Moving files from Win Pc to new Mac via home network, help?

Hi...

Still have some files on the old Dell that need moving and since I have a home wireless network I thought that might be the easiest way to do it. I was just looking at the Apple Switch 101 and the directions to do this and already have a problem. It directs to open the Server Connect window on the Mac and the first thing it asks for is the Server address and I don't know where to find that. Anyone?

It has a 'Browse' in the window but when I click on it I don't see anything except the Hard Drive files. I know there is a network and it is wireless and both laptops are working on it. I didn't set it up and I never access it so I don't have a clue.

The next directions are:

"..Enter your PC's workgroup name, your user name, and your password when prompted, then select the volume or folder you wish to access. Your PC volume should appear on your Mac Desktop. Open the volume and drag and drop files directly from it to anywhere on your Mac. When finished, drag your PC volume to the Trash to unmount it."


I don't know the workgroup name or my user name or password...I imagine that is going to be a big problem? I was in the hospital at the time my computer system was being set up and someone did it for me and that was five years ago. I just called them to ask them if they could direct me to the info and they don't seem to remember.

Any suggestions?

Thanks..adam

 

i don't have any ideo on mac side. But i think you can give the network address of your dell as a Server Address, which you can find in:

Start - Run - cmd - ipconfig /all

You can see your workgroup in properties of MY COMPUTER..

i hope these would help you


or

you can setup a home network, in which you can give your own workgroup name and etc...

 

Right, get the ip like cslegolas mentioned.

Then under connect to server enter smb://ipaddress/

If you setup networking on your PC, you should be able to browse by name. But you have to setup the home network or some crap.

 

Ok...I'll give that a try and be back.

 

I'm back....here is all I am able to discover...

My full computer name...
My workgroup name
user name
but not the password

I tried the Start/Run etc....but a window popped up that was black and looks like MSDOS or the registry and I am on thin ice at that point. So I closed that. I had an icon on my Dell Desktop labeled Network Places and that is where I got the above information.

So, what of that information relates to the IPAddress or Server Name?
Nothing was actually labeled that.

Plus, have no idea how it will help if I don't have the password. Does anyone know if there is a way of resetting the password? Or should I just consider setting up a new home network? I am confused. Maybe I should try another way to move my files?

I don't have an external drive, I tried a Scandisk titanium flash drive and it wouldn't fit the Mac port for some odd reason. The Dell CD player won't burn. I could take it to the Apple store and have them connect both machines with an ethernet cable? I also have a new ethernet cable that I am planning on using to connect a printer to the network if I ever get that far...lol. Can I use that myself to connect the two machines or is that complicated too?

Thanks
adam

 

Go to start -> run
Type in CMD and then enter
in the dos prompt type in ipconfig
You should see your ip address there.

When you connect to the windows machine from mac, use your windows username and password (god help you if you don't have a password on your windows machine). I can't really help get you setup on that right now as I'm not at a windows box....

What kind of mac are you using? I know the iMac, Macbook Pro, Macbook, Mac Mini and Mac Pro have flush USB ports, so the chassis won't get in the way. The MBA on the other hand cannot handle many USB devices due to poor chassis design.

Are you sure you Dell has a CD Burner or DVD Burner? Are you trying to use a DVD-R in a normal CD Burner?

You maybe able to use an ethernet cable to direct connect the two machines. Generally you would have to get a cross over cable, but if you connect to Macs with a normal ethernet cable, it knows its connected to a mac and sets itself up to work like the normal ethernet cable is a crossover. Not sure if that will work with a mac and pc.

And I really don't know anything beyond that with direct connecting a mac and pc. I haven't done that in over 10 years, and that was with serial over IPX (I think).

 

Hollownail...

I am expecting it to take me some time and I am fine with that. I have already got the macbookpro up and running and my email working so I am doing ok.

I am just going back and forth between two machines right now, and the old Dell has a broken hinge and the battery doesn't work and the adapter cord is fraying after just being replaced a month ago, so using it even in short spurts, is a royal pain. I am going to be so happy to be done with it.

Thanks for the new directions for getting the ip address. I think I can manage that. But I do not have the password. I don't remember ever having it. If I did, I don't know where it would be. So does that nix transferring the files by way of the home network?

I just called Apple tech support. They suggested trying another flash drive. My second concern, which I just remembered, is that I tried the flash drive in the Dell first, to try to get the files on it. I couldn't get the Dell to recognize the flash drive. So, I am reluctant to go the route of any method that uses the USB port...like an external drive...bc of that.

The CD burner in the Dell is a CD burner, not a DVD burner. I have used it in the past to burn onto CDs. I have no idea why it is not working, and of course, 5yrs old, no Dell support. I was trying to use a Memorex blank CD-R 700MB disk to move the files. Would it work with a +R or some other media?

Thanks for the info on direct connecting. I am pretty sure the Apple store can do that for me and I am going to call them and see if they charge a fee to do it. That might solve my problems, I don't know. Will check that out tomorrow. Unless there is something about the CD player not working with the media I am trying to use with it that you know?

Thanks very much for the help...
adam

 

If it is the username and password to your computer and you do not have a password to your dell computer. You can probably get away with leaving the password field blank. Try that and see if it will let you connect. If not, go to the control panel and go to "User Accounts" and set up a password for your dell in there, so that you can type it in when trying to access it from a mac. It is a work around but I think it is worth a try.

 

Ohhhh...stunner, you just jogged my memory. If it is the user password, then I know what that is. Is that the password they are asking for? Hmmm...thanks for that thought. I am going to start over again tomorrow and try that with the ip address using the steps suggested here and with no password and see if that works. Thanks...

I went back and tried again to try to burn files to a CD on the Dell...and the bugger still won't burn it. I put the names on the list to burn, I put the CD in the machine, I can hear it start up, I get an initial message of Burning in progress, in the right hand pane of the Windows Media Player but none of the list on the left side start showing they are burning. Then the burning in progress disappears and instead there is a message that there are no items on the CD. Huh? Of course there are no items on the CD, it's a blank CD ready to burn. So...not sure what the deal is. Maybe I should take the CD burning issue to a forum that deals with that and see if someone can help troubleshoot it for me. If I don't get anywhere trying the network transfer, I may resort to that.


thanks..

 

On the windows side, you need a password to get in from the network. Go to control panel and pick your user account and give it a password. Then you should be able to log in to shared drives using that account. However, on windows, it is an uphill battle to share your "my documents" folder which is most likely where a lot of the stuff you want to transfer is sitting.

c:\documents and settings\your username

It would actually work out better to do the opposite. On the mac, turn on SMB sharing and on windows you will see your mac. You can then drag your files over to a shared folder on your new mac. For $99, Apple will transfer all the files for you and give you 1 year of 1 hour training sessions. If you live near an Apple store, this is your best option. It takes them up to 48 hours for them to do it, but you don't have to lift a finger.

 

So is your issue solved adam? I would like to know what happened.

 

Yeah, If I'm remembering this right, for you to use SAMBA protocol to transfer your files you need to set your windows account to admin and set a password for it. I usually just have a folder in windows set as my share folder and throw what I need to share into it. Then, using the IP assigned to your windows machine you tell os x to connect to it and if all is well it should prompt you for a username and password. Enter the username & password you set on your windows machine. After that it will list the share folder and you can mount it.