Just spent 5 hrs trying to get my Old vista laptop connected to my new vista laptop with a crossover ethernet cable so that I can use a transfer program.
I have followed so many websites, rebooted, changed to fixed ip's etc that I am pulling my hair out.
PC icons appear disappear from both network and I can't get them to connect.
Anyone know how to do this?

Turn the local firewall off on both machines...

Done that too.
I can see both laptop icons in network. I can access one laptop from the other but not the other way around, even though the icon is there

Have you created an account on each laptop for the other user on the other laptop?

What happens when you say you can't access it? User prompt? Network unavailable?

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx

You might have seen this already.

Haven't done it with Vista so am reading this now myself to see whats changed from XP.

Rich

OK so its worth a read as it appears file and printer sharing is not enabled automatically and it explains how to do so in that paper.
So assuming you have static IP's on both in the same subnet with the same subnet mask and set the workgroup names the same then following that guide should in theory get you there.

If you can tell us what error messages if any or the sticking point you reach then I can try and help further.
Rich

Sorted!
%$£^&* Macafee Anti Virus!
Remove the 30 day trial that came with the laptop (I use AVG free) and it connected!

LOL

When I used to use dialup years and years ago, avg antivirus used to see my modem as a piece of software and completely freeze the computer everytime it did a scan.

gotta love some of the antivirus software out there