Is borrowing a monitor (or using a spare monitor) and plugging it into the laptop an option?

That would get you the visuals; then a cable from the network port on the laptop to the network port on the new 'puter will hook the machines up and you should be able to do a direct file transfer from one to the other.

If you have to buy a cable, make sure that you explain to the sales techie what you are doing - there are two types of cables and only one will allow this trick. One cable type is "crossed over", the other isn't and I'm not sure which is which.

One network cable type is for plugging into a network port, the other is for direct connection between 'puters, which is what you want to achieve.

John in Kansas - can you clarify the cable caper?

Good luck

aussiebloke