11-28-2007, 12:12 AM

Hello,

I'm a new mac user and I would like to copy a few files over from my pc to my new macbook pro.

I tried the following directions (looking on this site and apple.com's support page).

To move files by connecting your Mac to your PC on the same network:

1. Make sure that both computers are turned on and connected to the Internet.
2. In the Finder on your Mac, choose Connect to Server from the Go menu to open the window.
3. Type your PC's network address in the Server Address text box using this format: smb://ServerName/ShareName, or select the name of your PC in this window (if it appears).
4. Click Connect.
5. Enter your PC's workgroup name, your user name, and your password when prompted, then select the volume or folder you wish to access.
6. Your PC volume should appear on your Mac Desktop.
7. Open the volume and drag and drop files directly from it to anywhere on your Mac.
8. When finished, drag your PC volume to the Trash to unmount it.


I'm having an issue with #3. I'm not 100% sure what to put here? I tried my pc name and then the share folder name and no luck. I tried my IP address and the share name and no luck either.

I also tried to move one file using a external hard drive (which can be used on both PC and Mac. But when I tried this method, the file (.jpg image) I put on the external drive didn't show up when I viewed the drive on my Mac.

If anybody could give me some insight on what to do I would appreciate it.

Thanks

11-28-2007, 12:16 AM

What about copying all your files onto a dvd and then transfering the dvd to your macbook and coping the files onto your macbook

That's what I will be doing when I get a iMac

11-28-2007, 12:21 AM

What Operating System is on the PC? XP? Vista?

What version of OSX is on the Mac? How are the computers connected to each other? Through a router?

11-28-2007, 04:22 AM

#3 means type in the IP address of your PC. Double-click the network tray icon on Windows, the status window will tell you what the IP address is. Log in with the username and password of your Windows account and choose the share you want from the drop-down. Also check to see if the PC shows up in the Network folder in a Finder window - if it does, click it and click the Connect... button, which saves faffing around with IP addresses.

11-28-2007, 07:54 AM

also, what is you hard drive formatted with
if it's FAT32 - os x and windows can read/write to the drive
if it's NTFS - windows can read/write to the drive and os x can only read the drive

11-28-2007, 07:56 AM

Thank you all for you replies.

KiwiJenn - yes its easy to burn DVD's and then copy the files over, but I have about 50 gigs of data I need to move.

dtravis7 - I have XP SP2 on my dell desktop and I'm running Leopard on my macbook pro. Yes I have a router (wireless).

knightlie - I have the ip Address which I retrieved from the command prompt using ipconfig. My network did not show up in finder so I tried to connect to server and typed the following smb://192.167.1.101/Pictures. Apple said it could not connect.

I even tried using a direct connection via ethernet cable but I had no luck : (

11-28-2007, 07:59 AM

NPuter - The data which is on an external hard drive is FAT32. The main hard drive on the desktop is NTFS (but I only want to move data from my external harddrive).

And the external hard drive I have does not support mac.

11-28-2007, 10:28 AM

Here goes:
If you are not able to connect, set the PC ip address to 192.168.0.1 and the Mac IP address to 192.168.0.2 (system preferences > Network > Ethernet)

Now, click Go > Connect to server > smb://192.168.0.1/ > Connect

The dialog box should appear prompting for user/pass

If it does not appear, then you try accessing the mac from windows. If you are using XP, then go Start > Search > computers or people. Enter the ip address in there (192.168.0.2). The Mac should appear there.

If the mac doesn't appear there, enable Windows sharing from the mac (System Preferences > Sharing)

(All this is direct ethernet cable connect)

Also, in Leopard, click Go > Network and see if the share appears there.

11-28-2007, 11:08 PM

I would like to thank everyone for there help. I was able to move the files I wanted over. I looking to forward to the jump from PC to Mac.

Thanks!

12-01-2007, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by NPuter

also, what is you hard drive formatted with
if it's FAT32 - os x and windows can read/write to the drive
if it's NTFS - windows can read/write to the drive and os x can only read the drive

to Nputer,
following on from your advice, I can only read an external hard drive that is NTFS (previously formatted for use with XP). Im now using an G4 ibook with os x. The lacie manual suggests you cant reformat back to FAT 32 from NTFS.

Im wondering if I can transfer the files, reformat using os x and then transfer back? would that solve it or is my external hard drive done for?

thanks Phil

12-01-2007, 10:53 AM

what do you mean by 'you can only read an external hard drive that is NTFS'?
Both mac and windows read FAT32 with no problems
reformatting your drive to the more compatable FAT32 filesystem would cause you to loose whatever data is on it, so here is what I would do...

1) create a backup of all of the files on the drive to windows or osx (remember osx can read NTFS, but it can't write to it)
2) reformat the drive to FAT32 in osx using my instructions: http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/sho...912#post521912
3) transfer the files you backed up back to the drive
presto... you now have a newly converted FAT32 drive with all your old files on it

so you basically have the steps right, and your drive is definitely not 'done for.'
Hope this Helps!

EDIT: oh... I finally realized what you ment by "I can only read an external hard drive that is NTFS" -ok now it makes sense

12-01-2007, 01:34 PM

You can't generally reformat a drive to FAT32 while in Windows, at least not above 32GB capacity which is why LaCie has given you that warning. I don't think Vista even allows any kind of FAT32. However, OS X has no problems formatting even large drives into FAT32 so no, your drive isn't done for.

12-01-2007, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by goobimama

You can't generally reformat a drive to FAT32 while in Windows, at least not above 32GB capacity which is why LaCie has given you that warning. I don't think Vista even allows any kind of FAT32. However, OS X has no problems formatting even large drives into FAT32 so no, your drive isn't done for.

I know... microsoft wants you to use NTFS, so you can't format a drive over 32GB with FAT32
thats why I said to format the drive using disk utility in osx

Originally Posted by NPuter

... 2) reformat the drive to FAT32 in osx...

12-01-2007, 03:27 PM

I use a 2 gig flash drive. Works great. Do it on a daily basis. And it's super easy on both ends.

12-01-2007, 05:26 PM

thanks Nputer, followed your instructions and it's now working fine