iMac migration from Windows

I decided to use Migration Assistant from Mac OS X El Captain to transfer files from Windows machine to new iMac 27.

It is a decent tool, and it provides option to migrate email, but I did not try that. I just used it to transfer my files, music, and video, etc. Of course, client tools need to be installed on Windows machine. Copy process took few hours over Wi-Fi.

Then I noticed that OS X actually created  a new user account and copied all files I requested under that user! which is not exactly I wanted. I also observed by then, OS X createsits own Download, Pictures, Music, and movie folder outside Document folder, which is different from Windows by default. This is not quite convenient at all, and  later I realized that it is for iTunes and Photos, and iBooks default file path.

OS X denies to move my previous windows files to my current folder, since they belongs to the migrated user, so I used cp -r to make a copy of the files, and then chown -R. One thing I ignore during this process is to keep to original timestamp. I am not exactly sure they are already lost during Migration Assistant process, and my cp -r process, since I deleted the migration assistant user account later before I realize this.

Migration Assistant doesn't provide option for web browser bookmarks, so I export my IE bookmarks and Firefox book marks, and import them back to Safari/Firefox.

OS X uses unicode for text file encoding (UTF 8/16), which is different from Windows text file by default. In order to open previous windows file via TextEdit, you need change it preference. To change it permanently for other application, command-line iconv or duplicate an open file in TextEdit , and the select unicode encoding for saving file.

iTunes could not play APE/FLAC files, so alternate application is VOX. VOX might not recognize cue file properly, so you need a UTF  encoding version cue file via iconv or TextEdit.

iTunes can play MP3 files from my previous Windows machine, but I quickly noticed that MP3 tags are not displayed in iTunes Library. Again, it was due to encoding, as iTunes also use UTF, so a tag editor is required. eyeD3 is a command-line tool to do so, while Unicode Rewriter is a nicer application to do so too.

Before I changed MP3 file tag, I would like to know existing tag, Kid3 is the ideal application to do this.

I believe that Unicode Rewriter creates a new V2.3 MP3 tag with Unicode, after it reads original MP3 tag. Kid3 can be used to remove all unnecessary V1 tags and APE tags if any on MP3 files.

iTunes then can import unicode tagged MP3 file into iTune Library with proper display.

Audacity can modify sound file in various format

XLD can split APE files.

QuickPlayer might not be able to play certain video codec formats, so MPlayerX is the alternative to do so.


OS X creates default computer name during the first boot process, you can change afterward via command line scutil  or from System Preference->Sharing. OS X has three related names, one of them is used for file sharing over the network.

Samba file sharing for ubuntu client doesn't work well, but afp does.
Samba file sharing for Windows client need profiled credential.
Shared folder on OS X is defined in Sharing section of System Preference.

Unarchiver can extract RAR file format

Didbit 1: screen capture: CMD+SHIFT+3 or CMD+SHIFT+4  partial screen (from Apple support)
Tidbit 2: CMD + <- beginning of line; CMD + -> end of line; CMD+ up beginning of page; CMD + down, end of page
Tidbit 3: Option + <-, forward one word;Option+->, backward one word; up and down for paragraph movement.
Tidbit 4: to delete after cursor: Fn + delete
Tidbit 5: to zoom screen: enable it from System Preference -> Accessibility -> Zoom