Best way to transfer iPhoto library to Windows machine?

As the sig suggests, I just got a new Sony Vaio...Apple had priced itself out of my range when it comes to machines with decent GPUs (cheapest machine with a decent GPU is currently $2,199). The conundrum I have is how to get my iPhoto library over to the new machine. I have a lot of pictures and videos I've taken (about 60 GB of pictures and videos of my two kids), so manually copying them onto discs to burn would be time-consuming. And would the sub-directories even copy over properly into the "Pictures" folder? Is there another, easier way that I'm not thinking of?

All input is appreciated. Thanks!

 

How about an external drive? Then you'd have a backup too.

 

Thanks!

I've got a 500 GB external drive I'm currently using as a Time Machine backup for the MBP. I suppose I could reformat that and use it. What format do I need to make it so that I can:

(1) copy a pictures folder (with various subfolders) to it from OSX;
(2) copy that folder (maintaining the various subfolders) to a Windows 7 machine?

Also, is there a way to share the files on a local wifi network? I've got a basic-but-effective Cisco router, and I'm finding that transferring my iTunes library is very, very easy and fast using iTunes' local sharing feature. I was wondering if there was something similar I could do to transfer my photos directly from computer to computer using wifi.

 

Fat32 format for the Hard Drive so long as none of your files are over 4GB in size. Fat32 can be read by windows, Linux, and OSX

Also yes there is a way to set up sharing folders between mac and windows machines over a local network. I did it once years ago, You'll have to google it.

 

Don't use Fat32 anymore.. its too old.

Use ExFAT... all current OSes can read/write it and none of the 4gb limitations of Fat32

 

what he said

 

No individual file is even close to 4 GB; it's just that all the files combined equal about 60 GB. Under those circumstances, Fat32 should be just fine, right?

Regardless, if ExFAT is an option, I'll do that.

 

there is just no reason to go with Fat32 unless you need to access an old Windows 98 machine.. or some other very old machine. Fully updated Windows XP and later support it. Mac OS X 10.6 and later support it... Linux is still a bit behind and not sure how well it runs there... so if Linux matters you might look at fat32.

 

Gotcha, I'll go with ExFAT then. Thanks for the help!

Stupid question then...in idiot's terms, how do I reformat the external hard drive (if it matters, it's currently configured as a Time Machine backup)? Plug the external drive into my MBP and go into disk utility? What do I select then to erase everything and reformat as ExFAT?

 

yep.... Disk Utility.. select that disk... go to erase and choose exfat and "erase" it... it'll reformat it as exfat.