Best/fastest thumb drives?

Once my new iMac arrives it seems clear to me that I'll be regularly transferring files/folders back and forth from PC to Mac and back as I learn the new OS.

Seems to me best method to accomplish repeatedly would be via a good, FAST thumb-drive. Thinking 2gb.

I know there are many available but I don't know how to determine best/fastest which is what I want. Would appreciate your advice/opinions on this.

Well, pretty much every thumb-drive now uses USB 2.0, so speed is going to be the same on every one. I have the SanDisk JumpDrive, works well.

Just remember to format it to FAT32 if you're going to be swapping files between OSX and Windows.

surfwax95 said:

Just remember to format it to FAT32 if you're going to be swapping files between OSX and Windows.

Click to expand...

Good point...had forgotten that. Also, although I read something about this, I don't quite understand the significance.

My PC is formatted NTFS. The sample CD full of pix and text that I took to the Apple Store for experimentation was burned directly from this PC. Macs had zero problem reading/transferring any of it.

Since PC is running fine and is NTFS, I am disinterested in disturbing any of it. Am I headed for trouble? Or is this something I only need to do with the thumb-drive? Certainly would prefer to avoid self-induced troubles.

Well, the thing is, a CD doesn't have to be formatted like a drive. A CD on a Mac is a CD on a PC. Thumb/Hard drives however, have to be formatted so that the computer knows how to read the info. Macs and PCs use different native formats; Mac=HFS+, while Windows uses NTFS (for the most part). Macs can read from NTFS, but not write to it, while Windows can't do anything with HFS+. They can both read/write from FAT32.

Keep your PC formatted to NTFS, no problem. Just format the drive, using the PC, to FAT32. Then you'll be able to write/read with both Windows and Mac.

OCZ Rally dual-channel thumbdrives, available in 512mb, 1gb, and 2gb capacities. Link to 2gb model:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820203004

surfwax95 said:

Keep your PC formatted to NTFS, no problem. Just format the drive, using the PC, to FAT32. Then you'll be able to write/read with both Windows and Mac.

Click to expand...

Got it. Thanks for this useful advice! You may have saved me from considerable confusion/aggravation during my "launch".

if both computers are at home i would toy around with the idea of setting up a simple network between your computers so you can just send them back and forth without having to plug and unplug things.

remember that the best way to learn the os is to use it and learn from experience. if you are having trouble with something in osx either ask or try to figure it out before sending it over to your pc.

good luck with the switch and ask as many questions as you want here on the forums!
-chris

I just got this one but it was before they had the rebate, but it is awesome.
http://www.buy.com/prod/US_Modular_..._External_Flash_Drive/q/loc/101/10381020.html