Switching iPhone to sync with a new computer

[medgirl2001]

I have a new computer on the way, and I want to switch from syncing my iPhone with my old computer (Windows XP) to the new one (Mac OS X). I think I have a handle on what to do for the iTunes library/apps (sounds like I basically just have to authorize the new computer to use my iTunes account,
copy the iTunes library onto a hard drive, and then copy it to the appropriate location on the new system), but I'm less certain about what to do with the calendar/contact functions. I was syncing with Outlook on my old system, but I think I will try just using the built-in calendar/contacts with the Mac. What do I need to do to make sure that my calendar/contacts are preserved and that I don't accidentally zap them in the move?

 

[wackymacky]

Rather than copy everything to a external HD then on to your Mac why not hook them up with a network cable (if it's a new mac it dosen't need to be a crossover cable)

Copy your files directly and import the music from the old iTunes libaray to the one on the mac. You'll need to autherize the account to get the songs with DRM to work.

On your PC you'll need to export your addrss book to a file that the Mac contacts can read. (I think .CSV works, thought though been a couple of years sice i did it.) then impor this file on into the Mac's contacts/mail app.

You should get all your data from your phone on to the PC and across to the Mac before you sync the phone with the Mac.

Youn can get 3rd party apps to coppy the music from your phone to iTunes, but given you've got all the stuff on your PC its simpler to do it this way.

 

[medgirl2001]

Rather than copy everything to a external HD then on to your Mac why not hook them up with a network cable (if it's a new mac it dosen't need to be a crossover cable)

Copy your files directly and import the music from the old iTunes libaray to the one on the mac. You'll need to autherize the account to get the songs with DRM to work.

On your PC you'll need to export your addrss book to a file that the Mac contacts can read. (I think .CSV works, thought though been a couple of years sice i did it.) then impor this file on into the Mac's contacts/mail app.

You should get all your data from your phone on to the PC and across to the Mac before you sync the phone with the Mac.

Youn can get 3rd party apps to coppy the music from your phone to iTunes, but given you've got all the stuff on your PC its simpler to do it this way.

Thank you for your answer. This is very helpful. Is it tricky getting the two computers to recognize each other when hooked up by ethernet cable? I already have my iTunes library backed up on a hard drive, so it didn't seem like it would be a big deal just to copy from the external hard drive.

I can export my contacts/calendar to .csv, but I was hoping the information could be copied from the iPhone to the new computer the first time I sync. But you're saying _not_ to do this, right? Will the new computer not take the info from the phone to the Mac apps? If it's going to mess things up, then I definitely don't want to do that, but it certainly would be easier just to sync the phone.

 

[medgirl2001]

Just wanted to report an update - when I synced the iPhone with the new computer, it was able to import all of my contacts and calendar items to iCal and the Address Book. It was surprisingly easy. I didn't have to export .csv files from Outlook or convert anything. One caveat would be that the iPhone wouldn't necessarily have old calendar files, depending on how you have it set to sync, but otherwise it was quite easy.