Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Please help recover/transfer music/apps--Mac OS to Windows 7

by Z_PAC Mar 1, 2011 6:16AM PST

Long story short:

I listed my Macbook Pro for sale, and the darn thing sold so quickly (first day) that apparently I did not have time to consider the proper way to transfer my iTunes library, so here is where I stand.

I have a complete back up of my Macbook Pro (using Time Machine) on an external WD MyBook 1 TB drive. Unfortunately, when I connect that drive to my new Windows 7 PC (I switched back, don't ask why that is a longer story), it recognizes the drive, but not any of the content on said drive.

I am pretty much a novice on software, and more so on PC since this is my first one in about 10 years.

Any help anyone could provide would be greatly apreciated. Also, I apologize if this has been addressed previously, I plan on looking in greater detail this evening (when not at work).....

Thanks in advance. I am questioning the transition already, and my inability to recover my music, etc. is not helping matters....

Discussion is locked

3 Posts
- Collapse + Expand Details
- Collapse -
Couple of problems here,
by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Mar 1, 2011 8:06AM PST

1. Prior planning
2. WIndows cannot read from, or write to, a Mac formatted disk
3. Time Machine is a piece of Mac software so it is unlikely that you will get Windows to recognize anything on the disk, even if you get it to read the disk. (There is software that will enable Windows to read the disk)

Solutions:
Find someone with a Mac that they don't want, connect the external drive to it and attempt to restore from the Time Machine backup.
Then connect the mac to your home network and copy the tracks over to the PC.

P

- Collapse -
First off--Thank you for replying
by Z_PAC Mar 1, 2011 9:17AM PST

I truly appreciate you taking the time to respond!

I really am a novice as I thought that the PC would be able to see files and folders, etc., especially when it was becoming, at least seemingly, easier for me to utilize files created on one system with another, but I also am not entirely surprised to learn that this is the case.

My wife still has her iMac, I am just not sure if I will be able to restore the entire back up on hers. Assuming I do not have to go so far as restoring the whole back-up, is there a particular manner in which you would suggest I proceed if I can access or add those particular files to her computer?

- Collapse -
This will be very advanced for some.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 1, 2011 9:22AM PST
Back to Audio & Video Software forum

CNET Forums

Operating Systems
Software
Electronics & Gadgets
Hardware
Tablets & Mobile Devices
General Help
Brand Forums
Roadshow Autos
Off Topic

Other Forums

Forum Info