Viewing Windows files on a mac

Hello, Im new to the forum and fairly new to owning a Mac. Im familiar with Windows as that is the operating system Ive always used but my Toshiba laptop crashed on me for the last time and I went out and bought an iMac which runs Mac OS X version 10.5. Here is my issue: I burned off all of my windows cookies, Temporary internet files, history, and favorites to a cd rom disk before I got rid of my laptop so I could transfer them over to my imac. When I put the disk in the imac and try to view them, they show up as index.dat and I dont understand how to view them without it looking like a bunch of crazy symbols and letters that are totally unreadable. Also, some things are showing up as .js(javascript) and some as unix executable files. Again, how do I read them? Any help on this is greatly appreciated!!

I'm going to assume that you're talking about your Internet Explorer bookmarks and you don't migrate over to Mac in that fashion. Additionally, there's no use to save the cookies or temporary files, they are of no value since they will be re-created in Mac through Safari.

The proper way of doing this would've been to go into Internet Explorer, File->Import/Export and then choose to Export your favorites to a file. Take that file over to the Mac and then in Safari, choose to import it.

Do you still have that laptop??

No, I no longer have access to the Toshiba laptop. I ran Windows XP Home on my Toshiba and I dont know about YOUR Internet explorer but in mine they are called FAVORITES, not bookmarks. They are called Bookmarks on my iMac.
I shouldnt have even mentioned the 'favorites' because I am not having a problem getting them to open up. Its the Temp files and History.(Index.dat) that I need access to.

Internet Explorer is probably the only program that does call them favorites. Opera, Safari, Firefox, and others use the word bookmark.

There really is no way that I'm aware of to export your bookmarks and passwords from Internet Explorer, other than to have a superior browser such as Safari or Firefox import them upon setup of either program.

Hopefully this will be a lesson. I recommend using Firefox on your new Mac, as it has a bookmarks exporter and if you go to the plugins menu and search for one called Password Exporter you can save your passwords as well.

Sorry for the loss. Learn from it, and always back up your data.

maccrazygrl said:

I shouldnt have even mentioned the 'favorites' because I am not having a problem getting them to open up. Its the Temp files and History.(Index.dat) that I need access to.

Click to expand...

First, welcome to the forum and to Mac computing!

If you can "see" your favorites that were copied to the disk, you can import them to the iMac one at a time. But it will require opening each page and save it as a bookmark on your Mac. Lots of work. You should have exported them using IE before getting rid of the Toshiba.

As far as the "index.dat" files and temp files are concerned, they are totally useless except for access information and browsing history when running Windows. In other words, you don't need them and can't use them anyway.
Besides, the index.dat files are created in a format that ordinarily can not
be read.

Regards.

maccrazygrl said:

No, I no longer have access to the Toshiba laptop. I ran Windows XP Home on my Toshiba and I dont know about YOUR Internet explorer but in mine they are called FAVORITES, not bookmarks. They are called Bookmarks on my iMac.
I shouldnt have even mentioned the 'favorites' because I am not having a problem getting them to open up. Its the Temp files and History.(Index.dat) that I need access to.

Click to expand...

I actually don't use IE, hate it actually. I use Firefox and every sane browser calls them bookmarks. But there's no reason to haggle over words.

If you've gotten your bookmarks/favorites transferred from Windows to Mac, your work is done. The temp files are of no real consequence as they will be re-created (something I mentioned in my original post).

And ohh..I definitely dont' need the attitude and you're welcome..

Just want to re-iterate: Temp files, cookies, and history, no matter the browser or OS, do NOT need to be backed up. For one thing, it's not necessary; for another, there's really no need.
Guess you're all set then?

Thanks to everyone for their input. And to Raz0rEdge, my apologies for the attitude.

Here is my suggestion which works perfectly. Copy all your favorites in your MSWindows' Favorites folder to your mac. Edit and select all and then copy. Now on Safari page click Bookmarks then Show All Bookmarks. Under Collections click Bookmarks mark. On the right paste all the files and you are done. Excellent!!

Here is my suggestion which works perfectly. Copy all your favorites in your MSWindows' Favorites folder to your mac. Edit and select all and then copy. Now on Safari page click Bookmarks then Show All Bookmarks. Under Collections click Bookmarks mark. On the right paste all the files and you are done. Excellent!

Here is my suggestion which works perfectly. Copy all your favorites in your MSWindows' Favorites folder to your mac. Edit and select all and then copy. Now on Safari page click Bookmarks then Show All Bookmarks. Under Collections click Bookmarks mark. On the right paste all the files and you are done. Excellent!