Session Transfer Help

[Funkle]

Hey guys I've never transfered pro tools files/sessions before and am in need of some help. I just recieved my new Macbook Pro and finished installing pro tools le 8 onto it. Now im wanting to transfer all of my pro tools sessions from my desktop PC to my external hardrive - the Seagate Freeagent usb 2.0 500gb (As seen here: http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-FreeAg.../dp/B000ND75C0). I believe all my pro tools related files are installed to my PC's internal hardrive(s). What files/folders will i need to copy to the external hardrive? Will it matter that the hardrive has about 257GB used on it with mainly media files (movies and music)? Should I be able to connect the hardrive and open the session files i want through pro tools immediately or is there anything id have to do first? Also, would it be better to just move all the session files onto the mac's hardrive? Or should i invest in a firewire external? Sorry for all the questions but im in need of answers quickly as im flying home in a few days and wont have access to my session files if i dont get them transfered NOW. If anyone can help me out id really appreciate it!

[caruso7r]

If it were me I would first format the new hardrive with the new mac mac formatted and then download a trial version of "macdrive" for your PC to use the new mac formatted drive and open your sessions on the PC and do a "save session copy in" and in the section "items to copy", check all boxes that are important to you including the most important box "all audio files". Navigate to the new drive on where to save. This way is the cleanest way. The other quick way is to simply find the folders for each session you created and copy those "Parent" folders over to the new drive. The problem with this is it will constantly give you a popup telling you the drive allocation has changed although not a big deal. Again "save session copy in" is probably the cleanest way.

[Funkle]

ok thanks ill try that. Is getting a firewire 800 external hardrive necessary or ideal for this sort of portable rig? Or if i plan on using the system for all my pro tools sessions from now on, would i be better off just saving to the mac hardrive? thx for the help

[Funkle]

when im saving to either place, either the external or the mac's internal, is there a specific location that is better or does it not matter the file location?

[caruso7r]

File location is not a big deal as long as you know where to go the next time you need to access your sessions. It's all about file management and where on the drive only matters if you cant find it later. On a new drive obviously you might as well save on the root with your folders or create a "parent" folder to save inside. It's your choice. I personally have a dedicated drive to work off of and if I'm working on more than one project at a time which is usually the case I will have a folder labeled whatever project it is and save the songs inside that folder. Just use your common sense. When i say a dedicated drive, I mean that particular drive is my working drive. I have copies of the same session in 3 other places at least and then i update usually by appending.

[Funkle]

ok so if i were to buy a fw800 external hardrive to store all of my pt sessions on, that wouldnt affect the speed of the session? What i mean is that because its on an external drive, would it take longer to load from or lag/decrease performance of my session? In your opinion saving to the internal hardrive (Macintosh HD) would work just fine without slowing the system down? Just save to several different locations on the hardrive to backup the sessions? Sorry to repeat what you've said, im just trying to understand what you're saying. Thanks for the help.