iPad novice, file transfer from Windows PC
Thread Starter
iPad novice, file transfer from Windows PC
As an iPad novice (iPad 2), how can files be transferred from a 'Windows' laptop to the iPad; USB preferred - very slow internet? via local router?
I understand that music files will have to be reformatted from the current 'wma' to an apple version - how is this achieved, simplest quickest method; is it possible to reduce the file size beforehand or during transfer?
Can an iPad access a 'Windows' external hard drive with a USB connection - probably require double female USB connect?
How might an iPad react to a Norton backup file?
iPad - Pprune always starts with a mobile format whereas I prefer the desk top version. Previous thread suggestions have been evaluated, and although the format can be forced to changeover this is not remembered for the next start up - have played with cookies selection and Pprune preferred format without success.
I understand that music files will have to be reformatted from the current 'wma' to an apple version - how is this achieved, simplest quickest method; is it possible to reduce the file size beforehand or during transfer?
Can an iPad access a 'Windows' external hard drive with a USB connection - probably require double female USB connect?
How might an iPad react to a Norton backup file?
iPad - Pprune always starts with a mobile format whereas I prefer the desk top version. Previous thread suggestions have been evaluated, and although the format can be forced to changeover this is not remembered for the next start up - have played with cookies selection and Pprune preferred format without success.
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Confoederatio Helvetica
Age: 68
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
6 Easy Ways to Transfer Files to iPad from a Computer
Re PPRuNe it really depends on the phase of the moon, or your digestive tract. No rhyme or reason; It just depends.
Re PPRuNe it really depends on the phase of the moon, or your digestive tract. No rhyme or reason; It just depends.
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Norfolk
Age: 67
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you are browsing PPRuNe on the iPad, there is an option in the Safari browser to select private mode. This clears cookies when you have finished browsing a site and close the tab. That is why you keep coming back to find the mobile site format selected by default.
Using Safari without the privacy settings enabled will preserve the PPRuNe viewing format you select, or stop the BBC and other sites constantly starting with cookie notices, etc. The disadvantage is that so long as your browser history and cookies are preserved, advertisers can track your internet usage.
So either click at the bottom of the first screen to display the full site, or risk being bombarded everywhere you go with directed advertising. The choice is yours.
The iPad file system is pretty locked down when it comes to transferring data into the iPad. Apple would prefer all transfers to only take place using iTunes, but there are third party PC apps that will allow you to read and write files to the iPad. Whether or not native iPad apps will recognise them or run them is another matter. The files generally need to be copied to specific directories that are normally hidden from users when using the official transfer methods.
iTunes will happily play .mp3 files. No need to convert to a proprietory Apple compatible format. VLC is also available for the iPad from the App Store. This app will play most formats without any conversion but lacks some of the convenience and polished presentation of the native music app.
The iPad cannot directly connect to external memory devices by deliberate design. Apple's philosophy is that if you need that capability, buy a Macbook. You can use the iPad as a kind of USB memory stick to transfer files, but these files are firewalled from the iPad operating system and apps. Cheaper and easier to just use a USB stick in the first place.
From an anti virus security point of view, this is a good thing, but it is a very different method of working if you are used to the click and drag technique on a PC.
The iPad is a great device when used within its limitations. It has been deliberately hamstrung in order to avoid being seen as a direct competitor or rival to the Macbook series of computers.
Using Safari without the privacy settings enabled will preserve the PPRuNe viewing format you select, or stop the BBC and other sites constantly starting with cookie notices, etc. The disadvantage is that so long as your browser history and cookies are preserved, advertisers can track your internet usage.
So either click at the bottom of the first screen to display the full site, or risk being bombarded everywhere you go with directed advertising. The choice is yours.
The iPad file system is pretty locked down when it comes to transferring data into the iPad. Apple would prefer all transfers to only take place using iTunes, but there are third party PC apps that will allow you to read and write files to the iPad. Whether or not native iPad apps will recognise them or run them is another matter. The files generally need to be copied to specific directories that are normally hidden from users when using the official transfer methods.
iTunes will happily play .mp3 files. No need to convert to a proprietory Apple compatible format. VLC is also available for the iPad from the App Store. This app will play most formats without any conversion but lacks some of the convenience and polished presentation of the native music app.
