I have two Vista systems and one antiquated machine running NT 4.0 SP6 w/SCSI. There are a few applications running under NT that are incompatible with Vista and it would cost too much to upgrade when they're actually working fine (i.e., the NT box stays). The problem is moving data files for all the other apps from NT to Vista. Occasionally I’ll need to transfer files from/to NT/Vista. From what I've read and been told I can't network the NT machine with Vista, so that won't work (I gather a crossover cable would be useless as well). I had a Service Bureau take the NT and one of the Vista boxes and somehow move the files. But, they did a less than satisfactory job and I wound up with many empty directories.
I'm considering two alternatives. One, swap out the SCSI CD-R in the NT box for a SCSI CD-RW and burn a stack of CDs. Slow, but the vast majority of the files will be moved one-time. Two, I was thinking about a portable disk that I could attach to a serial or parallel port or the one USB 1.0 connection.
1. Is there a problem moving files back and forth between NT/Vista using a portable drive?
2. Can I attach a USB 2.0 portable drive to the USB 1.0 port on the NT box? I believe USB 2.0 is backward compatible with USB 1.0, and, as I said, it's largely a one-time event so I'm not too concerned with speed.
Any other ideas?