Is there an easy way to transfer files from PC A to PC B on the same network?

[wizard]

@Chelsea80

Just out of interest, where are we going on this.

Glad you asked. What you have described still involves you transferring files via the USB and really not using the Ethernet connection..

This is the setup I think would be most useful for you.

Computer A, Puppy
Computer B, XP, Puppy booted from USB

-Setup computer B so it boots and is ready to be used for file access/sharing (this would be considered the "server")
-Setup Computer A to connect to Computer B (Computer A is consdered to be the "client")

In use you will be operating Computer A and can do file transfer back and forth to computer B without having to touch it.

Let me know if I got that correct

wizard

[Chelsea80]

@wizard

This is how it stands at the moment:

Computer A holds BionicPup32 as its OS.

Computer B holds Win XP as its OS.

OK, let me try to understand your method.

Leave Computer A as is.

Cold boot Computer B with inserted USB stick that holds BionicPup32.

So far so good, yes?

Now we have Computer A holding BionicPup32 (which has its own IP Address being inet addr:192.168.1.1)

Now we have Computer B holding BionicPup32 (which has its own IP Address being inet addr: 192.168.1.4 I will double check this)

Now we use Samba via Ethernet cable to connect the two.

From Computer A (via Ethernet cable and Samba, I will be able to see Win XP).

Have I got that all right? If I have then I stand back in amazement.

[wizard]

@Chelsea80

Have I got that all right? If I have then I stand

Yes, that is correct. If that's what you want to do, then I can walk you through the setup.

wizard

[Chelsea80]

@wizard

I can walk you through the setup.

OK, let's go for it.

Fingers crossed.

[wizard]

@Chelsea80

Here we go.

Setup file share on Computer B
-boot Bionic32 USB
-rename the "Transferred From" folder to "Transferred_From" (some operations don't work with file/folder names that contain spaces)

-open: sda1
-Menu>Filesystem>Pmount
-sda1>click: down arrow>check: Mount partition at boot
-close window

-Menu>Network>Samba Simple Management
-Share will be: /mnt/sda1/Transferred_From

-click: Apply
-turn Samba off
-click: Quit

ssm.jpg (32.71 KiB) Viewed 1071 times

-open: /etc/samba/smb.conf
-add this line to the global section: guest ok = yes
-save

-Menu>Network>Samba Simple Management
-turn samba on
-write down Computer B IP address

Setup connection on Computer A
-boot Bionic32
-Menu>Network>Yassm>Setup
Username=root
Password=woofwoof
Share=puppyshare
Server=Computer B IP address
-click: Test
A Rox window should open showing the /mnt/sda1/Transferred_From folder

If it does
-click: Set
-give the share a name
-close & restart Yassm
-click: shares down arrow
-choose your share
-click: Mount

You can now use Rox to transfer files back and forth with Computer B

[Chelsea80]

@wizard

Thanks for the instructions. I did follow them as you laid out.

I guess I have messed it up somewhere along the line. Sorry my friend to cause you so much hassle.

This is what I ended up with in the order it was done. So I started again from scratch, unfortunately getting the same result.
.
Computer B (The Win XP laptop)

Computer B.jpg (102.99 KiB) Viewed 1050 times

.
Computer A

Computer A.jpg (103.06 KiB) Viewed 1050 times

.

[wizard]

@Chelsea80

Looking at your screen shots, you are doing things not in the instructions.

Computer B - don't do anything with Yassm
Computer B, you show Samba is OFF, it must be ON
Make sure the firewall on Computer B is off
Check the IP address again
Send me a copy of /etc/samba/smb.conf

Computer A - don't do anything with Samba Simple Management

wizard

[Chelsea80]

@wizard

Ok, it might have been looking at wrong set of instructions hoping back and forth.

Will print it all off so I can refer better and start again.

Time here 01:08 hrs BST so will try again in daylight.

One day, one day......

