I've just bought a MacBook pro and have been trying unsuccesfully to move my library from my pc to the mac. As my iTunes library is around 266gb and the MacBooks internal drive is only 250gb I thought I would just connect my backup of iTunes which lives on an external drive to the mac and 'hey presto!'. However I have now discovered the nfts/fat32 problem... I did seem to be able to view and play from the external drive using the mac but obviuously I can't write to it and update my iTunes library. To get around this I decided to format the ext drive to fat32 on the mac and to backup again from the pc to the now fat32 ext drive. However when I tried this the backup just kept stopping (no error messages) after around 130gb's. Thus happened again and again, taking most of yesterday : ( Does the 4gb fat32 limit have anything to do with this? I've now reformatted the ext drive back to nfts and am backing up iTunes again to it. I wonder whether having the music folders on the ext drive in nfts but the actual library file on the mac itself will allow me to use and edit the library properly. What's my best course of action? Also, how does the mac get around the fat32 limitations when using video files larger than 4gb? Thanks!
Help with moving iTunes from pc to mac
- Thread starter sensei_russ
- Start date
I assume you have some 4GB+ video files in your iTunes library? As memory serves the 4GB limit of FAT32 is for individual files, not folders or directories.
As to your question of how the Mac gets around the 4GB file limit of FAT32 for video... it doesn't. It naturally assumes you are using the Mac file structure. To this day I'm not sure why Apple make OS X compatible with FAT32 but not NTFS, but all is not lost.
You should be able to share the iTunes library folder on your network, and use the Mac to copy the files from your PC to the HDD, formatted in HFS+. I *think* that should work.
If that doesn't work, then there are various plugins that can be installed (they cost a little money, unfortunately, but do offer free trials) to make either your Mac read/write NTFS or your PC read/write HFS+. The two ones I know of are Paragon NTFS for Mac, and Mac Drive for the PC. A Google search will probably find others but those two are ones I've tested (although admittedly not on Snow Leopard).
As to your question of how the Mac gets around the 4GB file limit of FAT32 for video... it doesn't. It naturally assumes you are using the Mac file structure. To this day I'm not sure why Apple make OS X compatible with FAT32 but not NTFS, but all is not lost.
You should be able to share the iTunes library folder on your network, and use the Mac to copy the files from your PC to the HDD, formatted in HFS+. I *think* that should work.
If that doesn't work, then there are various plugins that can be installed (they cost a little money, unfortunately, but do offer free trials) to make either your Mac read/write NTFS or your PC read/write HFS+. The two ones I know of are Paragon NTFS for Mac, and Mac Drive for the PC. A Google search will probably find others but those two are ones I've tested (although admittedly not on Snow Leopard).
I do have some movies in the itunes library although they're not over 4gb in size. I just wondered if the 4gb limit had something to do with me not being able to back up the itunes library on the fat32 formatted drive. As I mentioned, the transfer just seemed to finish at around 130gb instead of completing all 266gb and I tried this three times. If I could get the pc to write the library to fat32 then I think that would be the perfect solution for now.
I was also under the impression that fat32 was the Macs native format but from what you're saying I guess I'm wrong. I did see some other file structures listed when I formated the drive to fat32, but being new to Macs (and not a hugely techie person either) I didn't know what they were.
As for the plugins that make NFTS work on Mac, well I did google them but read that they can limit performance and as itunes would be using the external drive a lot I thought I'd steer clear of that option.
Maybe I should just go the NAS route, although from searching the internet (a lot) I can't seem to find one that's a clear cut obvious choice. An Apple time capsule for example would be perfect but they're comparatively expensive and from what I've read they have a problem with power supplies failing/general build quality.
Any ideas on a NAS that's reliable and fast?
I was also under the impression that fat32 was the Macs native format but from what you're saying I guess I'm wrong. I did see some other file structures listed when I formated the drive to fat32, but being new to Macs (and not a hugely techie person either) I didn't know what they were.
As for the plugins that make NFTS work on Mac, well I did google them but read that they can limit performance and as itunes would be using the external drive a lot I thought I'd steer clear of that option.
Maybe I should just go the NAS route, although from searching the internet (a lot) I can't seem to find one that's a clear cut obvious choice. An Apple time capsule for example would be perfect but they're comparatively expensive and from what I've read they have a problem with power supplies failing/general build quality.
Any ideas on a NAS that's reliable and fast?
Unfortunately I have a Time Capsule, and all Macs at home.
At work, we use a handful of WD My Book World Edition II NAS drives, but they seem a little slow for moving lots of data, and I haven't checked them for how well they work with iTunes (they are compatible though, I can confirm that much; the drives appear in the iTunes source list).
At work, we use a handful of WD My Book World Edition II NAS drives, but they seem a little slow for moving lots of data, and I haven't checked them for how well they work with iTunes (they are compatible though, I can confirm that much; the drives appear in the iTunes source list).
What's your experience of the Time Capsule Dirk? I don't minding spending the money if it's going to be reliable.
