Question : Problem: Transfering (PC to Mac)  Via 2.0 USB External Hard Drive

I am trying to transfer files (mainly music and pictures) from Windows XP Sony VAIO to my new iMac 2.0 Intel (10.5.1) using a WD Passport 2.0 120 GB Hard Drive.  The hard drive shows up on my desktop but I cannot find the right file-type to begin the process of accessing the drive.  Most of the files are executable and WD's website contains no help for my problem.  I've read much about partitioning and reformatting, but am fairly unlearned in this.  Could someone direct me to the right way to reformat, or do whatever I have to do to transfer these files through the drive.  Thank you.

Answer : Problem: Transfering (PC to Mac)  Via 2.0 USB External Hard Drive

Do NOT format the drive in Windows !!   XP will by default use NTFS => which the Mac cannot read.   The WD drive is formatted in FAT-32 by default (if you haven't done anything to it since you got it); and BOTH the XP machine and the Mac can read/write to FAT-32 partitions.

... so all you have to do is copy the files you want to transfer to a folder on the WD Passport; and then simply reverse the process on the Mac.

If, by chance, the Passport has been reformatted in NTFS at some point, then you'll need to reformat it with FAT-32.   XP will only allow this if you create a partition no larger than 32GB;  but there are several 3rd party tools that will easily let you format the whole drive in FAT-32 ... such as this:  http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/download/fat32format.zip

If this all sounds confusing, just do this:  Open My Computer.   Point to the external drive;  right-click; and select Properties.   What does it show for the "File system" ??    If it's FAT-32, all is well.   If it's NTFS, you'll need to re-format it with Fat32Format (the program I listed above).

Once it's correctly formatted; then just copy all the files you want to transfer to the drive;  then do a "Safely Remove" of the drive;  and then attach the drive to your Mac and repeat the process ... this time copying from the external drive to the Mac.