The iPad cannot directly connect to external memory devices by deliberate design. Apple's philosophy is that if you need that capability, buy a Macbook. You can use the iPad as a kind of USB memory stick to transfer files, but these files are firewalled from the iPad operating system and apps. Cheaper and easier to just use a USB stick in the first place.
From an anti virus security point of view, this is a good thing, but it is a very different method of working if you are used to the click and drag technique on a PC.
The iPad is a great device when used within its limitations. It has been deliberately hamstrung in order to avoid being seen as a direct competitor or rival to the Macbook series of computers.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: E.Wash State
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for this, Gouli. Long time windoze person, I'm considering an iPad Pro to travel with, having watched a bunch of geezers with them lately.
I recognize I'll have to learn to do stuff the Apple way, but the guys at the local Apple store are singularly unhelpful at explaining stuff.
I recognize I'll have to learn to do stuff the Apple way, but the guys at the local Apple store are singularly unhelpful at explaining stuff.
Thread Starter
Many thanks for the help above; I should have found the web advice via search ! 
Hopefully mp3 will be a smaller file and thus quicker to transfer via iTunes. Or have I misunderstood the iTunes music format; transferring a wma file via iTunes works OK, but it is still a large file. Is the iTunes a more compact format or is the file still the same wma size on the iPad; could the file size be reduced with conversion on the iPad? (searched Apps, nothing suitable / worked)
Private mode was off, recycled, and Pprune is now stable, at least so far, ...
Hopefully mp3 will be a smaller file and thus quicker to transfer via iTunes. Or have I misunderstood the iTunes music format; transferring a wma file via iTunes works OK, but it is still a large file. Is the iTunes a more compact format or is the file still the same wma size on the iPad; could the file size be reduced with conversion on the iPad? (searched Apps, nothing suitable / worked)
Private mode was off, recycled, and Pprune is now stable, at least so far, ...
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Norfolk
Age: 67
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I believe that Apple abandoned their proprietory protection and just distribute music files as .mp3 but with their proprietory three letter suffix instead added to the file name. Don't have a PC to hand, but I believe .mp3 is more compact than .wma format files.
I use .mp3 format by default because it is recognised and simply works across multiple devices, even if it doesn't give the highest fidelity music reproduction. It is good enough for the vast majority of listeners.
I use .mp3 format by default because it is recognised and simply works across multiple devices, even if it doesn't give the highest fidelity music reproduction. It is good enough for the vast majority of listeners.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Auckland, NZ
Age: 79
Posts: 722
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
WMA files are a proprietary Microsoft format, and AFAIK won't play on an iPad. I believe you can convert them to an Apple compatible format in iTunes on your Windows machine. Apple distributes its files in AAC, which is NOT an Apple proprietary format, and is now quite widely used. iTunes will also happily play MP3s.
Assuming your WMA files are WMA lossy (if you don't recognize what I'm talking about, they are lossy) it's really not a good idea to try to reduce the size, as you lose quality going from one lossy format to another. I'm old af, and I find 128kbps quite satisfactory, but 128 kbps files made from a different sort of 128 might cause me occasional annoyance.
IME the iPad is great for web browsing, looking at photographs, and especially for reading documents. An app called GoodReader will enable you to have with you at all times PDFs of Pilot's Notes of every type you can imagine, plus service manuals for all the fine products of St Pratt and St Whitney. But the iPad is definitely not a laptop replacement.
Good luck.
Assuming your WMA files are WMA lossy (if you don't recognize what I'm talking about, they are lossy) it's really not a good idea to try to reduce the size, as you lose quality going from one lossy format to another. I'm old af, and I find 128kbps quite satisfactory, but 128 kbps files made from a different sort of 128 might cause me occasional annoyance.
IME the iPad is great for web browsing, looking at photographs, and especially for reading documents. An app called GoodReader will enable you to have with you at all times PDFs of Pilot's Notes of every type you can imagine, plus service manuals for all the fine products of St Pratt and St Whitney. But the iPad is definitely not a laptop replacement.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
FP Thanks,
Having made some progress with music files via iTunes - format and size still unknown, I have also managed to transfer some photos direct from the camera.
I loaned a card reader which moved files from the camera's removable card to the iPad, but loading photos from the PC on the card was not so successful. This appears to be a reformatting problem if the photo has already been edited on the PC; reformat on camera not yet known.
