Couple of basic questions regarding file transfers between Windows and Mac OS

[AR86]

So I'm basically set on getting a riMac in a few months but until then i'm still using my Dell Laptop which is almost full to the brim so I thought about maybe getting a 2TB external passport drive which I could shift the bulk of the 500gb of data that currently resides on my laptop hard drive over to and any other files that accumulate between now and when I get my rImac.

So my question(s) is what steps do I need to take to make sure that my hard drive is good to go when my rImac arrives? because i'd love to just plug it in and have most of my stuff there but a friend has told me it's a very complicated procedure and that nothing i've saved on my external hard drive will show up on Mac OS due to the formatting but having read online it seems if I formated the drive as exFat that I should be ok but i'm still not sure. I'm asking as with most people i'm going to go with a pure 256gb SSD option so won't have anything but programs and software installed internally so practically all my movies/music/photos etc will be held externally. Any help is welcome.

 

[Fishrrman]

What follows is my opinion only (others will disagree).

I would suggest that if you intend to buy an external drive to use with the iMac, that you initialize it to Mac-format only (HFS+, journaling enabled).

Then, for moving files, use a DIFFERENT drive that is "cross-platform formatted" specifically for that purpose.
For example, you might use a USB flashdrive of sufficient capacity.

I would not trust a cross-platform formatted drive for long-term usage with the Mac. Perhaps it's only superstition on my part, but I've seen numerous reports here from users who were using such a cross-formatted drive with their Macs, and then at some point they found their data just went.... "POOF!" on them..... gone.

Also, if you're a first-time "switcher", I suggest you plan on a "period of adjustment", so to speak, of about 4-6 months, during which you also keep the old Dell "close and accessible". This way, if you run into "adaptation problems" with the Mac, you can fall back to the Dell until you get things worked out.

 

[chabig]

I agree 100% with the above. When your get the iMac and the drive, so next the Dell over a network to copy the files you want.

 

[AR86]

What follows is my opinion only (others will disagree).

I would suggest that if you intend to buy an external drive to use with the iMac, that you initialize it to Mac-format only (HFS+, journaling enabled).

Then, for moving files, use a DIFFERENT drive that is "cross-platform formatted" specifically for that purpose.
For example, you might use a USB flashdrive of sufficient capacity.

I would not trust a cross-platform formatted drive for long-term usage with the Mac. Perhaps it's only superstition on my part, but I've seen numerous reports here from users who were using such a cross-formatted drive with their Macs, and then at some point they found their data just went.... "POOF!" on them..... gone.

Also, if you're a first-time "switcher", I suggest you plan on a "period of adjustment", so to speak, of about 4-6 months, during which you also keep the old Dell "close and accessible". This way, if you run into "adaptation problems" with the Mac, you can fall back to the Dell until you get things worked out.

Ok so would this work; I've got a 32gb usb 3.0 device so when the time comes i'll format it to exFat so it can be read by both Windows and Mac OS then transfer from one to other while keeping my new external hard drive (that will be for use with the riMac) Mac Formated only?

 

[chabig]

Ok so would this work; I've got a 32gb usb 3.0 device so when the time comes i'll format it to exFat so it can be read by both Windows and Mac OS then transfer from one to other while keeping my new external hard drive (that will be for use with the riMac) Mac Formated only?

That will work.