[rcrsn51]

Before going any further, I would confirm that these machines can ping each other.

From Machine A, run: ping 192.168.1.4
From Machine B, run: ping 192.168.1.1

[Chelsea80]

@rcrsn51

Thanks for your ping thought. I tried it and both the addresses showed a rolling list.

I found a short-cut to get the IP address instead of doing ifconfig. Just hover the cursor over the Internet Connection symbol in the tray and up pops a box with information.

@wizard

It seems at last that you, we, I, have got there. Success.

Very many thanks (which seems rather inadequate) for your patience, time and effort.

So when I finished the successful test transfer session I:

Turned off Samba on each laptop.

Switched on the Firewall on each laptop.

Shut down Computer B (the USB stick with BionicPup32 on) in the normal way.

Then to re-test I:

Cold boot Computer B (with the USB stick with BionicPup32 on).

Switched off the Firewall on each laptop.

Switched on Samba > Apply > Quit on each laptop.

Then on Computer A > Applications > Network > YASSM Samba share mounter.

Then > Shares > Arrow Down > Puppyshare > Mount > Show > Quit.

Drag what I want into the puppyshare folder and choose copy.

SUCCESS Computer A.jpg (17.03 KiB) Viewed 943 times

SUCCESS on Computer A

Drag what I want appears on Computer B

SUCCESS Computer B.jpg (31.93 KiB) Viewed 943 times

SUCESS on Computer B

Then turned off Samba on each laptop.

Switched on the Firewall on each laptop.

Shut down Computer B (the USB stick with BionicPup32 on) in the normal way.

Withdrew the USB stick.

Then cold boot Computer B laptop into Win XP.

Opened Transferred_From folder. Transferred files (Drag what I want) were there, opened OK.

In a few days (belts and braces) I will mark this topic as SOLVED / CLOSED.

But before I do, I thank all who posted and offered their help. A lot of interest was shown.

A special mention to @Clarity for his tenacity with the Samba method.

[wizard]

@Chelsea80

Glad it's working. You only need samba running on Computer B and you only need the firewall off on Computer B. for this to work.

One last thing you may want to configure is a static IP address on Computer B. Why?

Routers have a function,. called DHCP, that automatically assigns an IP address to each computer. If you reboot your computers or the router loses power and has to reboot, there's no guarantee the computers will be given the same IP address they had before. This will be an issue for Computer B since Yassm has to have the current IP in order to connect.

The solution is to configure Computer B with a "static" IP (one that doesn't change). Let me know if you want to do that.

wizard

[Chelsea80]

@wizard

I don’t profess to understand such things so in my simplistic terms:

You only need samba running on Computer B and you only need the firewall off on Computer B.

Samba is like a door. When it is open (Samba On) entry or exit is allowed. When it is closed (Samba Off) entry or exit is disallowed.

If Samba On, Computer B (the receiver) and Samba Off, Computer A (the sender), then how does ‘whatever’ get from A to B?

Does not the door analogy to only having the firewall off on Computer B (the receiver) apply also?

Although I have confidence in your guidance, I have not tried this yet as I’m a bit wary of messing things up.
.

At the moment the puppyshare folder is a sub folder of the YASSM folder. Is it possible to go directly to the puppyshare folder when dragging ‘whatever’ for transfer?
.

you may want to configure is a static IP address on Computer B.

My Internert Service Provider is Plusnet (a subsidiary of BT Group). On doing a little research I came up with this:

Does Plusnet home broadband have a static IP address?

No.

Plusnet home broadband typically comes with a dynamic IP address by default. However, you can request to switch to a static IP address for a one-time fee of £5.

The key points regarding static IP addresses for Plusnet home broadband are:

Dynamic IP is the default, which means your public IP address changes periodically when your router reboots or reconnects.

You can request to switch to a static IP address by logging into your Plusnet account, going to the Add-Ons section, and selecting the static IP option for a £5 setup charge.

