Copy I-Photo library to windows PC then to DVD?

[skythepig]

A friend has asked me to copy their i-photo library from there imac onto cd/dvd prior to giving the mac to their grandad.I am a windows user and not that familiar with mac. Is it possible to copy the whole library keeping the folder structure intact onto a usb hard disk (win ntfs) and then plug this into a win XP pc and copy the library onto a DVD/CD so that they can then copy this to their new macbook?. The CD writer in the imac does not appear to work and just ejects any disks straight away. Any other way of copying the files to DVD/CD appreciated. Library is approx 2.7gb. Thanks Skythepig

 

[BlueRevolution]

That should work with no problem. Bear in mind that Macs can't by default write to NTFS-formatted drives/partitions, so your friend will need to have MacFUSE and NTFS-3G installed, or you'll have to format the drive to something more palatable, like FAT32.

 

[spinnerlys]

Wouldn't it be easier to buy a 4GB USB flash memory stick? Those are formatted with FAT32 file system, write and readable by Mac OS X and Windows.

Besides that, you can do what you wanna do, but you have to install NTFS-3G drivers on the Mac to be able to write to your NTFS formatted HDD.
Then you're able to copy the iPhoto Library and burn it via your Windows PC.

 

[skythepig]

Sorry can I just clarify..would it be better to format the usb hdd as fat32 then copy the iphoto library to it from the mac?. Then on my win pc copy the library from the usb hdd to my dvd drive and they should be able to copy the library from this DVD onto their new mac?. The problem I have is that they live 200 miles away and i have the mac here. Will copying the library leave a copy on the mac until I can confirm they are able to read the dvd. They have over 10 years of important family photos on there so I dont want to mess this up. thanks Skythepig

 

[spinnerlys]

Sorry can I just clarify..would it be better to format the usb hdd as fat32 then copy the iphoto library to it from the mac?. Then on my win pc copy the library from the usb hdd to my dvd drive and they should be able to copy the library from this DVD onto their new mac?. The problem I have is that they live 200 miles away and i have the mac here. Will copying the library leave a copy on the mac until I can confirm they are able to read the dvd. They have over 10 years of important family photos on there so I dont want to mess this up. thanks Skythepig

You don't need to format the HDD with FAT 32, only if it is empty you can do that. As Blue and I pointed out you can use NTFS-3G to write to NTFS formatted drives.
Or get a USB Stick and copy the data on that and maybe even burn a DVD from there, so you have two media devices storing that data

 

[BlueRevolution]

Yeah, a memory stick would be a good idea. Fewer data transfers = less chance of corruption.