It will depend a little on the file type you are transferring. Not all files can be opened on both, but that has become less of an issue over the years.

The first thing you should do is organize the files. Luckily most OS have the same folders: Documents, Music, etc. The better organized your files are, the easier this process is going to be. I have 4 main folders with lots of subfolders, drag and drop is my life!

The easiest way I have found to do this in using an external hard drive. I recommend getting a WD MyBook. If you're switching to Mac now, you'll be running Time Machine and the 500GB MyBook is large and affordable. The only problem I have come across is that my Mac won't recognize my beau's hard drive, I believe it has something to do with how he partitioned the drive. Out of the box w/ no computer geek modifications, the hard drives should work smoothly for both platforms.

After that it's just a matter of copying the file folders to the hard drive. Be careful, in Windows moving file folders is just that, moving, MAKE A COPY of the folders and move those copies to the HD. Make sure you get all the folders, not the Short Cut or Alias, but the actual folder. When I installed a new hard drive on my PowerBook, I was so excited I had done it myself I didn't realize I had only moved the alias of my work folder and not the folder itself, mini melt down! Luckily my beau has a HD reader and was easily able to retrieve it.

I also suggest making hard copies, like a DVD, of your files. That way if your hard drive is unresponsive, you can just insert the disc, discs like just about every computer. Depending on how much you have, it may require a DVD since they hold more. If you're trying to make a back up of your music, I suggest DVDs. I have over 30 GB of music and most DVDs hold 4.5GB, you're going to need a lot.

I can't stress enough not to discard the old computer until you are 100% sure you have everything you need off of it. I suggest running them side by side and check that you have all of the files. In some cases the file extension (ie: .doc or .pdf) will get lost is the transition, nothing is perfect (macs are close!). If you are running the computers side by side, it will be easier to determine what kind of file it is by looking at the PC.

That's pretty much all I can think of right now. It seems like a huge task, moving from one computer to the next, but if you're organized about it, it's pretty easy.

In windows...

If you drag and drop a folder/file to another location ON THE SAME DRIVE, it will permanently MOVE it to the new location.

If you drag and drop a folder/file to another location ON A DIFFERENT HARD DRIVE, it will COPY the file to the new location.

Just to clarify

Thanks, it's been so long since I've had to mess with it, I forgot!

- It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care. - Ferris Bueller

You can create local network with Macs and PCs, with WiFi or ethernet hub or crossed cable if its just 2 computers

I was in junior high when we switched to Macs a few years ago(now I'm a high school junior..) and I wasn't really into music and computers before we switched so I had one cd worth of files(yeah, that little...). I just dragged everything into the documents folder and it was done. I haven't looked back since(and I most probably never will).

Thanks everyone although I have a few more questions about your responses:

1. What does "Alias mean"? And how do I make sure I'm getting the folder, not the shortcut or alias?

2. What is "cross cable"? Is it easy?

See, the main files I want to transfer are photos, my poetry and music library; which brings me too my 3rd question..

3. How would I go about transfering my itunes library?

I think your iTunes Library is the same for Macs and PCs. There's one folder(on a Mac it's called iTunes Music, somewhere in your computer, that has all your music sorted the way you did on iTunes. Find that folder and then that's what you put in the Mac. Then it's just a matter of dragging everything into iTunes... hope that helps!

Alias/Shortcut: You know how some windows icons have a little curved arrow on the (left) corner of them? That means it is merely a shortcut (usually placed on the desktop) to the actual file (usually placed in a more-difficult-to-find folder) on your computer. Think of the shortcut as a link to the real thing! So, you have to make sure you have the actual file/folder/icon (without the arrow)!

I wouldn't worry about a cross cable; if you are going to transfer directly via two computers, just do it across a network.

Your iTunes library is just (mp3) files on your computer. I think within iTunes, you can right-click on any track and go to "Show in Windows Explorer", then you can see what folders all your mp3s are stored in. Simply find the main folder and back it up (drag it to the new computer, put it on your backup hard drive, etc.) then once it is on the new computer, within iTunes just File > Import and navigate to that folder!

((For nikki and others, I do not let iTunes automatically organize my music folders. I am very tedious about it so I just handle it all manually. So I don't have an "iTunes Music" folder. Of course, iTunes could care less as long as it knows where my files are. Just wanted to mention, incase some people aren't using the default folder.))

Copyright Infringement Alert! - When you are setting up your iTunes on your Mac you can select in Preferences to have music brought into iTunes to be saved or converted to mp3. I believe iTunes is set as a default to convert to m4a which is Mac specific. Basically it means you can't share your m4a files with anyone who is non Mac. I have mine set for mp3 so I can share. Totally illegal I know but it happens.

- It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care. - Ferris Bueller

To clarify, EVERY iTunes user gets this message to convert your files to m4a or leave them as mp3. This is iTunes specific, NOT mac or windows specific.

There is ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MP3 AND M4A and it definitely does not have to do with sharing on a mac or windows. They are just different methods of encoding music to make the file size smaller. Also this has nothing to do with copyright enfringement either.

In addition, M4A is not mac specific. Obviously mp3's aren't illegal. Also, the reason why I keep mine in mp3 format is because you lose sound quality when converting from one format to another.

This info is so helpful, thanks! I use my computer often however I know nothing when it comes to the technical part. I have a few more questions:

1. What is networking? And how would I do that?

2. What is the best way to backup my files/folder?

I consider myself fairly knowledgable but um, how do I know know if it is mp3 or m4a.

In your file manager, right-click the music file then left-click "Properties" (in window sat least) and it will show you the entire file name. You can also go to View > Options in the folder and checkmark "View Extensions" so you can always see the extension of every file.

The "best" way, subjective, is probably to buy an external harddrive, drag and drop your windows files to it, then drag and drop them onto the mac.

Networking is just a network of computers. Like if you have a router. Or if you use a computer at school or the library. They are all connected on a network. In windows, under control panel there is "View Network Places" or something like that, so you can view computers that are on your network. Someone else can detail this because I'm getting out of my league.

There is a little difference between MP3 and M4A. Yes, they are both forms of file compression but they aren't exactly the same. True, they aren't Mac specific (I need to re-read my posts before I post). MP3 is more universal, it's much easier to share the files with users cross platforms and with different programs. iTunes is not all there is. Where I've found the most problems is when people have tried to burn cds to play in their cars. I have a friend who's Mercedes won't read a cd if you have dragged the files to a disc and burned, it comes up error, MP3 discs have no issue. iTunes does give you the option to "burn as music disc" but I never use that function, drag and drop all the way.

And I'm not saying MP3s are illegal. What I'm saying is that there are some legality issues, remember Napster? You're not supposed to buy a CD and then make copies for all your friends. What I was talking about before was directly related to making it easier to do so.

On to networking. My beau and I have it set up in our house but what we've had to change the settings on our specific folders to "Share." I think it is in Network Places on your PC. If you right click and select settings there should be a Share tab. On Macs if you Ctrl Click on your hard drive you can click Share. It looks like you'll have to enable Sharing on the individual folders. I don't know if there is a way to blanket share them all. I say Google that.

But I totally agree that Drag and Drop is the way to go. That way you actually see what is getting copied and what isn't. If you didn't see it, chances are it'd not there

- It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care. - Ferris Bueller

Thank you for answering all of my questions! All of you have been a great help!