PCs and iTunes

[gus3049]

I have been recording a load of vinyl for a friend as she wants to use her iPod and dock to listen to all her old stuff.

 

In spite of this and the fact that she uses a PC instead of a proper computer, we are still friends.:-)

 

I went there today with a hard disk full of tunes and connected to said PC. As I always do, I checked the prefs and made sure it added the files when importing and tried to import by 'add to library'. Nowt. Thought maybe it was a Mac folder problem and tried individually - nope.

 

Had lunch.

 

Suddenly thought of dragging and dropping and voila - no problem, all imported properly.

 

Why oh why would it work that way and not from a menu command I wonder? I know the real reason is because its a PC but even then I find it a bit peculiar!!

[Skeptic]

I know the real reason is because its a PC but even then I find it a bit peculiar!!

The real reason is because iTunes is a piece of crap.

[gus3049]

The real reason is because iTunes is a piece of crap.

 

If you say so. Its my favourite of all the players on the Mac. I've tried them all and always return to iTunes with BitPerfect.

 

One man's meat is another man's poison it seems.

[wgscott]

Was it an HFS+ formatted hard drive? The file dialog boxes can have trouble coping.

[gus3049]

Was it an HFS+ formatted hard drive? The file dialog boxes can have trouble coping.

 

A very good question!! No idea. PCs seem to have no logical way of finding anything so I wouldn't know where to look!! The deed is done now so no great need for an answer but it did seem very strange that one way would work and not the other.

 

back to my friendly Mac I think :-)

[wgscott]

PCs can be almost as good as Macs (if you install Ubuntu on them).

[gus3049]

PCs can be almost as good as Macs (if you install Ubuntu on them).

 

Absolutely, I have no problem with the machines even though in general I prefer the way Macs look and are built. Its the damned operating system that I still think is a mess, totally illogical and non-intuitive and the bits copied from the Mac are done badly. However, I have never felt the need to investigate Ubuntu as MacOs does it for me :-)

 

As ever though, you pays your money and you makes your choice.

[Keyser Söze]

Use FAT32 if you're using the hard drive between a Mac and a PC. Both types of computers can read FAT32. The limitation of FAT32 is that an individual file has to be <4GB.

[Paul R]

Use FAT32 if you're using the hard drive between a Mac and a PC. Both types of computers can read FAT32. The limitation of FAT32 is that an individual file has to be <4GB.

 

While FAT32 will work, to me it is nothing but trouble and very very slow. Trouble in that filenames can be a real problem, and by slow, I mean it can take hours to move a few hundred gigabytes.

 

Consider using NTFS. If you are only reading the disk on the Mac, all done. If you need to write the disk, then you need to install one of the NTFS drivers, but that is pretty trivial, and often included with USB drives. I have had great success with the Paragon drivers in this case.

[Skeptic]

Use FAT32 if you're using the hard drive between a Mac and a PC. Both types of computers can read FAT32. The limitation of FAT32 is that an individual file has to be <4GB.

You should use exFAT rather than FAT32 these days. While it's still not a very robust filesystem to use, it does not have the 4GB limitation of FAT32.

 

Consider using NTFS. If you are only reading the disk on the Mac, all done. If you need to write the disk, then you need to install one of the NTFS drivers, but that is pretty trivial, and often included with USB drives. I have had great success with the Paragon drivers in this case.

Actually, I believe OS X has native write support for NTFS built in, it's just not enabled by default.

 

I haven't done this modification myself though, as I actually like that my media drives are read-only when connected to a Mac.

[Paul R]

Y

Actually, I believe OS X has native write support for NTFS built in, it's just not enabled by default.

 

I haven't done this modification myself though, as I actually like that my media drives are read-only when connected to a Mac.

 

It does, but since it is not supported (Apple doesn't want to pay Microsoft... ) I tend to use the Paragon drivers, which are supported. They work very well too. No problems at all.

 

And yep, I often leave the drives read/only on the Mac. Especually the drives I use with Vortexbox, which backs up to NTFS format disks under Linux.

 

-Paul

[wgscott]

Absolutely, I have no problem with the machines even though in general I prefer the way Macs look and are built. Its the damned operating system that I still think is a mess, totally illogical and non-intuitive and the bits copied from the Mac are done badly. However, I have never felt the need to investigate Ubuntu as MacOs does it for me :-)

 

As ever though, you pays your money and you makes your choice.

 

I recently installed Windows 8.1 on a second internal drive on my Mac Mini so my 10 year old could run some model airplane simulator software (RF7) which doesn't run in VMware Fusion or Parallels. Even in the short time booted into Windows, he managed to get it so badly infected with crapware and possible viruses that I had to blow it away and reinstall. I am shocked that anyone considers that to be a viable operating system. Even if music sounded 10% better in Windows, I still wouldn't use it.

 

One thing you can do is install Cygwin, which puts a unix emulator on Windows and you can pretend it is a real operating system.