I've also discovered (after a bit of digging on google) why I couldn't copy my 266gb itunes library to the fat32 formatted drive. Apparently the maximum I can store on a fat32 formatted drive is 128gb. Something to do with the file structure of fat32.
I've also discovered (after a bit of digging on google) why I couldn't copy my 266gb itunes library to the fat32 formatted drive. Apparently the maximum I can store on a fat32 formatted drive is 128gb. Something to do with the file structure of fat32.
I'm really happy with it, although it did used to freeze up from time to time (it doesn't seem to under the latest firmware though, and I have a first gen TC).
As a laptop user, it is reassuring to know my computer is backed up without having to plug it into a hard drive every so often, and as it's 802.11n it's pretty fast at moving data between computers.
Again though, I've not tested how well it works with PCs.
As a laptop user, it is reassuring to know my computer is backed up without having to plug it into a hard drive every so often, and as it's 802.11n it's pretty fast at moving data between computers.
Again though, I've not tested how well it works with PCs.
I have recently moved the library from an XP pc to MacMini with latest OS using importing function from a shared library i.e. you share teh library on the PC, then click on it on the Mac, select the songs and click import. Over WiFi it takes ages but if you connect with ethernet cable via router is quite quick. Althoug my ibrary did fit on the internal mac HD, it shoudl be no different with an external HD connected to the mac, provided you locate your mac library on this external HD prior to importing. a disadvantage is that it is not possible to transfer playlists like this (or at least I do not know how).
Thanks guys.
After reformatting the ext drive back to nfts and backing up again I now have the whole itunes library working on the macbook - including artwork, ratings and playlists. Havent tried syncing my iphone yet though... The library file/s are stored on the mac but the music folder is stored on ext drive still in hfts format. The only drawback is that I don't think I can add any music to folder on the ext drive as its nfts format.
I could just add music to the pc's itunes library and then back up and use that for the mac. However going forwards I'm thinking that the NAS route is probably best as I understand I can store the library and music on the NAS drive and access and manage it via a pc or mac, effectively sharing itunes between both and also being able to add music via the pc or the mac.
AlmaataKZ, I'm guessing it's not possible to just connect the pc directly to the mac if I wanted to copy any other files over?
Cheers
After reformatting the ext drive back to nfts and backing up again I now have the whole itunes library working on the macbook - including artwork, ratings and playlists. Havent tried syncing my iphone yet though... The library file/s are stored on the mac but the music folder is stored on ext drive still in hfts format. The only drawback is that I don't think I can add any music to folder on the ext drive as its nfts format.
I could just add music to the pc's itunes library and then back up and use that for the mac. However going forwards I'm thinking that the NAS route is probably best as I understand I can store the library and music on the NAS drive and access and manage it via a pc or mac, effectively sharing itunes between both and also being able to add music via the pc or the mac.
AlmaataKZ, I'm guessing it's not possible to just connect the pc directly to the mac if I wanted to copy any other files over?
Cheers
rjb70stoke
Well-known member
Have you considered upgrading your macbook HD?, Very easy to do, and with 500gb HD's prices tumbling all the time a cheap option to sort your problem. If youve got access to another external drive, you can even clone the original, and then the whole process takes about 2 hours, and you are back to how your mac was before the HD swap.
Ive upgraded my Macbook twice, and now have my original drive in my PS3, and my 250gb drive in an external caddy for mac hfs+ back-up use.
Ive upgraded my Macbook twice, and now have my original drive in my PS3, and my 250gb drive in an external caddy for mac hfs+ back-up use.
That's exactly what I did with my windows laptop previously, upgrading the hard drive twice. Finally with a 500gb drive going into the laptop and the 320gb drive going in the PS3. However, I'm slightly wary of opening up my shiny new macbook pro - even though changing the hard drive is apparently no more difficult than my previous laptops upgrades. Am I right in thinking that upgrading the hard drive doesn't void the warranty?
If I did go this route which drive would you recommend? I would probably go with a western digital drive as these seem to be the standard upgrade drives that people use but I'm unsure of whether to get a 5400rpm or 7200rpm drive having read that the faster drive can be noisy, run hot and also reduce battery performance...
Any thoughts?
Cheers
If I did go this route which drive would you recommend? I would probably go with a western digital drive as these seem to be the standard upgrade drives that people use but I'm unsure of whether to get a 5400rpm or 7200rpm drive having read that the faster drive can be noisy, run hot and also reduce battery performance...
Any thoughts?
Cheers
rjb70stoke
Well-known member
Hi, youre quite right about the warranty. I actually swapped my original 120gb drive the day I received my macbook. There was no way I was paying £120, for a £40 HD, when I specced my machine.
I used a seagate drive when I swapped to 500gb. The battery life is a little diminished, but Im not sure if its not just the age of my laptop, it is 4 years old now. It certainly isnt any louder or hotter in use though.
The extra usefulness for music, photos and video, for me way out plays the negatives.
I used a seagate drive when I swapped to 500gb. The battery life is a little diminished, but Im not sure if its not just the age of my laptop, it is 4 years old now. It certainly isnt any louder or hotter in use though.
The extra usefulness for music, photos and video, for me way out plays the negatives.
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