Blue tooth next?
As cautioned previously, above, no success with other formats with the card reader, but I hope that via iTunes may provide some results. Any other suggestions.
The next task is to be able to access all old PC files from somewhere, some how !
One suggestion is via iTunes on the PC and cable connection; the PC becomes the remote disc? Alternatively can ex PC files be transferred to a external drive via iTunes - with Apple format, if only to read them on the iPad?
Particularly desperate as my daughter would like to take the old PC away, thus apart from investing in 500 gb Cloud space any neat suggestions?
Having made some progress with music files via iTunes - format and size still unknown, I have also managed to transfer some photos direct from the camera.
I loaned a card reader which moved files from the camera's removable card to the iPad, but loading photos from the PC on the card was not so successful. This appears to be a reformatting problem if the photo has already been edited on the PC; reformat on camera not yet known.
Blue tooth next?
As cautioned previously, above, no success with other formats with the card reader, but I hope that via iTunes may provide some results. Any other suggestions.
The next task is to be able to access all old PC files from somewhere, some how !
One suggestion is via iTunes on the PC and cable connection; the PC becomes the remote disc? Alternatively can ex PC files be transferred to a external drive via iTunes - with Apple format, if only to read them on the iPad?
Particularly desperate as my daughter would like to take the old PC away, thus apart from investing in 500 gb Cloud space any neat suggestions?
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Auckland, NZ
Age: 79
Posts: 722
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What sort of files do you have on the PC?
As people have said, Apple really doesn't want you to see the file system on an iPad; it wants all the files to be associated with an app. So, music files go with the Music app, photographs with the Photos app, and so on. Third party apps also know about this system.
If you have a lot of Microsoft Word files, a Word app is available from the App Store. I think it's free, but if not, most iPad apps cost about the same as a cup of coffee. Same, I think, for Excel and PowerPoint.
I've already mentioned GoodReader: it will enable you to look at a lot of different kinds of files.
There really aren't many choices apart from iTunes via USB or the Cloud. I don't use the cloud myself, but it might save you some grief and filial impatience. If nothing else, it will give you backup. If your files aren't backed up, you don't have them.
Good luck, one step at a time, and do things the Apple way. It's different, but it does make sense, for their kit.
As people have said, Apple really doesn't want you to see the file system on an iPad; it wants all the files to be associated with an app. So, music files go with the Music app, photographs with the Photos app, and so on. Third party apps also know about this system.
If you have a lot of Microsoft Word files, a Word app is available from the App Store. I think it's free, but if not, most iPad apps cost about the same as a cup of coffee. Same, I think, for Excel and PowerPoint.
I've already mentioned GoodReader: it will enable you to look at a lot of different kinds of files.
There really aren't many choices apart from iTunes via USB or the Cloud. I don't use the cloud myself, but it might save you some grief and filial impatience. If nothing else, it will give you backup. If your files aren't backed up, you don't have them.
Good luck, one step at a time, and do things the Apple way. It's different, but it does make sense, for their kit.
When you say 'all old files', how many Gb are we talking about? Keep in mind that the storage on the iPad is limited and you'll need to leave a bit of room for temporary files, updates and such.
Wild thought: how about a good NAS that you plug into your router? You can store all your files on it, depending on the type you can even have it back up itself and if you want to access something a simple app on your iPad (something like FileExplorer) will let you browse through all the folders on it. That way the iPad isn't a full PC replacement in itself, but is the 'access point' through which you can get to your documents and if needed open/edit them.
Wild thought: how about a good NAS that you plug into your router? You can store all your files on it, depending on the type you can even have it back up itself and if you want to access something a simple app on your iPad (something like FileExplorer) will let you browse through all the folders on it. That way the iPad isn't a full PC replacement in itself, but is the 'access point' through which you can get to your documents and if needed open/edit them.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Auckland, NZ
Age: 79
Posts: 722
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Jhieminga's advice is excellent. It is possible, by various means, to make an external hard drive accessible by WiFi. IME, Apple stuff is quite good at locating files on a WiFi network. You might want to look into that.
Thread Starter
Thanks to all. I have made significant progress, if only in understanding; but steady with this novice ... increasingly so on all things PC, net, and iPad. Only 10 yrs in retirement and everything has changed!
