Thanks for all your help and insights.
I managed to hook it up and make backups of the data.
As suggested I installed Win XP Pro with SP2, then I decided to try the ethernet solution, hooked computer and PLC to a router - long story short: didn't work - I'm guessing ethernet seems not to be activated. The LED on teh PLC did lit up green though.
Hooked the 1747-CP3 cable I made myself between the laptop built-in COM-port and the PLC RS232-marked port directly on the CPU module. Added the 1747-PIC/AIC+ driver in RSLinx Classic Lite - and I got it to work right away!
I had another laptop setup for possible use with a Prolific USB-COM-port adapter, but I didn't need to try it and didn't do so.
So the tip using the PIC-driver was very good, it did crash in Win XP Pro SP3 though. Worked perfectly with SP2.
I managed to hook it up and make backups of the data.
As suggested I installed Win XP Pro with SP2, then I decided to try the ethernet solution, hooked computer and PLC to a router - long story short: didn't work - I'm guessing ethernet seems not to be activated. The LED on teh PLC did lit up green though.
Hooked the 1747-CP3 cable I made myself between the laptop built-in COM-port and the PLC RS232-marked port directly on the CPU module. Added the 1747-PIC/AIC+ driver in RSLinx Classic Lite - and I got it to work right away!
I had another laptop setup for possible use with a Prolific USB-COM-port adapter, but I didn't need to try it and didn't do so.
So the tip using the PIC-driver was very good, it did crash in Win XP Pro SP3 though. Worked perfectly with SP2.