Ordering my Mac tomorrow

[AaronICT]

Yay, I'm ordering my first Mac, a Mac Pro, tomorrow. It's been a long time coming (30+ years in the DOS/Windows/PC world) and a very welcome change.

I have a few questions about migrating my data, one external drives and the other about my iTunes music collection.

First the drives. I have 5 80GB hard drives, 2 internal and 3 external, hooked up to my PC. All are formatted NTFS. There's room on them to probably get the data onto 4 drives, leaving 1 that I can start my conversion with.

I understand that Mac can only read NTFS, so am I right in thinking I can take 1 of my external drives (these are all IDE btw), the one that will be empty, hook it up through USB and then reformat it for the Mac, and then hook up one of the NTFSs as another external drive... then move the files from the NTFS to the newly-formatted Mac one?

Does that make sense? Then I would reformat the second NTFS drive to Mac, hook up another and then do the same, until all drives are transferred, leaving me with one empty drive.

If I'm missing something let me know. Would it be easier to just move the files to the Mac Pro and then put them on the drives?

Finally, my iTunes collection. I have over three years of ratings and play counts... any way to save them?

Thanks for your help,
Aaron

 

[Bwebb]

Let me qualify my answers first. I still have my PC. I did not have a need to migrate all my data to my Mac, the PC with Win 98se still works. As a 30 year PC user I'm sure you have experienced proprietary hardware/software issues. Unless you plan to destroy, trash or just give away your PC(s) you really do not need to transfer all your data to be accessible by the Mac. Anyway, here is what I think, not fact, just what I have read here and on other forums.


"I understand that Mac can only read NTFS, so am I right in thinking I can take 1 of my external drives (these are all IDE btw), the one that will be empty, hook it up through USB and then reformat it for the Mac, and then hook up one of the NTFSs as another external drive... the""n move the files from the NTFS to the newly-formatted Mac one?"

I believe yes. Format in FAT32 to allow access with both Mac and PC. My impression is that you may not have a PC anymore when you are done (otherwise move all data on all drives), if only Macs will be used then use the Mac (OSX) format.
I have read on several threads that there is a file size limitation of ~4gb. Files most likely to push this limit are graphics/video.


"Does that make sense? Then I would reformat the second NTFS drive to Mac, hook up another and then do the same, until all drives are transferred, leaving me with one empty drive."

Again I believe yes, but again, unless you will no longer have access to a PC why transfer all.


I'm sure you realize some of your data will require a windows based software program to access/modify of even in some cases view it. If you decide you want to move everything and abandon windows PCs totally you can, only have a Mac. If you still want the ability to access/modify files that require a windows only software solution you will need a copy of windows XP (I only say XP because I have not seen any threads relating to other windows versions {mine is 98se, another story}) You can install software on your Mac Pro to run windows then in turn windows software, but that windows setup will still require NTFS drive to store data, or a FAT32 drive with its limits.

One last comment on the transfer method. While USB is able to perform the task, it may not be the quickest. Most posts comparing USB and Firewire 400 or 800 agree that for large transfer operations firewire will be quicker due to sustained transfer rates.

Not able to help with itunes.

I know I have not exactly answered your questions but I hope I have given you some food for thought.

Good luck and enjoy your Mac.

 

[trainguy77]

Finally, my iTunes collection. I have over three years of ratings and play counts... any way to save them?

http://www.ehmac.ca/archive/index.php/t-23676.html

That may help. Also for formats fat32 does have a 4gb file size limit. So mac os x extended journaled is the way to go, unless your PC still needs to access it.

 

[Frisco]

You can use your iPod(assuming you have one) to transfer your music and all the info.

Apple Instructions

Another Way

If you want to connect your PC to you Mac to transfer over files see this Apple Article

Welcome and Congrats on your first Mac!

 

[scan]

Yay, I'm ordering my first Mac, a Mac Pro, tomorrow. It's been a long time coming (30+ years in the DOS/Windows/PC world) and a very welcome change.

Aaron

I don't think DOS/Windows has been around for 30 years...

 

[grapes911]

Also for formats fat32 does have a 4gb file size limit.

While thats a great point and something that people should consider (the exact file size is 4GB minus 1 byte), do you honestly have any files that are over 4GB? Other than those that do video editing or such, I can't image this being a problem.

 

[Bwebb]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_operating_system

"The DOS operating system for the Apple Computer's Apple II family of computers. This was the primary operating system for this family from 1979"

This could easily turn into a whole new thread. You peaked my curiosity, had to search.

Better clarify before it runs away though.

"Disk Operating System (specifically) and disk operating system (generically), most often abbreviated as DOS (not to be confused with the DOS family of disk operating systems for the IBM PC compatible platform), refer to operating system software used in most computers that provides the abstraction and management of secondary storage devices and the information on them (e.g., file systems for organizing files of all sorts). Such software is referred to as a disk operating system when the storage devices it manages are made of rotating platters (such as hard disks or floppy disks)."