mgavorski
Level 1 (4 points)
Desktops

Q: Help transferring old files from an iMac G3 to my MacBook Pro

Hello! I would like to transfer old photos and documents from an our old iMac PowerPC G3 333Mhz running OS 8.5.1 thats been in storage since 2002/2003 to my current MacBook Pro so I can archive the old files and photos. Does anyone have an easy way to do this? I was happy to see our old Purple iMac fire right up!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3)

Posted on Jun 5, 2016 1:44 PM

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mgavorski

Q: Help transferring old files from an iMac G3 to my MacBook Pro

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  • by Niel,Helpful

    Niel Niel Jun 5, 2016 1:47 PM in response to mgavorski
    Level 10 (311,951 points)
    Jun 5, 2016 1:47 PM in response to mgavorski

    Put them on an external drive, or network the computers and use File Sharing.

     

    (142764)

  • by mgavorski,

    mgavorski mgavorski Jun 5, 2016 1:50 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 5, 2016 1:50 PM in response to Niel

    Hi Niel, can I network them directly? I can run an ethernet cable between the two with a thunderbolt adapter right into my MBP. Would I be able to see the iMac then as a remote drive? If so what would be the proper file sharing settings on the Old iMac and MBP?

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Jun 5, 2016 1:53 PM in response to mgavorski
    Level 10 (311,951 points)
    Jun 5, 2016 1:53 PM in response to mgavorski

    1. Yes.

    2. Start File Sharing on one computer, and then use the Connect to Server command in the Finder's Go menu on the other. If the old iMac is running Mac OS 9 or earlier, you may not be able to use File Sharing.

     

    (142765)

  • by Jan Hedlund,

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Jun 5, 2016 6:04 PM in response to mgavorski
    Level 6 (9,869 points)
    Jun 5, 2016 6:04 PM in response to mgavorski

    As Niel indicated, file sharing between Mac OS X and pre-Mac OS 9 machines may be problematic. The chart at http://www.applefool.com/se30/#afpnetwork could perhaps be of some interest in this context.

     

    If necessary, one could try a small FTP server setup (like the now free NetPresenz) on the Mac OS 8.5.1 iMac G3. A local TCP/IP Ethernet connection (via the LAN ports of a router) would allow an FTP client at a modern computer to download from (and upload to) the server. Alternatively, one may possibly want to experiment with (built-in) 8.5.1 web sharing.

     

    Providing that the 8.5.1 machine is or can be connected to the Internet, further transfer methods include uploading files to a "cloud drive" or sending files as email attachments.

     

    Finally, it is also possible to remove the internal hard drive from the iMacG3, and then use a universal USB adapter (similar to the one at http://www.newertech.com/products/usb3_universaldriveadap.php) connected to a modern computer.