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im_noahselby · Aug 29, 2006, 02:11 AM

Can I use the iPod nano to transfer files back & forth between computers?

Maybe this is a silly question, but I need a definite answer. I want to be able to use it at school to transfer my word files back and forth, so I can work on them at home as well as at school. The PC's at my school do not have iTunes. I just want to know if I can transfer files back and forth, via this method.

Anyone know?

Thanks,
Noah

icruise · Aug 29, 2006, 10:26 AM

You should be able to, yes. It can function in a similar way as a "thumb drive." However, being mostly a Mac person, I'm not positive how it would work if you just plugged it into a Windows XP computer that doesn't have the iPod driver software installed. Does anyone know? Will it show up as a removable drive or is it necessary to install the driver for that to work?

Big Mac · Aug 29, 2006, 01:45 PM

The iPod in question has to be PC formatted, but as long as it is it will act as a regular drive as long as Disk Mode is enabled. And as long as it's PC formatted, Macs and PCs will be able to read and write to it.

im_noahselby · Aug 29, 2006, 01:52 PM

So if I format it to PC it will still be 100% mac compatible, because I will primarily be using it with iTunes on my Mac.

How do I format it for a PC?

Thanks,
Noah

Captain Obvious · Aug 29, 2006, 02:29 PM

Too much effort and then you have to carry the cable as well

a 1 gig USB flash drive costs around $15 if you shop around

icruise · Aug 29, 2006, 04:26 PM

I tend to concur. A flash drive is probably the better option. You don't even need 1GB if you're just doing Word files.

im_noahselby · Aug 29, 2006, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Obvious

Too much effort and then you have to carry the cable as well

a 1 gig USB flash drive costs around $15 if you shop around

I just bought a 2GB Lexar mini flash drive from Walmart for $100, but returned it when someone told me I could just do the same thing with the nano. Preferably, I would rather carry a nano and cable, than a nano and a seperate usb flash drive.

How do I format it for PC's?

Captain Obvious · Aug 29, 2006, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by im_noahselby

I would rather carry a nano and cable, than a nano and a seperate usb flash drive.

How do I format it for PC's?

That's retarded.
Not only do you have to know in advance you will be using the Nano as a flash drive so you have the cables but you will have to allocate space normally used for MP3s to use as empty memory for your files. And if you want to transfer files bigger than 512Mb you are talking about a substantial portion of the space on the Nano that can't be used for songs.

And I didn't say spend $100 on a 2 gig flash drive, i said $15 bucks. Hell get two 1 gig'ers for $30 if you need more space.
But yeah go knock yourself out: http://www.apple.com/support/ipod101/maximize/2/#4

its a waste of your available memory if you need 2gigs of file space. You either got the wrong iPod for this purpose or you need to just get a flash drive

Stogieman · Aug 29, 2006, 08:24 PM

Here's a 2GB flash drive for $34.
Flash Drive

im_noahselby · Aug 29, 2006, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Obvious

That's retarded.
Not only do you have to know in advance you will be using the Nano as a flash drive so you have the cables but you will have to allocate space normally used for MP3s to use as empty memory for your files.

Since I will almost always have my backpack with me while at school, having this usb cable is something I would have had in my bag with me anyways, and is no trouble for me to lug around at all. I'd rather just have one device to listen to some music, transfer files, etc. A couple gigs of music is sufficient for me as well, I can always switch up the songs from time to time. I don't need all my songs with me at all times, like some folks.

The link was helpful. Thanks.

Noah

Sherman Homan · Oct 4, 2006, 07:39 AM

I formatted my iPod video for PC so that I could use it for file transfers in Disk Mode. Big mistake. Took me a week of trying to re-reformat it so that it would work again. I finally had to restore it on a PC, then re-restore it on my desktop Mac. I know that it should have worked, but for $25 dollars I have a nice fat one gig thumb drive.

ghporter · Oct 4, 2006, 08:11 AM

In general, changing the format of an iPod is a trivial (though sometimes time-consuming) process, and in general it's NOT a problem at all.

With that said, I prefer listening to my iPod over using it for a portable disc. And unless you're transferring tons and tons of data, a 1GB or at most 2GB thumb drive will be far more than adequate. I'm looking at my 1GB stick's usage right now, and after a year and a half of text-intensive classes it's still 1/3 empty-and I have yet to go in and delete all the debris from working on papers (notes and imported files used as reference...). So I would definitely go with a separate, MUCH SMALLER (even than a Nano), and less expensive USB thumb drive.

icruise · Oct 4, 2006, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

In general, changing the format of an iPod is a trivial (though sometimes time-consuming) process, and in general it's NOT a problem at all.

Unless of course you format it with something other than the iPod software updater. Maybe that was the problem?

ghporter · Oct 4, 2006, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by Icruise

Unless of course you format it with something other than the iPod software updater. Maybe that was the problem?

Excellent point-the updater has, as far as I am aware, ALWAYS worked on working iPods. Using Disk Utililty, on the other hand, is both not recommended and troublesome.