The problem has been the poor understanding of my problem, which has been enlightened with the advice above.
iPad meets my need to read documents and access the internet, opposed to previous PC based creative activity. No need for PC / Mac ... I think. PC required by remote daughter so I will not have access.
500 Gb of files on PC, primarily pdf, ppt, doc, and photos. Required to be read on an iPad, or massaged within the limits of free Apps, but stored off the iPad. Currently using free Acrobat and M/S Apps with success; files transferred slowly via mail attachments.
Now considering Dropbox or similar; need to read-up on Drive, iCloud Drive, etc - iPad access OK, but what about upload from a PC?
I note possible problems with file titles - my PC titles are often symbolic to denote usefulness (_ _ or *), then the normal alphanumeric descriptors with date ordering, but this irritation can be overlooked for iPad use. I suspect a tedious iPad search and file renaming after I have solved the access without PC storage.
Network Attached Storage (NAS) sounds interesting, but my knowledge of that is no more than this mornings reading of Wiki (increasingly novice like understanding of PC, wifi, and iPad). There appears to be several Apps associated with such systems.
An immediate thought / question. Could a 1Tb backup drive containing all PC files in their original formats (uncompressed / no back up massaging) be plugged in to a router, e.g. dreaded BT Hub 5, via USB?
Would an App be required for access, or would the iPad be able to see the files directly, like from the web?
I am tempted to 'try this at home', but will wait for further advice.
The problem has been the poor understanding of my problem, which has been enlightened with the advice above.
iPad meets my need to read documents and access the internet, opposed to previous PC based creative activity. No need for PC / Mac ... I think. PC required by remote daughter so I will not have access.
500 Gb of files on PC, primarily pdf, ppt, doc, and photos. Required to be read on an iPad, or massaged within the limits of free Apps, but stored off the iPad. Currently using free Acrobat and M/S Apps with success; files transferred slowly via mail attachments.
Now considering Dropbox or similar; need to read-up on Drive, iCloud Drive, etc - iPad access OK, but what about upload from a PC?
I note possible problems with file titles - my PC titles are often symbolic to denote usefulness (_ _ or *), then the normal alphanumeric descriptors with date ordering, but this irritation can be overlooked for iPad use. I suspect a tedious iPad search and file renaming after I have solved the access without PC storage.
Network Attached Storage (NAS) sounds interesting, but my knowledge of that is no more than this mornings reading of Wiki (increasingly novice like understanding of PC, wifi, and iPad). There appears to be several Apps associated with such systems.
An immediate thought / question. Could a 1Tb backup drive containing all PC files in their original formats (uncompressed / no back up massaging) be plugged in to a router, e.g. dreaded BT Hub 5, via USB?
Would an App be required for access, or would the iPad be able to see the files directly, like from the web?
I am tempted to 'try this at home', but will wait for further advice.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Auckland, NZ
Age: 79
Posts: 722
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
An immediate thought / question. Could a 1Tb backup drive containing all PC files in their original formats (uncompressed / no back up massaging) be plugged in to a router, e.g. dreaded BT Hub 5, via USB?
Would an App be required for access, or would the iPad be able to see the files directly, like from the web?
I am tempted to 'try this at home', but will wait for further advice.
Would an App be required for access, or would the iPad be able to see the files directly, like from the web?
I am tempted to 'try this at home', but will wait for further advice.
However, a 1 TB USB drive doesn't cost a great deal these days, and I'll feel a lot happier when I know all your files are backed up.
OT anecdote: one day I turned on the radio to hear the rich chocolatey voice of a distinguished colleague (the description was in the back announcement by the interviewer, who was obviously having difficulty keeping her hands off him). He was lamenting the theft of his laptop, which contained three years work on his latest book. "Bummer," I thought, " but why go on national radio? All he has to do is copy the back up onto a replacement machine... Oh, no, not even he could be that stupid, surely." But he was. The thief returned the machine, which shows there is a special providence for the truly self-absorbed, but the rest of us don't get that lucky.
Do make a back up, before you do anything else. Please.
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Here
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't forget you can always chat to Apple via their online chat facility, or indeed they will ring you at home to discuss any iPad queries you may have.
I have used these support facilities a number of times over the last year or so when we 'converted' from PC to Apple devices and I have to say their support is top notch.
