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User profile for user: johnfromfelbridge
johnfromfelbridge Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

New to MAC. Want to transfer PC files from a USB. How?

I am ex IT support and have spent many years running PCs on networks etc. Saw the light when daughter bought me an iPad! I bought an iMac a couple of days ago and now want to transfer files in a controlled way from data downloaded from wife's PC to a 16GB USB stick (is that called an import?) to the MAC - and I also want to keep the same directory structure. Files are typically MS Office 97-2003 or Office 2010 plus many .pdf and .jpg. I just plugged the USB stick into the MAC but nothing appeared to happen. Also, my first attempt to import files from iCloud does not appear to happen under any sort of control.

Posted on Mar 29, 2015 4:38 AM

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User profile for user: BobHarris
BobHarris
User level: Level 9
53,081 points

Posted on Mar 29, 2015 5:41 AM

The USB stick should be exFAT formated (would be best). FAT is acceptable, and in theory NTFS can be mounted READONLY. But I would go with exFAT as the best cross platform transfer disk format.


As far as appearing on your Mac. The default configuration generally displays the mounted disk icons in the upper right corner of the screen going down the side. If you have tons of stuff on your desktop it will try to find an open space. If there is no open space, it may overlap another icon, or another icon may overlap it.


There is Finder -> Preference -> General -> Show these items on the desktop, which you can use to control what class of mounted devices get displayed on the desktop.


In ADDITION, the mounted devices will be displayed in the left hand side-bar of Folder windows. If you do not see a left hand side-bar, then Finder -> View -> Show Sidebar


Mounted devices can also be seen via Finder -> Go -> Go to Folder ->/Volumes (that is forward slash Volumes)


It is also possible to transfer data from a Windows PC to a Mac using Migration Assistant

<How to transfer data from a PC to a Mac - Apple Support>

<About Windows Migration Assistant - Apple Support>

<Windows Migration Assistant v1.0.5.7>

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User profile for user: BobHarris
BobHarris
User level: Level 9
53,081 points

Mar 29, 2015 5:41 AM in response to johnfromfelbridge

The USB stick should be exFAT formated (would be best). FAT is acceptable, and in theory NTFS can be mounted READONLY. But I would go with exFAT as the best cross platform transfer disk format.


As far as appearing on your Mac. The default configuration generally displays the mounted disk icons in the upper right corner of the screen going down the side. If you have tons of stuff on your desktop it will try to find an open space. If there is no open space, it may overlap another icon, or another icon may overlap it.


There is Finder -> Preference -> General -> Show these items on the desktop, which you can use to control what class of mounted devices get displayed on the desktop.


In ADDITION, the mounted devices will be displayed in the left hand side-bar of Folder windows. If you do not see a left hand side-bar, then Finder -> View -> Show Sidebar


Mounted devices can also be seen via Finder -> Go -> Go to Folder ->/Volumes (that is forward slash Volumes)


It is also possible to transfer data from a Windows PC to a Mac using Migration Assistant

<How to transfer data from a PC to a Mac - Apple Support>

<About Windows Migration Assistant - Apple Support>

<Windows Migration Assistant v1.0.5.7>

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New to MAC. Want to transfer PC files from a USB. How?

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