Older Plusnet home broadband packages like Essentials, Value, and Broadband Plus do not allow switching to a static IP. I’m one one of these but I don’t know which one.

For most current home broadband packages like Unlimited Fibre, Extra, Pro, Premium, and Broadband Your Way, you can switch to a static IP for £5. None of these apply to me.

So in summary, while dynamic IPs are the default, Plusnet does offer the option to pay a small one-time fee to get a static public IP address for most of their current home broadband packages.

At the moment I will forgo making a static IP address on Computer B (the receiver), but thank you for the offer.

[Clarity]

Hello @Chelsea80

I have been monitoring your progress since @wizard stepped forward in my absence. Thanks @wizard

I would like to offer a view that may be helpful. This view, IN NO WAY, changes anything you have already accomplish. Rather if not only reinforces your setups, but will make things easily understood going forward such that you will be able to help others who might want to have their LAN devices to share information at a common point.

Remember this picture.

PC2PC-router.jpg (11.11 KiB) Viewed 888 times

The following expands the knowledge of what you have achieved.

PC2PC-router2.jpg (36.77 KiB) Viewed 887 times

Summary

1. You turned on SAMBA to share a folder(s)

2. You used the clients built-in features to access the folder shared by SAMBA

The additional ideas some propose, although not necessarily necessary in your current implementation, to manually assign IP addresses: My comment is that as the features you are using, those client features (XP or Linux) find the SAMBA server on your home LAN and should work in all cases as you have used the products without a need for static assignments. Reason: the clients are intelligent enough to find the shared folder(s) without the use of IP addresses to SAMBA.

There are cases, though, where a static assignment might come into play, but as you currently have it, not now.

Congratulations!!!

BTW: Do you have a smart TV? If so, we can show you how that TOO can be used on this LAN in your home. You can store media on your SAMBA and the TV can access the folders too (same as your client PCs).

[wizard]

@Chelsea80

You only need samba running on Computer B and you only need the firewall off on Computer B

Just test it for yourself, it will not corrupt anything.

Your research about Plusnet is related to using a static address on the WAN side of the router and NOT related to using a static address on Computer B which is on the LAN side of the router.

wizard

[wizard]

@Chelsea80

At the moment the puppyshare folder is a sub folder of the YASSM folder. Is it possible to go directly to the puppyshare folder when dragging ‘whatever’ for transfer?

I'm not sure I understand your question or your objective. Currently, when you drag and drop a file it does go directly to the puppyshare folder on Computer B. /YASSM/puppyshare is just the "doorway"

wizard

[rcrsn51]

As the author of YASSM, I'd like to make some comments. There is a difference between "file sharing" and "file transferring" and this project is clearly about the latter. File sharing apps are capable of file transfers but they may not be the best solution.

Consider what happened here. In the original scenario, Machine A (Puppy) was going to be the Samba server and Machine B (XP) the client. This made sense because A contained the files that needed to be shared. But that setup was abandoned because the XP computer could not be put online.

In the new scenario, B was booted as a Puppy machine. But for some reason, it also became the server. Machine A became the client which would upload its files to B through a Samba window. This works despite being counter-intuitive. Why should B be a server when it has nothing to share?

In the Samba world this would also be verboten since it compromises the security of the Samba server. For a one-off file transfer situation over a LAN, that's not a big problem. But it's a lot of work just to move some files around.

Since this is now a Puppy-to-Puppy project, there are simpler file transfer apps available that would make more sense.

I still have concerns about Puppy mounting and writing into the XP computer's NTFS partition, but that's a separate issue.

[wizard]

@rcrsn51

But for some reason, it also became the server. Machine A became the client which would upload its files to B through a Samba window.

From a previous exchange:

rcrsn51 wrote:
3. In what direction - Puppy to XP or XP to Puppy?

OP replied:
BionicPup32 laptop to Win XP laptop.

