Suggestion for photo transfer from Dell to iMAC: What is the best way to transfer and retain picture quality and size from my Dell to my iMAC? I have years of photos on the Dell and...

Franku Loc: Wallingford, PA and Parrish, Fl

What is the best way to transfer and retain picture quality and size from my Dell to my iMAC?
I have years of photos on the Dell and would like to keep them in tact.

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

Franku wrote:

What is the best way to transfer and retain picture quality and size from my Dell to my iMAC?
I have years of photos on the Dell and would like to keep them in tact.

get an external drive, make appropriate folders for your photos, click and drag photos to designated folders, click and drag folders to iMac. the photos do not need to be formatted for apple to copy them to an apple device. photos are not operating system sensitive.

jeryh Loc: Oxfordshire UK

Download them to a separate hard drive; make sure you have plenty of RAM on the Mac.

vicksart Loc: Novato, CA -earthquake country

I was getting ready to post this very same question, so I look forward to reading the suggestions. I would only add that I'm wondering whether it can be done directly with a USB cable or do you need to download on some other memory source and make the transfer from that?

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

vicksart wrote:

I was getting ready to post this very same question, so I look forward to reading the suggestions. I would only add that I'm wondering whether it can be done directly with a USB cable or do you need to download on some other memory source and make the transfer from that?

it should be possible, but I would feel safer transferring to an external drive, then the laptop

Franku Loc: Wallingford, PA and Parrish, Fl

I purchased a 2 terabyte external drive at the Apple Store and it does not allow me to download from the Dell.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

orrie smith wrote:

get an external drive, make appropriate folders for your photos, click and drag photos to designated folders, click and drag folders to iMac. the photos do not need to be formatted for apple to copy them to an apple device. photos are not operating system sensitive.

:thumbup: :thumbup:
That's what I use (1Tb USB pocket drive) to transfer from desk top to laptop, or vice versa.
(Transfer over encrypted WiFi takes SO long for a large amount of files.)

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

vicksart wrote:

I was getting ready to post this very same question, so I look forward to reading the suggestions. I would only add that I'm wondering whether it can be done directly with a USB cable or do you need to download on some other memory source and make the transfer from that?

Use an external storage device connected to either machine via USB. The external device could be a drive or a memory stick (if large enough). Format the external drive or stick as Fat32 as this file system can be read by either Windows or Mac.

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

Franku wrote:

I purchased a 2 terabyte external drive at the Apple Store and it does not allow me to download from the Dell.

if it is an apple drive, it may not be formatted to recognize your windows computer. I use Toshiba, formatted to windows, and have never had a problem transferring to my mac pro. you may want to ask apple if you are able to use the drive you purchased on a windows based computer.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Franku wrote:

I purchased a 2 terabyte external drive at the Apple Store and it does not allow me to download from the Dell.

Format the drive as Fat32 - that file system can be read by either machine.

Terrymac Loc: LONDON U.K.

Hi Trix, could I ask you how to Format the drive as Fat32 Thanks.

TriX wrote:

Format the drive as Fat32 - that file system can be read by either machine.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Frank, Get yourself a G Technology or Western Digital external hard drive. I don't know homany images you have but they are available as 1TB,2TB,etc

Franku wrote:

What is the best way to transfer and retain picture quality and size from my Dell to my iMAC?
I have years of photos on the Dell and would like to keep them in tact.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Terrymac wrote:

Hi Trix, could I ask you how to Format the drive as Fat32 Thanks.

Plug the drive into your Windows machine. Depending on the version of Windows, click on "my computer" or "This PC" which will display icons for each drive. Right-click on "format" on the external drive (Make absolutely sure you have the correct drive!) and pick Fat32 as the file system, then "start".
Easy as that. Giood luck! Note that all existing data on the device will be erased.

Chris

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

That is because it is formatted for Apple..Not windows

Franku wrote:

I purchased a 2 terabyte external drive at the Apple Store and it does not allow me to download from the Dell.

Bill_de Loc: US

If you are copying all the photos there is no need to create folders. Drag the "Pictures" folder to the new drive. The file structure will be transferred.

--