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Zixinus wrote:

As for connectivity, if that "other printer port" is in fact a serial port, and if you have a port similar to either it or the 9-pin mouse port on your main PC, you might be able to network them by running a serial cable between them. You used to be able to find this type of cable anywhere that sold computer parts but they've become harder to come by lately. You might also need an add-on card to give you a serial port on your main PC, since a lot of newer models don't have them anymore. This might also be possible through the printer ports, but I've never tried it that way.

I have a serial-port like looking something on my PC (well, it has nine pins). I might go home and try to scavange for a cable. Is it a problem if both ports are "male"?

The serial ports on the PC are always male. The cable will likely have two female ends. Unfortunately, it looks like the second wide port on your laptop is not actually a serial port. As phongn suggested, it looks like a docking station port. You should still be able to run a cable between the 9-pin ports on your laptop and PC, but that means you won't be able to hook a mouse up to the laptop. I'd recommend you just get a PCMCIA network card for the thing, or look into setting up a connection through the printer cable.

There's an old program called LapLink that could transfer files through that sort of connection, and you might even be able to set up regualr TCP/IP networking that way in Windows, but I personally haven't tried it through an LPT port.

By the way, I looked up the specs for your system, and it looks like it's upgradable to 32MB and supports two Type I and Type II PCMCIA cards or one Type III. Full specs here.

The RAM could be expended, but a guy I've shown the computer to tells me that it needs SD ram, which is impossible to come by.

Great, except that I live in a country that they do not sell to nor ship to (they sell and ship to Afganistan, but not to European countries?). The only likely place to get RAM is used shops. There are allot in town, so I may as well secure some money and hope for the best.

Then I might buy batteries for the thing.

Here's a site that has it, and they ship anywhere. It's also ten bucks cheaper.

Here's a site that has it, and they ship anywhere. It's also ten bucks cheaper.

That will do, thanks.


I also have laplink on my desk PC, and have the 9-pin cable (both ends female, was much easier to get then I though) between by laptop and desk PC. However, laplink does not seem to recognise any connection. I have only installed laplink on my desk PC, should I put it on the laptop as well?

It's been a while since I've used Laplink, and I think it might've only been used for LPT connections. I think it has to be installed on both computers, though, but if you're going to be using a serial cable you might want to look into activating Windows' direct cable connection.