[firedog]

I recently installed Windows 8.1 on a second internal drive on my Mac Mini so my 10 year old could run some model airplane simulator software (RF7) which doesn't run in VMware Fusion or Parallels. Even in the short time booted into Windows, he managed to get it so badly infected with crapware and possible viruses that I had to blow it away and reinstall. I am shocked that anyone considers that to be a viable operating system. Even if music sounded 10% better in Windows, I still wouldn't use it.

 

One thing you can do is install Cygwin, which puts a unix emulator on Windows and you can pretend it is a real operating system.

 

I really am not interested in a boring Windows vs MAC debate, but you and the other Apple fanboys who are clueless about Windows are amazing. Please don't blame your lack of knowledge on Windows - it's you.

 

If your son immediately got his machine full of crapware and suspected viruses, then you and your son need to learn about basic computer security. I've run multiple Windows machines for years. Always have basic free security software/anti-virus installed. Download lots of stuff all the time. Don't have crapware installations or infections. Takes only a few precautions and some basic common sense.

 

Yes, on an Apple it is less likely. Not because it is inherently superior, but b/c most of the hackers don't waste their time on MACs since they are such a small percentage the OS's installed on a world basis.

 

If you guys love MACs, that's great. But just because everytime you try Windows you have problems and don't understand what to do - think about the fact that maybe it's you. I assure you that plenty of Windows users who try Linux or MAC have the same or worse problems using the OS than you do when trying Windows. Just depends on what you know and what you are used to. Nothing to do with one being inherently superior. Different strokes for different folks.

[Skeptic]

Even in the short time booted into Windows, he managed to get it so badly infected with crapware and possible viruses that I had to blow it away and reinstall. I am shocked that anyone considers that to be a viable operating system. Even if music sounded 10% better in Windows, I still wouldn't use it.

This does not happen on its own. It's the fault of the operator, not the operating system.

[Paul R]

This does not happen on its own. It's the fault of the operator, not the operating system.

 

Mmm - not sure I agree with you. Window's seems to get it "knickers in a twist" with no help at all from the operator.

-Paul

[jhwalker]

This does not happen on its own. It's the fault of the operator, not the operating system.

 

Perhaps the OS should come "out of the box" configured where it's less likely to become infected? I recently had to install Windows 7.x for my dad, and it installed (by default) with neither a firewall nor antivirus / anti-malware installed / turned on. You'd think both would be installed and activated by default if the OS is such a target.

[Skeptic]

Windows 8 includes anti-virus and anti-malware protections by default.

There has been a system firewall enabled by default since XP SP3. (or was it SP2?)

 

I'm fairly sure Windows 7 included anti-malware tools, but that you had to install Microsoft Security Essentials yourself for anti-virus.

Windows Action Center will constantly pop up alerts if you do not have any of this installed.

 

User accounts should have standard privileges by default, rather than Administrator privileges, and UAC should prompt for an admin password any time you try to do anything on the system which could be potentially harmful.

 

If you have disabled these protections or ignored them, and then installed some kind of malware (again - it won't get on your system by itself) it's not the operating system's fault.

[jhwalker]

Windows 8 includes anti-virus and anti-malware protections by default.

There has been a system firewall enabled by default since XP SP3. (or was it SP2?)

 

I'm fairly sure Windows 7 included anti-malware tools, but that you had to install Microsoft Security Essentials yourself for anti-virus.

Windows Action Center will constantly pop up alerts if you do not have any of this installed.

 

User accounts should have standard privileges by default, rather than Administrator privileges, and UAC should prompt for an admin password any time you try to do anything on the system which could be potentially harmful.

 

If you have disabled these protections or ignored them, and then installed some kind of malware (again - it won't get on your system by itself) it's not the operating system's fault.

 

*I* know that - my career is in IT, 25 years now - but 90%+ of "normal" users don't (and shouldn't have to).

 

Users always have admin rights, always turn off UAC, *never* read (or certainly never understand) dialog boxes, etc. OSs should be smarter than users - and I'm not excluding OS X here!

 

IMO.

[Skeptic]

*I* know that - my career is in IT, 25 years now - but 90%+ of "normal" users don't (and shouldn't have to).

 

Users always have admin rights, always turn off UAC, *never* read (or certainly never understand) dialog boxes, etc. OSs should be smarter than users - and I'm not excluding OS X here!

If you disable the security functions, you can't complain that the OS is insecure.

 

In your previous post you claimed:

I recently had to install Windows 7.x for my dad, and it installed (by default) with neither a firewall nor antivirus / anti-malware installed / turned on. You'd think both would be installed and activated by default if the OS is such a target.

All of the above, except possibly an anti-virus is installed and running by default. (I'm not sure if Windows Update will now install MSE on 7)

The anti-virus would have been included, if it were not for all the anti-trust suits against Microsoft.

I assume this was sorted out by the time Windows 8 was released, hence its inclusion.

 

OS X does not include an anti-virus of any kind, and only very recently started including rudimentary anti-malware protections.

