptop and use that to save me taking home the monitor, mouse etc too.

So, Ive got my laptop on, Ive switched on the PC box (took the power lead but nothing else) and joined them with the serial cable. I figured here it would do something like when you plug in a USB device, prompt me and guide me though what to do. But no. Nothing. Im sat here like a lemon wondering what to do?

any help greatly appreciated.

kNeo_gHau · 26-07-2008, 13:49

Does the "serial" cable look like this:

**Brett** · 26-07-2008, 15:30

Its a pin and screw type, like monitors are. 3 rows of pins!

Dav1d · 26-07-2008, 15:52

3 rows? 15 pins ?

KillBill · 26-07-2008, 19:01

You may need to configure a cable connection between the two in Windows, using the 'New connection' wizard in Network Connections, in the Control Panel.

This all depends on the cable in question, some have integrated hardware and need specific drivers, others will just work if you configure a direct cable connection, as mentioned above.

Either way, if you don't have a monitor and keyboard you can connect to the desktop PC, then you're snookered, as you can't get this to work without doing some configuration on both machines. In fact there's a chance the desktop will refuse to even boot with no keyboard attached.

See if you can borrow a monitor etc to plug into it, and then we can attempt to get you a connection going. TBH though there are far simpler ways of transferring data, a USB stick, or networking them with a crossover cable...

**Brett** · 26-07-2008, 20:08

I need to use software on the work PC that isnt on my laptop, its not transfering data to my laptop. I just couldnt be arsed to take all the monitor etc home so I was told to use the cable and I could basically use my laptop to run it off.....

I'll just take the box home to mum and dads tomorrow, Mums got a PC I can use the monitor, keyboard and mouse off.

Dav1d · 26-07-2008, 20:38

Serial is 9pin (as i remember anyway).
15 pin is a monitor cable.
Are you sure you've got the correct cable ?