[CALUG] moving files between linux and windows

[Bernard Karmilowicz]

Good, afternoon, Walt;


> I want to easily move user files between Windows and Linux. 

The easiest way I've found to move files between two computers (when one of the computers is running Linux) is to:

     1. put both boxes on a local private network (if both boxes have Ethernet interfaces then connecting them together using a Cat5 crossover* cable quickly creates a simple network)
     2. configure each boxes' network interface for the private network**
         Linux example: # /sbin/ifconfig eth0 192.168.12.3 netmask 255.255.255.0 broadcast 192,168.12.0
     3. start a ftp daemon (e.g. /usr/sbin/proftpd, /usr/sbin/vsftpd) or a ssh daemon (e.g. /usr/sbin/sshd) on the Linux box
     4. start a ftp or sftp client on the Windows box to copy files between the two computers

* Contemporary Ethernet interfaces contain logic that will (internally) cross-over a strait-thru Cat5 cable, so - depending on the age of your computers - a crossover cable may not be necessary.
** Run ifconfig without arguments to see a list of Ethernet interfaces on your Linux box. Type "man ifconfig" at a shell prompt to see the ifconfig man(ual) page.

One advantage of the above approach is it eliminates the need for intermediate storage media.
If you are doing the transfer over a public network then it is best to use sftp rather than ftp .


 From experience; File-transfers between any-box (including a WIndows box) and other Windows box are (sometimes painfully) slower than transfers between Linux boxes - so when I have to move files to/from Windows boxes I first boot the WIndows boxes into Linux (using a bootable Linux CD, DVD, or USB "drive") so all work afterward is solely in a Linux environment.


Other network examples (which are particularly useful for moving files in-bulk between computers) are on the latter part of my cpio howto webpage at:

     http://bernieland.com/share/howto-cpio.html


Respectfully,

- Bernie

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