Migrating to OS X +

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Numbers1820

IXOYS
Brief Overview:

I am (planning on, at least) upgrading my mom's clamshell iBook (300 MHz G3, ca. 1999) to OS X. In order to better support OS X, I'm also planning on replacing the stock 3GB HDD with a 10GB HDD, and adding the max extra 256 MB RAM.

I'm already running into difficulties, so that's why I'm posting this for your help. While you're reading on, if you feel that some questions would better be posted in different forums, please do tell me. I want the best help I can get...free!

The Sticky Part:

My plan for upgrading goes something like this:
1. Backup the clamshell HDD (everything but the System Folder) to my spacious PowerMac's HDD.
2. Make sure that her Outlook Express emails, contacts, etc. are all intact.
3. Take out the 3GB stock HDD, install, hook up new 10 GB HDD, restart machine with a startup disk, initialize disk, install OS X.
4. Ethernet over to the "new" (actually used; read on) all my mom's old info from the PowerMac.
5. Convert the Outlook Express stuff to either Mail or Entourage.

So far, I've got #1 done.

What's sticking is #2. Apparently OE is aware that it's on a different machine, and none of the identities, email folders (inbox, etc.) tranfer over. Isn't there a place where this information is stored, and I should be able to just migrate from one machine to another?

I would hate to either save every single blinking email message as a text file, and import it. T-e-d-i-o-u-s! Or, similarly, emailing to my PowerMac all the emails. (Wouldn't I just have to repeat that process when I transfer all that over to the newly initialized 10 GB HDD in the clamshell iBook?)

Is the solution to make a disk image or something, compress or something, or, or, or?

MS' Mactopia doesn't seem to give any kind of help. OE Help doesn't seem to address migration issues at all. Help!

Some concerns ahead of time ("an ounce of prevention..."): Does anyone know a good site that specifically details installing a new HDD in a clamshell iBook? or a pretty similar model? Anyone done that before and can give me pointers? I've already installed a second HDD in my PowerMac, and done some fiddling around with a PB 1400cs I ownded previously, so I have just enough foolhardiness to try this kind of thing on my own.

Lastly, does anyone have any advice for converting all the old, OS 9 OE stuff to either Mail or Entourage? Any advice on choosing Mail over Entourage or vice versa? I'm kinda leaning towards Mail (even though I don't use it) for all its vaunted spam filters and ease of use.

Thanks in advance, guys!

numbers1820
 
The one of the easiest way to back up: get mom a .mac account and use the iDisk to store all her 'stuff'

Since you have a pretty good plan, continue with it. Your mom's email boxes are in the Documents>Microsoft User Data>Identities (then Main identity if only one email address).

Did you check to make sure all the software that your mom uses has an OS X version? If not, you may need to use the OS 9 CD first, format the drive, install OS 9, then set up OS 9 and migrate the backup files.
Then start up with OS X CD, do not format the drive - install OS X and include OS 9 drivers (even though they are on there from the OS 9 install, you need OS X to have the OS 9 drivers for Classic to run. Then mom can use her OS 9 stuff within OS X.

You could partition that new drive and have OS 9 on one and OS X on the other.

I found a web site that shows the steps of opening the iBook.
http://caslis.com/mac/ibook/ibdrive.html

Now if that is not the model check out
http://w3.trib.com/~dwood/specificmacs.html

In order for Mail to find the old emails to import, you need to have the Program and all the files so Mail can 'see' them.

Mail, IMHO, is easier to use. :)
 
Thanks, Chery, for the websites, advice, etc.

One question: If I copy the Main Identity (there's only one) from the iBook to my PowerMac, then I open OE, should it find and utilize that data instantly, or will it get confused with other OE info on the PowerMac's HD?
 
It would probably get confused if you put those files in the same folder as your OE files. To avoid any problems hide all those files in a folder labeled Mom's stuff.

You should be okay then.
 
The one thing I WOULDN'T do is to install 9 and X on different partitions. Your drive is too small to split up like that and you don't really need to do it anyway. In my humble opinion.

If you buy the new Microsoft Office, you can export your contacts to a comma delimited text file and then re-import them, or Entourage will just import your Outlook contacts; which I am pretty sure it will do.

:)
 
Thanks for the continued advice, Natobasso and Cheryl.

Here's the latest: I just transplanted a used (but new to the iBook in question) 10GB HDD successfully, erased it, installed a clean copy of OS X and OS 9 and have reimported all information including having Entourage import all the old Outlook Express info perfectly. (I just had to follow the directions in File/Import... for the last operation.)

It looks like all I'll need to do is go back through the system and toss out unneeded files to make things as tight and fast as possible for my mom, and then it'll be done.

Good ending!
 
I haven't done this to our iBook yet, but I understand you can install a 512 MB stick of RAM in there, even though many sources say max is lower. Look into it!
 
bobw said:
According to MacTracker, this model will be able to use 576MB of ram.
Click to expand...

Just a note for all of you who may be intrigued by Bob's post: The correct web address is mactracker.ca, NOT mactracker.com, etc. You will then be directed to download the Mactracker application.
 
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