* GENERAL: Wrong type of cable. A specific type of cable is required.

* OLD PC: Cable attached to the serial port of COM2, but you incorrectly believe that it is COM1.
* OLD PC: Cable attached to the serial port of COM1, but you incorrectly believe that it is COM2.
* OLD PC: The serial port you are using is faulty - fully check it by using a wrap/loopback plug.
* OLD PC: You did not type the MODE and CTTY commands properly.
* OLD PC: Verify that your first serial port is configured for: I/O port of 3F8, interrupt of IRQ 4
* OLD PC: Verify that your second serial port (if it exists) is configured for: I/O port of 2F8, interrupt of IRQ 3

* NEW PC: The serial port you are using is faulty.

* NEW PC: Your serial port is a USB-to-serial adapter, not a serial port built into the motherboard.
                  Just a possibility.
                  On my modern PC, the serial port built into the motherboard works flawlessly with FastLynx.
                  But I can't get two different types of USB-to-serial adapters to transfer the 'bootstrap slave'.