I interpreted this to mean the OP wanted to be using Computer A (Puppy) and transfer files to Computer B (XP)
This could be a mistake on my part, so let's inquire with the OP.

@Chelsea80

Which computer do you prefer to be operating when you do a file transfer?

Thanks
wizard

[Chelsea80]

@rcrsn51 Please scroll down to bottom of post.

@wizard

You asked

Which computer do you prefer to be operating when you do a file transfer?

.
Short version:

I want Computer A (BionicPup32) to be the SENDER and Computer B (Win XP) to be the RECEIVER.

I want to Transfer (Move) files.
.
Long Version:

I have two computers I will call Computer A and Computer B.
.
Setup:

Computer A = BionicPup32 OS HDD (frugal install).

Computer B = Win XP OS HDD.
.
Objective

To Transfer (Move) files from Computer A to Computer B.
.
Method Used

Cold boot both Computers.

Insert USB stick into Computer A.

Copy files to USB stick.

Remove USB stick.

Insert USB stick into Computer B.

Copy files from USB stick to Win XP HDD.

Check files are OK.

Delete Files from USB stick.

Remove USB stick from Computer B.

Delete files from Computer A.
.
The above method, although a bit long winded, worked.

As the workload has increased I waited until close of play and did this as a batch job. This has slowed down the output of completed work on Computer B.

This set me to look for a different method that could Transfer (Move) files between the two computers ‘on the fly’ as the work came in.

You may ask yourself the question “Why can’t the work be completed on Computer A in the first place?” Sorry but I can’t answer that question.

Now I have the Samba method, however, I still have to shut down Computer B and cold boot into Win XP to be able to work on the files. But at least this, I feel, is an improvement at the moment.

Oh what a self imposed complicated life.
.

Just test it for yourself, it will not corrupt anything.

I will do a test run with some dummy files.

@rcrsn51

You said

I still have concerns about Puppy mounting and writing into the XP computer's NTFS partition, but that's a separate issue.

Could you give a précis for the above, thanks.

[wizard]

@Chelsea80

Ok, your current configuration is correct for your preference.

Going forward, there is a way for us to setup file transfer to the XP computer without using the USB Bionic32 boot. To use that method we would first have to fix the XP computers Ethernet connection. Let me know if you want to pursue.

wizard

[Chelsea80]

Deleted

[Chelsea80]

@wizard

there is a way for us to setup file transfer to the XP computer without using the USB Bionic32 boot.

OK, sounds interesting. I'm open to further suggestions.

With the caveat that, at the moment, I need a 1 2 3 step approach, also the Win XP MUST be isolated from the internet.

Thanks for the thought.

[wizard]

@Chelsea80

To use that method we will first have to fix the XP computers Ethernet connection. This is detective work and will require some patience on your part. I'll start on it tomorrow.

wizard

[rcrsn51]

With the caveat that, at the moment, I need a 1 2 3 step approach, also the Win XP MUST be isolated from the internet.

With your online Puppy machine having an open share to the XP machine, you have already violated that requirement.

Could you give a précis for the above, thanks.

I did last Saturday. The forum is full of reports from users whose Windows partition suddenly and mysteriously became read-only.

Oh what a self imposed complicated life.

I am starting to understand the workflow that you refuse to fully explain. Good luck with your current Samba setup.

[Chelsea80]

@rcrsn51

Suppose you boot the XP machine using, for example, a Puppy USB drive. You make a connection between the two machines and transfer some files. You must then mount the XP hard drive using the Linux NTFS driver, locate the destination folder and copy the files in. There are inherent risks in messing with XP's file system from outside of XP. If the hard drive gets corrupted, then XP won't boot and you lose everything. Or the XP drive can only be mounted in read mode so you can't write new files to it.

Thank you, I didn’t realise that the Linux NTFS driver was automatically used with the Samba method. I was under the impression that the files were just ‘placed’ as in using my original method.