 

It does, however, block unsigned applications from running at all by default now, rather than simply requiring Admin privileges - which is probably a good thing for protecting the "average user" from themselves, but a huge pain in the rear for the rest of us, and is really just a way to push people into using their app store so they get a cut of the software sales.

[Paul R]

If you have disabled these protections or ignored them, and then installed some kind of malware (again - it won't get on your system by itself) it's not the operating system's fault.

 

Well, sometimes it is. Like when there is a network worm weaseling around. It isn't always clicking on a link on a browser that is vulnerable. Sometimes it is something as simple as a mail client with buffer overflows and so forth.

 

Users are not always at fault, or totally at fault, for security problems like that. Windows does have a history of being unsafe, for whatever reason. Given that, Windows 7 and Windows 8 have made great strides to being much better as an OS than previous versions. But MacOS and Unix like OS's are still a bit better at keeping the user and system safe. Not invulnerable of course, but better.

 

-Paul

[jhwalker]

If you disable the security functions, you can't complain that the OS is insecure.

 

In your previous post you claimed:

All of the above, except possibly an anti-virus is installed and running by default. (I'm not sure if Windows Update will now install MSE on 7)

The anti-virus would have been included, if it were not for all the anti-trust suits against Microsoft.

I assume this was sorted out by the time Windows 8 was released, hence its inclusion.

 

OS X does not include an anti-virus of any kind, and only very recently started including rudimentary anti-malware protections.

 

It does, however, block unsigned applications from running at all by default now, rather than simply requiring Admin privileges - which is probably a good thing for protecting the "average user" from themselves, but a huge pain in the rear for the rest of us, and is really just a way to push people into using their app store so they get a cut of the software sales.

 

i didn't "claim" anything, I stated it as a fact. I just did it the other day, do you think I simply imagined having to turn on the firewall and download MSE after the install?

 

In any case, I didn't exclude OS X in my criticism, I just think all operating systems are too insecure (and too glitchy) for the average Joe on the street to use safely.

[Skeptic]

i didn't "claim" anything, I stated it as a fact. I just did it the other day, do you think I simply imagined having to turn on the firewall and download MSE after the install?

You certainly imagined having to turn on the Windows Firewall in Windows 7.

It has been a part of Windows since XP SP2, and is enabled by default.

 

As I said, I'm unsure of whether or not Windows update will download MSE or not. It's been quite some time since I last had to install Windows 7, and I've been running 8 since its release. (without having to fix anything)

 

In any case, I didn't exclude OS X in my criticism, I just think all operating systems are too insecure (and too glitchy) for the average Joe on the street to use safely.

Well if you want to argue that all operating systems are insecure, go ahead.

 

My point is that Windows is not inherently "bad" these days - especially as compared to OSX. (I actually have a mixture of Macs and PCs here, though the Windows machines get most of my attention)

[wgscott]

(I actually have a mixture of Macs and PCs here, though the Windows machines get most of my attention)

 

Yeah, they take up a lot more time, proportionately.

 

My comments were fairly obviously tongue-in-cheek. At least so I thought.

 

My primary mistake was only to create an admin account the first time around. This time I made a highly protected child's account so he can't try to install anything.

 

He managed to install this, and god knows what else: Remove Default-Search.net (Virus Removal Guide)

 

Once I got everything working I made a clone snapshot backup with Winclone, so if it happens again, I can just restore it to its initial state (times a dynamical phase factor).

[Paul R]

Boys- if it does not run z/OS under z/VM, MPE/iX,or VMS, it's just a toy.

 

Fortunately my Macs can run all three.

[Skeptic]

Yeah, they take up a lot more time, proportionately.

I actually meant that I prefer using the Windows machines, not that they require more time for maintenance or anything like that.

 

I don't find Macs to be very useful for media playback at all (limited codec support, only H.264 is hardware accelerated, the only "decent" video player is VLC) and so many things just feel sluggish on OSX compared to Windows running on the same hardware.

 

I do prefer to use Apple's notebooks over any others, and run OSX on them, but that's about it.

Most of the things that bother me about Apple on the desktop (slower performance, lacking media support, poor 3D performance) aren't things I expect a notebook to be good at anyway.

 

 

Microsoft never seems to have been able to get trackpads to work right, and Apple doesn't do a very good job with mice, so I guess it's a tie?

Both seem to be software issues, as trackpad performance is still horrible in Windows if you use Boot Camp on a Mac, and the same goes for using mice on OSX.

 

My primary mistake was only to create an admin account the first time around. This time I made a highly protected child's account so he can't try to install anything.

 

He managed to install this, and god knows what else: Remove Default-Search.net (Virus Removal Guide)

Well despite what the title of that page says, I don't think that is a virus - just a piece of malware that hijacks your browser search. (and not something I have encountered)

Obviously that is a bad thing, but a virus is usually far more destructive.

 

I'd suggest running an adblocker on the system, as you might find that someone who is not very computer literate will actually click and install those "Your computer is running slow..." ads that you might see on the web, mistaking them for a system dialog.