Why can't I do this? (USB PC to PC)
 

I work as a consultant/contractor and use my laptop a lot. But I don't get internet access so I have I use to use the client's desktop to transfer files, use the internet, etc. I have one of those flash drives that I use for this. Since I have my laptop with me, isn't there a way I could turn it into a "dumb drive" where I could read it from the desktop machine? They both have USB ports, but I can't seem to find that there is a USB cable with the same connector at both ends. What am I missing here?

The last computer (a UMPC) I bought came with a special cable to do just what you are talking about. I haven't tried it yet, but it is a weird cable w/ something more in-line than just wires.

I'll look into it more.

http://www.cwol.com/usb/usb-2-usb-data-link-file-transfer-cable-uc250.htm

They do exist.

Can PCs do the firewire trick like Macs, one booting up as a slave? that might work, and seriously fast to boot.

Why not use a crossover cable?

... http://jkontherun.blogs.com/jkontherun/2006/05/samsung_q1_usb_.html (it's cable AND software. )

Target Disc Mode, plug one into another, boot one and hold T key, shows up as a volume on the other Mac.

Lovely feature. Use it all the time.

+1

It's faster than USB, too.

but a pain in the ass to configure if there is even just the slightest thing wrong with either machine, never mind if the customer machine is locked down with all sorts of domain policies... and you need to mess around with Ip configuration

i would strongly recommend against it
especially if it's a customer machine

btw, usb2usb might also be locked out on certain machines some companies have usb lockdown as well

then there is the "live volume" virus aspect i really would be concerned about
eg, if your customers machine mounts your volume, and has even the slightest virus problem he can access your disk, infect your files and bypass your antivirus all together

a USB disk isn't perfectly safe either, but if you at least cover your end of the antivirus and configure that as it should, it's a hell of a lot safer then a USB2USB link or crossover


i worked in a major OS company, and it was our policy, to NEVER make a live connection to our customers environment, or allow them to make one to ours

if i ever made a VPN connection, it was from a fresh VMware machine
with anti virus and everything bit of protection installed and written permission ( a request actually) by the customers IT boss)


might be a pain in the ass to copy to and from pc's
but it's better to do that, then to have their environment magically crap out the day after you made a connection
( doesn't even have to be anything your connection did, the coincidence is enough to cause problems between you and your customer)


and BTW, many companies have strict policies about anybody connecting to their network, having a usb2usb , or even a crossover link to a desktop pc that is otherwise disconnected to the main LAN, is in many cases verboten (if they don't give you internet access, then i bet that they will equally be pissed off if you make other types of connections)and it should be

whether or not USB disks are allowed or not is not your concern as you simply give the key to the other guy, and then it's his responsibility, not yours