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General discussion

hmmm... switching from a PC to a Macbook... is it hard?

by iwuzbord Apr 23, 2008 5:39AM PDT

Hey, Im a student and i have a desktop pc. Im going to need a laptop and i know that a mac is the best way to go. I am going to go for the black macbook, because it is portable enough, has a processor equal to my semi outdated pc, and a great amount of hd space. My only concern is migrating my data. I have an 30gb ipod, and read on the apple website that you can use that as a mass storage device and migrate the data, but my itunes library barely fits on that, and i know that adding on documents wont make it easier. I also thought of networking the machines. I have a wireless network set up currently, but i dont know how networking will work on a mac, or how the transfer process will be. i also thought of using an Ethernet cable and linking the two, but am not completely sure on what i have to do on the mac to get that to work. overall, my two questions are, how do i migrate all of my data?, and how do i get my ipod to work on the new system?

Discussion is locked

9 Posts
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Just checking.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Apr 23, 2008 5:52AM PDT

1. It's easy for me.

2. But I have a backup plan. You seem to have nothing on "backup."

3. The ipod may be one plan for the move but can I ask this -> Why isn't 30GB enough to move over? That is, if more than 30GB why not two moves?

Bob

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about that...
by iwuzbord Apr 23, 2008 6:32AM PDT

really, the main thing i am worried about here is my music and all of my itunes files. 30gb isnt enough because my itunes library currently consists of 42gb of data. now, if i wanted to do two moves, it would not only require a lot of time, and erasing, and more copying, and so on ans so forth, but that is what i am trying to avoid. I dont want to have to go through the erasing and coping process twice. I am looking for another processes, possibly faster. do you think that the 2 moves would take very long? As for the issue of backup, everything will still be on the original PC. if you think there is a reason for further backup, please tell me.

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Perhaps this helps...
by boya84 Apr 23, 2008 7:23AM PDT
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And where is that backup?
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Apr 23, 2008 8:50AM PDT

So far you have such on a PC. Where's the backup?

I can't count how many have to learn this the hard way. Are you asking me to explain why we backup?

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well...
by iwuzbord Apr 23, 2008 9:12AM PDT

so far i have backups for different things. I have a dvd of music, another of pictures, and i have my essential and very important documents or other files on a protected internet drive. The main issue would be my videos. i dont have anything at the moment that would hold 30+ GB of data. i dont want to waste time ripping from cd's and what not. I also fear that if it would come down to ripping my music from the dvd it would take an extremely long time. backup, is not really the issue at this point. It's the actual movement of the data. I am trying to find a way that will really save some time. I have the dvd as a backup, and only want to use them if absolutely necessary.

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So why don't we just do this,
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Apr 23, 2008 9:31AM PDT

Buy the MacBook.
Hook the Macbook into the same network as the PC.
Don't have a network, make one!
Open the PC & Mac to sharing on the network.
Move the files from the PC to the Macbook.

Game over

P

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And when you've done that
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Apr 23, 2008 9:33AM PDT

BACK UP your precious stuff to DVD.

Who cares if it takes hours and dozens of DVD's?

How long is it going to take you to replace it?

BTW, a hard drive is a very poor medium for a backup.

P

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Nods.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Apr 23, 2008 10:25AM PDT

Then nods again.

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reread the apple web site
by cboatwright Apr 25, 2008 3:12PM PDT

I am about to do the same thing that you are doing so i have looked up all this stuff alsoIf you go back and look at the apple web site it tell you that No. 1 if you take your old pc and the lap top to a apple store one of their guys will transfer everything for you. no 2 if you dont have a store near you. the ipod idea, you will have to wipe your ipod clean because you will have to convert it to the apple programing. if you wipe it clean it should give alot of room to transfer your other items, you will also have to transfer your music as files not mp3s if any of them are pirated. no 3 this should all be a moot point if you have a network because you should be able to file share everything.

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