WinXP Switcher - Questions on setup

[DeepIn2U]

Hi everyone. New switcher here and setting up family Mac Mini, and got a lot of questions that I hope you all can help out or point me in the right direction.

I've manually transfered all manner of WinXP documents in our new Mac Mini [Mac HDD Shared Folder]. Although I'm the admin, I cannot access the files in each of my kids shared folders (& subfolders) and move them to their respective Mac preset folder allocations.

1. How can I quickly change ownership of each folder that contains files & sub-folders to a standard Mac user account and Move (not copy) into their Home Folder?

2. Also, who the frak is "wheel"?!?? When I check the permissions to the folders i created on the Mac Mini, most of the file/folders from the WindowsXP PC a user "wheel" shows as Read Only in the permissions section of Info. I've never had this user created on the mac nor on the WinXP PC (2 old Dells) nor ever had "wheel" set for RDP or remote assistance to share the PC or any family members' settings either. Although I purchased my Mac Mini 3,1 used - I did a CLEAN install after (doing a Zero pass format of Journaled) I got home with SL then did an update before doing any of the file transfer. Should I be worried? In any event I've begun removing this user and rebooting the mac.

Is there a free app that is compatible with Windows' Word/Excel/PowerPoint 2003/2007 files?? Preview will only in a mini window show the first 4 pages and I just realized resume and training documents are in Windows format.

Thanks for any help or pointers in advance.

 

[ARF900]

for 1 you need to create the new users by logging out first, then go back to the admin account and you should be able to move the folders you transferred into the new user accounts in the users folders in macintosh HD.

I dont know about 2

and for 3 you could just get open office?

 

[vansouza]

Welcome to the club...

http://www.opensourcemac.org/

The above link should keep you occupied for a while... enjoy...

 

[Consultant]

1. Put file on external drive, copy from external when you are logged into the proper account.

3. Search "open office"

 

[Mr.Texor]

2. In short, the wheel group consists of users that have admin privileges. I'm not sure if that has changed in 10.6, but I doubt it. Therefore, since your user is an admin, then it belongs to that group.

"Users can be either people, meaning accounts tied to physical users, or accounts which exist for specific applications to use.

Groups are logical expressions of organization, tying users together for a common purpose. Users within the same group can read, write, or execute files owned by the group."

Say, you have Amy and John working on the same project. You want those 2 people to be able to share certain files but keep the other's private. You create a group for Amy and John called "newgroup." Any file that needs to be shared is then tied to that group so that both users can use it.

about 90% of the time (or more) on a mac all of this is done "behind the scenes" and the users never know about. But once in a while, it's good to understand and use the file privilege system.
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As far as getting a word processor that can open word documents, I believe that TextEdit allows you top open some of the word documents... at leas so that you can print them. But I do not recommend it as a word processor. Open Office is a free Microsoft Word replacement, tho I dont like it that much either.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Thank you ALL!

@ Mr.Texor,
Woah! That made sense actually and is really cool. I've rarely seen a file created with a group name in a corporation with user's hidden - I think once in the AD environment. Good to know in home Mac OS its possible. That "wheel" group had me all in a panice; thanks for clarifying that up.

@ Consultant,
Files & Folders where sourced on external drive (at least to the Mac) via Cat5 connection to the WiFi router and on WinXP box.

@ vansouza,
Thanks for the link. Didn't know VLC was available for Mac but I think Perian is one I'll use and donate to soon. OpenOffice as also suggested by Consultant & ARF900 is weird looking but I'll try it out - however future work projects done at home may lead me to OfficeMac but I'll try to hold out till late 2010 when Outlook with PST support comes to Mac - with its own issues of course.

@ ARF900,
I actually am the original Admin account (first account setup) on this Mac Mini, and tried what you suggested; didn't work & I'm unsure why. Your suggestion should've worked with my existing account.

PS should I be using a Standard account for most of my needs separate from the Admin account?

Again thank you all.