Transfering music from pc to mac.

[archiesdad]

Evening, just invested in a Macbook and need to move my music[and pictures] from my pc over, tried using wifi using mac transfer system but it was going to take approx 55 hours, son in law suggests using cables to the router, 1 in and 1 out, wondered if I can just connect the two systems with one Lan? cable directly as both ends are the same and miss out the router? or should I leave this to my computer knowledgable S o Law.?

[Gordon Steadman]

Do you not have the music backed up to a hard disk?? If not why not? If you do, just plug the disk into the Mac!!

[Rothchild]

If you want to skip the router you'll need a 'crossover cable' (and a bit of networking nouse)

Helpful vid here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQaFNgU2cBU

TBH though I'd use a usb hard drive or just go via the router.

[Stratmangler]

Son in law is correct - it will be considerably quicker if you plug both devices into your router.
It might still take a long time though.
There are potentially 3 points that will act as a bottleneck - the speed of the LAN port on the Windoze PC/the speed of the LAN port on the Mac/the speed of the LAN ports on the router.
If all the LAN ports can support Gigabit working then you should gain a fair bit of transfer speed.
If just one port only works at 100Meg that will dictate how fast the transfer can take place.

And I fully agree with Gordon's comment about using the backup.
If you haven't got a backup then sort one out.

[archiesdad]

Cheers guys, I had it all backed up on a standalone hard drive but it seems to have thrown a wobbly, gonna try downloading the driver again to the mac and see if it'll work as expected, if not a new drive will be sourced and used regularly. Ta.

[Stratmangler]

Your issue with the external HDD might have something to do with the formatting of the drive and the Mac not liking it.
If the drive was formatted for Windoze that might be the explanation for your problem.

[Gordon Steadman]

Your issue with the external HDD might have something to do with the formatting of the drive and the Mac not liking it.
If the drive was formatted for Windoze that might be the explanation for your problem.

Maybe the later systems object to such things. My Mac (10.6.8) will read any Windoze formatted disk. Good luck, hope you get it sorted.

[Gordon Steadman]

Cheers guys, I had it all backed up on a standalone hard drive but it seems to have thrown a wobbly, gonna try downloading the driver again to the mac and see if it'll work as expected, if not a new drive will be sourced and used regularly. Ta.

With time machine, you can just plug it and back ups are automatic. Course, you then need another external to back up the back up just in case:eyebrows:

[mikmas]

My Mac (10.6.8) will read any Windoze formatted disk.

Indeed - as does any OS going way back and right up to the present day (I am running 10.10.4 Yosemite) Mac can also write Windows formats - including NFTS with a bit of help.

[Stratmangler]

Sounds like the backup HDD is fooked then.

[archiesdad]

Tried the HDD in another set up, no joy, seems like it's fubar'd, so started the weary process of ripping discs, again, but being more selective this time.