With the caveat that, at the moment, I need a 1 2 3 step approach, also the Win XP MUST be isolated from the internet.

With your online Puppy machine having an open share to the XP machine, you have already violated that requirement.

This now has to be given more serious thought as to how I continue.

[Chelsea80]

@rcrsn51

Further research confirms:

Can the Linux NTFS driver cause damage to Windows XP?

The Linux NTFS driver is generally safe for reading files from Windows XP NTFS partitions, but writing to NTFS partitions carries some risk of potential data corruption or loss. The NTFS-3G driver used by most modern Linux distributions is a third-party, reverse-engineered implementation of the NTFS file system, as Microsoft does not provide full documentation or source code. While the developers have done an impressive job, it is unlikely to be 100% reliable and compatible with Microsoft's proprietary NTFS driver.

Specifically for Windows XP, the main risks are:

The NTFS journal is not fully supported by NTFS-3G, so Windows may find inconsistencies after a non-graceful shutdown and attempt to "fix" the volume, potentially causing data loss.

Linux does not honour Windows NT security permissions and access control lists (ACLs) on NTFS. It's possible for a user to accidentally delete or modify critical system files that would be protected in Windows.

The older Linux NTFS driver predating NTFS-3G explicitly warned about the risks of writing and recommended running a utility to "clean up the damage".

Summary:
While reading data from Windows XP NTFS partitions is relatively safe with modern Linux distributions, writing or modifying files carries some non-zero risk that Windows may have issues with the changes made outside of its own driver.

The safest approach is to use a separate shared data partition formatted as FAT32 or exFAT to exchange files between Windows XP and Linux, rather than directly accessing the Windows system partition.

I interpret the last paragraph as my original method. Would you concur?

[rcrsn51]

I interpret the last paragraph as my original method. Would you concur?

Yes, where the shared partition was your USB drive.

I suspect that problems with Windows and Linux occur when files do not get cleanly copied into the NTFS partition and/or when the NTFS does not get cleanly unmounted. The potential for problems is greatly magnified when you are doing this through a Samba share. If your Puppy running off the USB drive happened to crash, who knows what state the open Samba share would be left in.

Here is a method that strikes me as safer. Use a file transfer app like gnetcat. Start the transfer from Puppy A. Go to Puppy B and receive the files into a temporary location in the Puppy filesystem. Mount the XP NTFS partition. Copy over the files. When you are sure that they have copied correctly, unmount the NTFS.

You could maybe receive the files directly into the NTFS partition, provided that you checked them and unmounted the NTFS afterwards. The less time the NTFS partition is left in an open state, the better.

Is the real issue here the large size of these mystery files that makes transfer over USB inconveniently slow?

[wizard]

@Chelsea80
@rcrsn51

The current configuration has Computer A (Puppy) writing directly to the Computer B (XP) hard drive. With a slight modification it could write to the Computer B USB drive instead and that would avoid the NTFS issue.

@Chelsea80 is your Computer B USB formatted as FAT32?

wizard

[rcrsn51]

@wizard: Here is my gut instinct about this situation. Any file transfer that involves intermediate storage on a USB drive won't be much more efficient than the original procedure, especially with large files.

[wizard]

@rcrsn51

intermediate storage on a USB drive won't be much more efficient

Perhaps, but it would not have to be treated as intermediate storage , it could just be used from that location or open file on USB, edit, then save back to the Computer B HDD. OP could also use an external USB HDD/SSD for file storage and achieve the same as using the USB flash drive. Creating a FAT32 partition on the Computer B hard drive could be used (OP's skill level probably not up to that). In any event, the OP has to make the call on what's the best solution.

Thanks
wizard

[Chelsea80]

@wizard

is your Computer B USB formatted as FAT32?

Short answer = Yes.

BionicPup32 HDD= ext3

Windows XP = NTFS

USB stick = FAT32

So please continue with your idea so that I can at least take it into consideration.