Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

How to migrate from PC to Mac?

B

bollweevil

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 1, 2008
410
1
I have just purchased my first ever Mac. Now, how can I move all the files from my PC onto my Mac? My options:

1. On my PC, turn sharing on for my entire C: drive. Then use the Mac to access the PC and grab everything off it using the wireless LAN. This would work, but it seems imprecise and very insecure. If I do this, literally any computer on my local network can see all the files on my PC, and I don't want that.

2. Look really hard for a crossover cable (I probably have one). I would look hard if I knew for sure that it would help. Once I find it, then what?

3. Something else?

Another question I have: I intend to install VMWare Fusion and Windows, but I haven't done so yet. Should I be thinking about putting some of the files in the Windows partition? How does that work? Could someone tell me a website that explains the basics of Fusion, perhaps?

Thanks.
 
bollweevil said:
Another question I have: I intend to install VMWare Fusion and Windows, but I haven't done so yet. Should I be thinking about putting some of the files in the Windows partition? How does that work? Could someone tell me a website that explains the basics of Fusion, perhaps?
Click to expand...

Many users here, including myself, have VMWare Fusion installed (in fact, I'm running it as I type this). Elaborate on the question and I may be able to help :)
 
To transfer files to Fusion, you would first transfer them to your Mac and then while it is running, just drop the icons onto your "Windows desktop" in the Fusion window, simple as that. You may even be able to transfer them like that directly from your PC through Finder (skip transferring them to OS X, per se, and directly to Windows on Fusion).
 
bollweevil said:
...how can I move all the files from my PC onto my Mac?...Look really hard for a crossover cable... Once I find it, then what?... Something else?...
Click to expand...

First, you won't need a crossover cable, the mac can use a normal ethernet cable to connect directly to another computer.

Second, after you connect both computers with an ethernet cable (be sure to turn off the wireless tough, to prevent the rest of computers connected to your network to be able to use your files) share the entire hard drive (the C disk on your PC) and do what you intended to do over the WLAN.

Third, on the something else point, I can suggest 3 things:
  1. Create a wireless network on your mac to connect your PC to and do the same sharing as before, without any other computer connected to this "private" network. However, this would be slower than doing it over ethernet.
  2. Use a flash drive to transport the files between computers
  3. Burn CD/DVDs in the PC to copy your files to the mac.
 
bollweevil said:
Another question I have: I intend to install VMWare Fusion and Windows, but I haven't done so yet. Should I be thinking about putting some of the files in the Windows partition?
Click to expand...
If you follow the VMWare Fusion defaults, you'll create a "virtual disk" (instead of a partition) for your Windows machine.

A virtual disk is simply a file on your Mac that your Windows machine treats as its C: drive. (You can add other virtual disk if you need a D: drive, etc)

One of the nice things about virtual disks (over partitions) is that they start small and grow. VMWare will ask you for the maximum size. Windows will always think that the drive is that size, but on your Mac, the virtual disk will only be using as much space as you have data. For example, you could set the max size to 100GB. Windows will always think the C: drive is 100GB, but if you only have 10GB of data on it, the virtual disk will physically only be taking up 10GB on your Mac. As you copy more data to it in Windows, the size on your Mac grows.

As to whether or not you should think about moving data from your Windows machine to you Fusion on your Mac, it's up to you. Personally, I only use Fusion to run one program my Mac can't, so other than that program, I moved all of the rest of my data from my Windows PC to the Mac.

I'd recommend you use an external drive for moving files. Once you're done moving, it could become your Time Machine drive for backing up your Mac.
 
bollweevil said:
I have just purchased my first ever Mac. Now, how can I move all the files from my PC onto my Mac? My options:

1. On my PC, turn sharing on for my entire C: drive. Then use the Mac to access the PC and grab everything off it using the wireless LAN. This would work, but it seems imprecise and very insecure. If I do this, literally any computer on my local network can see all the files on my PC, and I don't want that.

2. Look really hard for a crossover cable (I probably have one). I would look hard if I knew for sure that it would help. Once I find it, then what?

3. Something else?
Click to expand...
I'm in similar situation as you, except my mac is old :)


there's a guides.macrumors.com page with more details.

here's the summary (i think):
forget the wifi, just connect with Ethernet cable. I've read that newer macs can switch whether you use crossover or straighthru. so can your router (I've read).

in win, share that docs folders (per common advice, do not share the drive root such as c:\)
(you know the rest of firewall, file sharing on win, so no more here about that.)

on the Mac, do what you need in preferences: sharing preferences and network preferences.
1) computer name, user, workgroup. workgroup should be same as win workgroup (which i like to be other than MS's default "WORKGROUP".)
2) maybe the rendezvous/bonjour name needs noting (?)
3) be sure personal file sharing and windows file sharing are checkboxed on.
4) look in firewall tab. if fw is set on, then allow windows file sharing & personal file sharing.
5) automatic DHCP

to see each other (only when properly fitted with computer condoms to be prudent): in Finder Go > Server (or Folder whatever) menu, type:
smb://Macname/MacuserName
(or something like that)
in win explorer, type:
\\Macname\
though I'd expect the mac would just show in nethood, like any other computer on your LAN (router or hub/switch).

I don't know exactly how this will result, since I've decided the NIC in my mac must be schmooed. there's an rj45 jack already on the "logic board", so why was the NIC installed? anyway, that's my mess, not yours :) So someone else here can fix this summary...
 
CDs/DVDs (i like using them for backup)

Portable HDD (best option)

Ethernet cable - direct connect (i don't know how to set this up as it always told me "ethernet cable not connected")

USB stick(s)



when I made the switch, I just

-burned CD of documents/pictures
-burned DVD of my program install files (even though I don't have a PC, they may still come in handy, which they have)
-burned DVDs of all my music
-said Goodbye to windows, and deleted all my personal files, then gave it away.


Of course nowadays I have a much more organized (and larger) music library, movies, and lots of stuff, so backuping up to DVDs could take a while (though I still do it for music/documents/photos). I have a portable HDD to backup to now.


I just wish I had remembered to backup my photos recently. my entire "Photos" directory got deleted somehow. I didn't notice until I seen the alias gone from the finder sidebar. At that point it was too late, and i lost some photos that can never be replaced :(
 
There are several way to transfer your files. Do you have an external drive or DVD/CD burner?

By burning your files onto DVD/CD, you'll have a physical backup in addition to having a way to transport your files.
 
i was in the same situation as you a few weeks ago. You can set up a network (you will need to anyways) and share wirelessly, which works great for smallerish files, such as music or some photos. For larger files, i happened to have a crossover ethernet cable. I just plugged it into my MBP and into the PC. Also, on the "shared folder", you will need to right click on the folder (on the PC) and set the option to share content.

It goes so much faster. There are some great videos on youtube that show you how to do all this stuff, since there are soooo many variations on how to set up a network and such. Some of the wesites i found on how to do this just didnt work. I wasted $20 on dual layer DVDs, as just networking the computers was just as good and fast.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back