How to transfer files from my PC to an external hard disk?

Transferring files from old Mac to PC

• I need to transfer about 1000 files, about 20 megs worth, from my ten year old Mac Powerbook Duo 210, running MacOS 7.5, to my PC, running Windows 98 and connected to the Internet. Details: - I have a web site that I can use as a temporary storage area for the files. - I have an external hard drive for the Mac with a SCSI connection. - I have a mini-dock for the Powerbook Duo. - I have an external floopy drive for the Duo and a floppy drive for my PC. - I have an 8 pin serial cable, which I believe can be used to establish a peer to peer connection between two Macs. - I do NOT have a modem for the Powerbook Duo. The options I see available are below. Please advise which is best in your opinion, or let me know of another good option: 1) Transfer files manually, via floppy disk, from my Mac to my PC. Problem with this is that, when writing the files to the PC hard drive, the Mac OS changes the files to the old style, 8 character DOS filenames, which I have to rename one by one. Very tedious. 2) Buy an external modem for the Powerbook on Ebay, then install AOL 5 to connect to the Internet (I have an account), then download and install an FTP program, then FTP the files to my web site, then FTP down the files to my PC. Doing this should preserve the filenames, unlike option 1 above. 3) Do a serial transfer from my Mac to another older Mac with an 8 pin serial port and Internet connectivity, assuming I can find one. Newer Macs - such as G4 cube - don't have these ports. Once on this other Mac, I can upload the files to my website as described in option 2 above. 4) Transfer the files to my hard drive, then hook up the hard drive to another Mac with SCSI and Internet connectivity (needs to be an older machine, since SCSI is falling out in favor of USB). From there, upload files to my web site, as described in options 2 and 3 above. So there you have it. Please let me know your thoughts on which option is best, and how best to do it. Thanks!

• Answer:

  Hi The best way to transfer files from the Mac to the PC is to use a Null modem cable. If you are lucky, the serial cable you have is a null modem cable (their only purpose is to connect 2 computers together via the serial port. If in doubt, most computer stores will sell the cable. Make sure that you have the correct port sizes on both the mac and PC, newer PC’s only usually have 9 pin male connectors, older PC’s and possible Macs have 25 pin Male connectors. This may require a 9 to 25 pin female null modem cable. The null modem works just the same as a normal modem would as far as the computers are concerned. You need to use a terminal program on each computer to make the connection. On Windows 98, use HyperTerminal to make the connection and on the Macintosh use MacTerminal or ZTerm these programs are often installed by the Operating system. This is defiantly the case with Windows but with the MacOS 7.5 I’m not sure. ZTerm for Mac can be downloaded here: http://homepage.mac.com/dalverson/zterm/ZTerm1.0.1.sit.hqx Once a connection has been established (follow the instructions in the respective program for this), the files can be transferred from one system to the other using upload on the Mac (see Z-Term documentation). Try and use the Z-Modem protocol (if asked) as it has better error handling and sped and allows you to queue uploads. If you need to preserve the file names, you will need to compress the files first using sit or hqx compression. You will need stuff-it expander for Windows to be able to uncompress these files correctly. To connect in HyperTerminal, you run the program Start>Programs>Accessories>Communications>HyperTerminal. When asked for a name type “Direct Connection” and click OK. On the next screen select the port you null modem is plugged into and click OK. In Zterm, follow the instructions in the help file to connect. When they are connected, you should be able to type on 1 screen and see it on the other. When you are ready, select the files to upload. Stuff-it expander for Windows can be downloaded here: http://www.stuffit.com/ Of course, you could also compress the files using sit or hqx and transfer them by disk to achieve the same result whilst preserving the file names. This would be easier, but slower and if you have easy access to a null modem cable, it’s a simpler-faster solution in the end, and you’ll know how to do it for future use! Further Reading: Null Modem Cables http://www.vision.net.au/~timotsc/null/nullmodem.htm Null Modems (technical) http://www.bb-europe.com/tech_articles/faq_rs232_connections_work.asp Using Hyperterminal to connect through a null modem http://www.dpg.devry.edu/~akim/130lab5.htm Other ways of connecting http://www.macworld.com/1995/08/secrets/1098.html Search Strategy: Null modem connection windows Macintosh ://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&querytime=KQMXjB&q=Null+modem+connection+windows+Macintosh Hope this helps Molloch