HT204087: Move your data from a Windows PC to a Mac

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airesimon
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Q: Is the Migration Assistant only used once, or can it be used repeatedly to bring things from a PC to a Mac in a slower, more controlled way?

Is the Migration Assistant only to be used once, or can it be used repeatedly to bring things from a PC to a Mac over an extended period of time,  controlling what is brought over and when?

Posted on Nov 25, 2012 11:56 AM

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airesimon

Q: Is the Migration Assistant only used once, or can it be used repeatedly to bring things from a PC to a Mac in a slower, more contr ... more

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  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Nov 25, 2012 11:59 AM in response to airesimon
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    Desktops
    Nov 25, 2012 11:59 AM in response to airesimon

    No. It's pretty much limited to an all or nothing use. That's its intended purpose. It's not a file sync or backup solution.

  • by airesimon,

    airesimon airesimon Nov 25, 2012 12:13 PM in response to Kappy
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    Nov 25, 2012 12:13 PM in response to Kappy

    Thank you, I have a Thinkpad that I have been nursing along.  I just purchased MacBook Pro, and I'm a wreck about transferring stuff and then being able to find it all at once.  I'm hoping to find a sane way to pace myself moving things over.  I don't know whether I should try it myself, or pay to get the stuff moved.

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Nov 25, 2012 12:19 PM in response to airesimon
    Level 10 (271,860 points)
    Desktops
    Nov 25, 2012 12:19 PM in response to airesimon

    If all you care about are documents, then you  could simply transfer them to a flash drive. Format the flash drive FAT32 so it is fully compatible with the Mac. If you format it NTFS the Mac will be able to read from the drive, but not write to the drive.

  • by airesimon,

    airesimon airesimon Nov 25, 2012 12:45 PM in response to Kappy
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    Nov 25, 2012 12:45 PM in response to Kappy

    My issue is that I have been using this ThinkPad for 6 years.  I've got stuff, pictures in the "Olympus" program folder, documents, Quicken files, etc. all over the place.  I was planning on just gradually stripping things off that laptop and transferring to the Apple machine and then deleting them on the PC.  Eventually leaving the PC in my office as I get everything over to the Mac.  I've been transitioning for a while now, Ipod, Iphone, and Ipad over the years.  My laptop has always just served as my portable brain, and I have an irrational fear of losing things.  I'd be happy right now if I could just figure out the simplist way to get my quicken data and my music library over.  I'm about 6 or 7 years past the technilogical crest of the wave, and I don't want to do anything that can't be reversed.

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Nov 25, 2012 12:54 PM in response to airesimon
    Level 10 (271,860 points)
    Desktops
    Nov 25, 2012 12:54 PM in response to airesimon

    I think you would be fine simply copying your pictures and other documents to a flash drive or other external USB drive. This should be fine with Quicken files, but before you transfer them I would re-save them to whatever generic format that is supported. Quicken on the Mac should read the standard .qif files.

     

    For your iTunes library:

     

    iTunes- How to move the library to an EHD

    MacWorld - Move an iTunes library from a Windows PC to a Mac


  • by airesimon,

    airesimon airesimon Nov 25, 2012 1:12 PM in response to Kappy
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    Nov 25, 2012 1:12 PM in response to Kappy

    I purchased a USB drive to use as a backup for the Mac.  So I should use the Apple disc utility and format that drive to FAT32.  The PC will be able to transfer data onto that drive, and the Mac will be able to read and write to that USB drive?

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Nov 25, 2012 6:00 PM in response to airesimon
    Level 10 (271,860 points)
    Desktops
    Nov 25, 2012 6:00 PM in response to airesimon

    Yes, that is correct.