File management question from noob (Switching)

[ed-hawco]

First a quick preamble so you know where I'm at. Leaving Windows XP (yay!) and moving to a Mac Mini. I'm getting the small HD (120 GB), which I will use principally for the OS and the aps. My data will all be on an external 500 GB MiniStack from OWC (via FW800). I will also get another external to use as a backup disk.

I have 14,000 JPGs to move across. Since I have only one monitor and can only use one machine at a time, my plan was to move the JPGs from the WinXP machine (NTFS) onto the BACKUP drive. Then connect the backup drive to the MiniStack and move them across to it. (Don't want to connect the MiniStack directly to the PC because it's formatted to work with a Mac.)

The question: is there a better way to move those JPGs across? Specifically, I'm wondering if there is anything I need to watch out for in the transition from a PC formatted drive to a Mac formatted drive.

I know the two machines are basically compatible, but it's one thing to flip a couple of Word files back and forth and another thing to drag 14,000 JPGs! I'm worried that the Mac will do some weird stuff to the files that will end up making them slower to use on the Mac system or whatever.

So? Am I doing it right?

 

[donuttakedonuts]

erm no you arent.
Use migration assistant and connect the old pc by firewire, or attach it to the network and set it as a file server, then disconnect the display, switch it to the mini, and go to the server, get your files.
Or rip the drive out of the old comp and put it in an enclosure, connect w/ fw and take what you want.

 

[ed-hawco]

complicated

Both of those methods seem awfully complicated. For one thing, the PC doesn't have a FW connection. Second, ripping out the HD and putting it in an enclosure means I'd have to run out and buy an enclosure.

The main concern is about the files. Are you implying that the files will somehow be in better shape by doing it this way, or is it just your preferred method?

In other words, can I safely assume that I don't have to be concerned about the files picking up any kinds of weird artifacts or whatever, no matter what method I use?

 

[-tWv-]

If you do it in your suggested method you should be ok, transferring files between pc and mac files systems is not a problem, and the mac won't do anything to them most likely. It's kind of a indirect route, but it will work. Just make sure you leave the machines alone during the transferring of the files, I know transferring a large amount of files on my windows machine sometimes makes it freeze up and I have to start all over.

One thing you could do is you could buy MacDrive and transfer the files directly from the pc to the mac formatted drive. This cuts out one of the transfers and decreases the possibility that the files could have problems with them. You may not want to buy it because it is only something you are going to use once. I think the trial for macdrive is full-featured so you could just use it for the day you are transferring all the files and then not buy it.

Just to be safe, I would keep a copy of all the jpegs on your pc's hard drive until you know that the files have transferred okay onto your mac. Most likely they will be fine, but just to be safe.

 

[snberk103]

You are getting some good advice.... so I won't add much. Except to say, touchdown and donut are being cautious with their advice (and that is a good thing!). Its not that Macs have a habit of eating up files during transfers, its just that your jpegs are valuable, and you want to minimize any risks. In theory what you propose to do is fine, but in practice there are always risks involved in moving large numbers of files - with its PC to PC, Mac to Mac, PC to Mac.

One advantage of your method (PC to HDD to Mac) is that you preserve the originals in place while you confirm that the transfer occurred error free. Make sure that the PC and HDD are well secured to their power sources. If you have a UPS use it for both so that a power blip doesn't corrupt the transfer.

My first desktop Mac was a Mini. Loved it. One of the things I learned the hard way though.... leave all the "haxies" alone. These are those little programs that will alter the way GUI look and feel. I've observed that 9 times out of 10, when someone is on MR complaining about how OS X is broken (usually blaming Apple) its because they have several add-ons. Its not that all haxies are bad.... but until you know the system better, and how to troubleshoot it without doing more damage, leave the add-ons alone. As I said, I learned this the hard way.

Good Luck and congratulations.

 

[ed-hawco]

Thanks everybody. Good advice. It sounds like as long as I'm careful there shouldn't be any problems.

My biggest worry was that there would be extra baggage added to each JPG file when it was converted. Back in the old days, a Mac file was composed of two parts; a data fork and a resource fork. This was invisible on the Mac, but when you moved a file over to a PC it would split into two files -- one with your data, and a second one (1k) that was irrelevant on a PC.

It's not like that anymore, but Macs still have a bit of magical pixie dust going on under the hood, and I was worried that every file might need to have some kind of invisible thing added to it when it was moved from the PC to the Mac, and that there might be a "right" way and a "wrong" way to do that when it comes to a large number of files.

Or maybe I'm just paranoid! Looking forward to my new Mac Mini!