switching!!

Mike Adams · #1 July 14th, 2004, 09:07 AM

I have finally persuaded my wife to switch to a mac! I have looked at the 'how to switch' site and it looks straightforward, except her machine has no CD burner and the new mac has no Zip drive. Is it possible to link the two machines via USB or Firewire and transfer the files that way? If so, does someone have a link, or step-by-step instructions for this?

Thanks

ps Yes I know about the commercial solution, with a dedicated USB cable, but I can't see paying $50 for a one-time use. (Cheap, cheap)

scruffy · #2 July 14th, 2004, 11:52 AM

ethernet - just turn on file sharing on the windows side, connect to the windows file share from the mac, and copy it all over. There's probably other ways, but that's easiest.

symphonix · #3 July 15th, 2004, 06:10 AM

It is also possible to link the Mac to the PC using Firewire in "Target disk mode", but this would require a cable.
If the ZIP drive you have on the PC is a USB one, you should be able to just plug it into the Mac to use it.
That said, I would use the ethernet option as the most convenient all-round.

**Giaguara** · #4 July 15th, 2004, 08:59 AM

You can as well connect both machines to AIM or iChat (on the Mac side), and drop all the files you want transferred. IF they are not many GB it should not take very long.

You'll need 2 different AIM / .mac handles to be connected with.

nixgeek · #5 July 15th, 2004, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giaguara

You can as well connect both machines to AIM or iChat (on the Mac side), and drop all the files you want transferred. IF they are not many GB it should not take very long.

You'll need 2 different AIM / .mac handles to be connected with.

There is a file size limit when you transfer through IM. I've tried doing this with files that were somewhat large (maybe approx 10-20 megs) and I get an error message. IM file transfers are good for small files, but not for a task such as this. Plus, it would have to go out to the Internet only to come back into the network. Talk about taking the scenic route!!

I would probably go with scruffy's recommendation. It's much faster and easier. Although Firewire is even faster (400 Mbps as opposed to 100 or 10 Mbps), that would require a Firewire port on the PC and not until recently have they been a standard on PCs. And yes, a Firewire cable also.

**Giaguara** · #6 July 15th, 2004, 10:47 AM

Weird. I have had more times folders of 3-400 MB dropped in AIM and it worked fine ..

adambyte · #7 July 15th, 2004, 05:54 PM

Also, A firewire transfer would require that the PC have some 3rd party software so it could read a Mac HFS+ formatted disk.

ElDiabloConCaca · #8 July 15th, 2004, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adambyte

Also, A firewire transfer would require that the PC have some 3rd party software so it could read a Mac HFS+ formatted disk.

...not if you were sharing a drive with Windows File Sharing via TCP/IP over FireWire.