Review: Move2Mac

HOME

Meeting

Join / Renew

PC Alamode

About Us

HELP

Archives

Theme Issues

Other

Reviewed by
Paul Vaughn

Software Review of:
Move2Mac
Platform Migration Made Easy

Move2Mac

Paul Vaughn is a freelance graphic artist, writer and web designer. He writes the weekly 'Mac Guy' column in the Business & Technology section of the Sunday Express-News newspaper. Thinking about upgrading? Do yourself a favor and look at a Mac.

From the January, 2003 issue of PC Alamode Magazine

One of the big obstacles in moving to a different computer is getting all of your files from the old system to the new one. This can be difficult when you move up to a newer Windows computer, but it is especially daunting when you are attempting to move from Windows to an Apple Macintosh. Typically you would have to burn files to a CD, email the files to the new computer, network the computers or worse, leave the files behind. Fortunately, Detto Technologies is here to help with their new Move2Mac software.

Detto is no stranger to moving files between computers. Their award-winning IntelliMover and IntelliMover Business Edition have been around for years helping users move files from old PC’s to new ones. Now, Move2Mac helps the tens of thousands of users who are making the leap from Microsoft’s operating system to Mac OS X running on a Mac.

Move2Mac comes with a special USB cable to facilitate file transfers and works very simply. Install the program on your Windows-based PC, and after installation, the Move2Mac application starts automatically with a wizard-like interface. It then searches the PC for files to transfer, shows you a list of settings and file types and allows you to select the ones you want transferred. Finally, Move2Mac transfers the settings and files to the appropriate places on the target Mac. The USB cable will move 500MB worth of files in as little as 15 minutes.

Move2Mac does not transfer applications or convert files to Mac format. Fortunately most modern file types (i.e.: Microsoft Office documents, images, music, movies) are cross platform. The program will transfer your Internet and e-mail settings to OS X, and gives you detailed instructions on how to get your e-mail moved. Most applications with both a Mac and PC version will transfer easily, but for the few applications that use different file formats for their Mac versions (Quicken, for example) Detto includes a conversion guide on the Move2Mac CD.

Files on your PC’s desktop are moved to the Mac’s desktop. Files in the My Documents, My Pictures, My Music and My Videos folders in Windows are moved to OS X’s Documents, Pictures, Music, and Movies folders respectively. All other files and folders are transferred to a ‘Migrated PC Files’ folder, if you have more than one drive on the PC there will be subfolders for the C and D drives as needed. All folder hierarchies are maintained.

For a PC, Move2Mac requires Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000 or XP; 30MB hard drive space and 32MB RAM. The Mac needs to be running Mac OS X version 10.2 (aka Jaguar) or higher. Detto is coming out with another version of Move2Mac for older PC’s that includes a Parallel-to-USB cable and is compatible with Windows 95. Move2Mac retails for $59.95.