new mac user transferring music

Hey guys,

I just got a Mac and I'm having a problem moving my music from a PC. I've put everything that was in my iTunes folder (i.e. all mp3s, vids, library files etc.) onto a PC formatted external hard drive. When the drive is plugged into my PC all the files are visible. When I plug the drive into my Mac all of the folders are there, but none of the files. According to the Mac the folders are completely empty. Any ideas how to "unhide" the files in the hard drive so my Mac sees them?

Thanks,
Brendan

Not sure if those files are hidden but just download this widget to reveal/un-show hidden files. It's free from apple site.

Thanks for the link. Pretty sure the files aren't hidden, but I tried it anyways... no luck. If the files were hidden the folder wouldn't say "zero kb on disk" right? Regardless, it's like the files aren't there at all, but I know they are because when the drive is plugged into my PC they are visible. Any other suggestions?

yep. if you right click on the folder and Get Info you will see the size (e.g 1Gb) but will say "zero items". That for sure there are hidden files in it.

I know there must be other way to do this but this will be my solution. Format the external HD (be sure to back up everything in it). Choose Fat32 (this will make sure that your PC can read/write on it -- take note of the file size limitation of Fat32 for additional info). Mac can also read/copy what's inside.

Hope this helps

-LANZ

Ok thanks again for your input. I'm not sure that re-formatting would necessarily be beneficial in this situation. I don't care that I can't write files to the drive, I just want to get the files off of it. I should be able to do that even though it's formatted for NTFS, right? I just don't understand why some files aren't visible at all, when I know they are there.

The reason is because you formatted the disk incorrectly. I don't know Windows well enough to explain, but in Toast we have that option as well -- Mac Volume, PC Volume (Mac content invisible), PC/Mac Volume.

Don't worry about it, however. I believe you can just use the Go menu in Finder to "go to folder" and it will show all folders even if invisible. That should do the trick.

PS. What you really should have done is copied the entire iTunes folder instead of the contents of it. That would have eliminated the problem.

I never re-formatted the drive. It's a drive from one of my old PCs that I put in an external hard drive enclosure to be used for storage. Also, sorry I should have been more clear... I did copy the entire iTunes folder. It's some of the files inside that folder and the files in the contained folders that are not visible. I was only referring to the individual files to exemplify that the folders were visible, but not the files. I'll try the "go to folder" option and see if the files show up in there.

I tried using "go to folder" and it took me to the correct folder on the hard drive, but the folder was still empty. Any other suggestions?

Here is some interesting information that might prove useful. I just plugged the external hard drive into an older iMac I have with OS X version 10.3.9, and all the files are visible and in the proper folders. Why would they be visible on that machine, but not on my G5 that's running version 10.4.11? Pretty strange. I'm still trying to get them from the drive to my G5, so any info would still be much appreciated. Thanks!

Hmmm. That IS a mystery. I'm afraid I have no idea, sorry.

BTB0923 said:

Ok thanks again for your input. I'm not sure that re-formatting would necessarily be beneficial in this situation. I don't care that I can't write files to the drive, I just want to get the files off of it. I should be able to do that even though it's formatted for NTFS, right? I just don't understand why some files aren't visible at all, when I know they are there.

Click to expand...

yes it can read NTFS but we really really don't know what happened here. What I want to emphasize is that it's better if Mac will format it just to make sure Mac can read it. I know it sounds absurd but it make sense in some deeper way. Make mac format it with the type that both win and mac can read/write.