I have used these support facilities a number of times over the last year or so when we 'converted' from PC to Apple devices and I have to say their support is top notch.
I use a PC as my main computer, but an iPad for travelling, so either e-mail what I want to have with me on the iPad, and then either keep it as an e-mail on the pad, or if a single page then take a screenshot - press the button on the side and the button on the top at the same time - then view them in "photos", or ... I have purchased a Kingston Mobil-lite gadget. This sends a WiFi signal that can be detected by the iPad WiFi option, and then I plug a USB memory stick into the Mobil-lite, and am able to read anything on the stick on the iPad.
Unfortunately one can't send data back to the stick from the iPad, nor edit the files you have put on the stick, but at least you can read them.
Helps a little, otherwise Apple have you by the goolies, as has been said.
Unfortunately one can't send data back to the stick from the iPad, nor edit the files you have put on the stick, but at least you can read them.
Helps a little, otherwise Apple have you by the goolies, as has been said.
Thread Starter
With some trepidation, an external hard drive was plugged into the BT hub. So far no loss of internet, no loss of backup data (also backed up elsewhere), and apparently without crashing large corporate organisations.
The PC internet map could see the drive by name, but not access data.
iPad could not see the drive at all; however, Pages gave an option of WebDAV as a location, but trying many identifiers associated with the BT hub failed to see the disc.
I suspect that WebDAV is irrelevant, the option being displayed without the hard drive in the system; or does this require an App?
So back to sq 1; not quite because with improving proficiency with PC iTunes and iCloud, and also Goo Drive, file transfer is improving. Also, with discipline, the number of files has been reduced.
Now considering buying more iCloud storage and relying on backup hard disc access elsewhere - trusting neighbour / friend.
Oops, auto spell check on 'trusting neighbour' gave 'trysting' ! ... Freudian computers ?)
The PC internet map could see the drive by name, but not access data.
iPad could not see the drive at all; however, Pages gave an option of WebDAV as a location, but trying many identifiers associated with the BT hub failed to see the disc.
I suspect that WebDAV is irrelevant, the option being displayed without the hard drive in the system; or does this require an App?
So back to sq 1; not quite because with improving proficiency with PC iTunes and iCloud, and also Goo Drive, file transfer is improving. Also, with discipline, the number of files has been reduced.
Now considering buying more iCloud storage and relying on backup hard disc access elsewhere - trusting neighbour / friend.
Oops, auto spell check on 'trusting neighbour' gave 'trysting' ! ... Freudian computers ?)
The problem with a USB drive plugged into a hub is that the hub itself needs to translate this into a network drive. As mentioned before not all the hubs/routers/modems facilitate this, and your testing seems to have ruled this option out for your particular situation. You could of course buy another modem/router to fix this but if you're going down that route, you might as well buy a NAS instead.
The more I think about it, the more I see this as a fitting option. I think that you have two options:
The more I think about it, the more I see this as a fitting option. I think that you have two options:
- Buy enough cloud storage to accommodate all your data. Apple's iCloud is a good option for this but Dropbox might work too. The downside of this solution is that it takes quite a while to upload 500 Gb and you're very dependent on the whims and pricing policy of the service provider. A plus is that your data is available everywhere as long as you've got internet access.
- Buy a NAS, which is basically a (very) small PC in a housing that allows you to fit one or more hard drives, and which can be linked to a network. Get one with two drives so that you can have one drive as a backup to the other (can be done automatically). On the plus side, this is a one time investment and copying speeds are only limited by your network. Downside could be that files are only available within your own network but some NAS devices allow you to setup a server that can be found from everywhere on the internet. You will need to get a small app for your iPad such as FileExplorer to browse through the files on the NAS. An app like this may be available from the NAS builders itself, and you shouldn't need any other apps to get this working. Initial costs to get a NAS are higher than for the cloud solution but once it is up and running, you don't have any other costs other than replacing it after say 10 years or so.
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Norfolk
Age: 67
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There is an app in the Apple store called iFiles. This allows a little more functionality accessing files with an iPad but the files are sandboxed and not available to other apps outside of iFiles. You can still view documents, listen to music and view video and photos from within iFiles. It also allows .zip files to be unpacked and viewed. Useful to have if somewhat limited in functionality.