Transferring Data

[Holmes89]

I currently have a PC and am planning on buying a Macbook in the near future. I know that Apple suggests that you use a portable hard drive but I was wondering if there is a better way. I know you can use target mode between two Macs and transfer between firewire but I don't think I can put my PC into a mode like that. I could also transfer it over a router and ethernet cable at 100mps. What do you think would be the best way to transfer my data?

 

[AppleFan360]

Well, the Apple site is pretty much correct. When I migrated from PC to Mac, I exported my e-mails, address book, bookmarks, documents and favorites to an external drive. Then, when I got the Mac, I simply imported them. It's pretty much the quickest and easiest way. Also, if your files aren't too big, a simply thumb drive will work as well.

A nice program for transferring your outlook stuff (if that's what you are using for e-mail) is Outlook2Mac: http://www.littlemachines.com/

 

[pastrychef]

Even if it's possible to mount a Mac in target disk mode on your PC, you won't be able to write to the Mac's file system. The least expensive and relatively easy way would be to transfer files over a network. Depending on how much data you want to transfer it could be quick or it could take a while. If you've got lots of data to transfer, using an external drive is probably the fastest and easiest way.

 

[Holmes89]

Well, the Apple site is pretty much correct. When I migrated from PC to Mac, I exported my e-mails, address book, bookmarks, documents and favorites to an external drive. Then, when I got the Mac, I simply imported them. It's pretty much the quickest and easiest way. Also, if your files aren't too big, a simply thumb drive will work as well.

A nice program for transferring your outlook stuff (if that's what you are using for e-mail) is Outlook2Mac: http://www.littlemachines.com/

To me it just seems like too many steps. Exactly how fast does USB transfer compared to what ethernet can do? Is it much greater than 100mps? Because that seems like it would be the faster way then because you have to upload everything to the portable drive and then download it from the portable drive when with ethernet you are just downloading strait from the source.

 

[Holmes89]

To me it just seems like too many steps. Exactly how fast does USB transfer compared to what ethernet can do? Is it much greater than 100mps? Because that seems like it would be the faster way then because you have to upload everything to the portable drive and then download it from the portable drive when with ethernet you are just downloading strait from the source.

Never mind I just found it, USB 2.0 transfers at about 480mps so I guess it would be faster to do it that way.

 

[marykay9507]

Are you buying your MacBook at an Apple store? They can do a transfer for you.

 

[Holmes89]

Are you buying your MacBook at an Apple store? They can do a transfer for you.

No I think I'm going to buy it online.

 

[marykay9507]

I think they will still do it for you if you want to avoid the hassle, but am not 100% sure-- couldn't hurt to ask.